the future of dreadlockssite and testers needed
General Talk
Count me in SE. I have been using an Apple iOS device & have found it easier to go through the non mobile full site. It has been a bit clunky but I made it work.
Forum Activity for @stingrey
In need of patience
Introduce Yourself
I hear ya Claire. I work as a medical scientist at a hospital & it seems there is always some bacteriological, viral or fungal outbreak every month we have to watch out for. As for keeping long hair clean and germ free just use a simple nonporous physical barrier like medical scrub bouffant and of course use gloves and wash your hands often. Here's a link to my favorite scrub caps and bouffants, they look professional, have a terry lined band to wick away sweat and best of all they are made here in the U.S.A.Keep posting pics here of your progress and refer to them. Day to day you don't see it but once you establish a time line the progress will become evident. I didn't even know I was slowly developing dreads locks until I was months into my journey.Good Luck & Blessings on your journey. http://www.sparklingearth.com/products.asp?category=100030
Fixing Damage from Long Term BS/ACV washing?
Dreads Hair and Scalp Health
The BS/ACV wash & rinse is really good for a very deep clean. However I found it to be too harsh for even a weekly wash, even with accurate ratios. Like any chemical reaction it really shouldn't be eyeballed haphazardly. Precise ratios will yield optimum results (full disclosure: I'm a Medical Scientist). When dealing with organic structures you don't want to stray too far from their intended pH, for hair that would be slightly acidic.If your hair strands are brittle it is fair to reason that is from too much alkalinity of the hair shaft from the baking soda. Your cuticles are standing on end instead of lying flat against the shaft as they should. In the beginning this helps create a rough surface that tangles & dreads up quicker along with stripping of the lubricating sebum (oil).However I don't think it is wise to continue it long term as it has the potential to not just open up the cuticle, but over time weaken them to the point of them breaking off leaving "holes" in the hair shaft. You see the same issue with women that have had repeated harsh alkaline procedures done on their hair like perms, coloring dyes or hydrogen peroxide "bleaching".The good news is you can easily repair the hair by gently acidifying the hair shaft to relax and lower the cuticle down along the shaft. Replace the BS with Dreadlocksshampoo.com like Soaring Eagle suggested. In addition continue to do your ACV rinse, I've read that adding lemon juice to the ACV enhances it's acidifying effects and is a natural home remedy that makes good scientific sense.In addition keeping some brewed loose leaf hibiscus tea in a spray bottle in your fridge to use in between wash days would help as hibiscus tea is some of the most acidic & sour tasting teas. Plus who doesn't like the smell of hibiscus, it just takes me back to India & Hawai'i.Good Luck & Blessings and keep us posted on your healing. http://www.davidsonstea.com/Hibiscus_Flowers_cs_Loose_Leaf.aspx
I have a job interview, and I have no idea what to do with this.
Dreadlock Styles and Dread Styling
Ho'omaika'i and Congratulations on getting the job. I'm happy for you and your son. Beyond the increase in pay, as a general rule the great health insurance benefits in the healthcare industry is a big draw that should bring you a lot of peace of mind.As a mom I imagine you want your son to live his life to the fullest developing his mind and body while also laughing, having fun, creating friendships and exploring his world through physical activities and sports.Kids and especially boys love to do stuff that could involve scrapes, bruises and sometimes casts; heck I still get hurt riding through the trees on my snowboard or surfing over the sharp reefs of Hawai'i. It'll be reassuring to know that when he straps on that helmet and pads to step onto the playing field, BMX track or skateboard park he will be covered.Pomaika'i and Blessings on your new job.
I have a job interview, and I have no idea what to do with this.
Dreadlock Styles and Dread Styling
Wow! That's taking dreadlocks at work to a whole 'nother level! I would never go that far but you gotta admire her ingenuity. Just pull'em back with a hide headband & tie them up at the bottom like a ponytail. Just until your past your ninety days if you aren't required to wear a bouffant or surgical cap.Good Luck & Blessings!
I have a job interview, and I have no idea what to do with this.
Dreadlock Styles and Dread Styling
I work in Healthcare at a hospital as Medical Scientist. So yes, I understand your predicament. As a mom you want to provide the best for your children. Truly there is very few industries that will provide good dependable wages & very low health insurance costs.In healthcare a neat and orderly appearance is associated with cleanliness and it is to be expected. That doesn't mean you can't have dreads. You just have to make sure they are clean and pulled back out of the way. Once they are past the "loopy" stage and they are maturing to normal cylindrical shape you can use Vicki's Lock Magic Karma Gel immediately after washing them & in between washes to tame the frizzes & fly aways. It helps them mature as well, but the biggest most immediate benefit I found was more cosmetic. Plus the Karma scent smells really good & since it is completely plant based it washes out very easily with no build up.As for what to use to pull them back, I've tried them all & I highly recommend Buff Wool Head Wraps. They look professional and you can fold them over in half they will cover past the top of your head. Plus the wool rubbing against the hair helps them dread up faster. Yes they are a little pricey but I feel they are as necessary as shoes for a healthcare professional with dreadlocks. If you can't source them locally in time for your interview find the widest most professional looking headband or plain bandana. You can order a few after you get the job.I imagine you won't be in the OR, LAB or such where you need to cover them up completely. For that I would look to tams or medical Bouffants. Cover up all the tats (use a foundational make-up if needed) and plug up the piercings with clear ones. Your interview & probationary period is NOT the time to push the envelope.Good Look & Blessings on your interview. Keep us posted!-StingRey http://www.buffusa.com/sports/collections/wool-buff-reg/styles/filter/original http://shop.dreadlockshampoo.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3
Tea Tree Oil for treating dandruff?
General Questions
Don't apply full strength Tea Tree Oil to your scalp, you run the risk of developing an allergic reaction & you won't be able to use it anymore. Yes Tea Tree will help, but what is the cause of your scalp shedding excessive skin cells? Is it dry? Then oils applied after washing to help retain moisture will help. Is your scalp to oily? If so you could have normal skin flora or fungal yeast like organisms running rampant on all the triglycerides in your sebum. In that case oils will only make it worse, cloves are a natural anti-fungal agent & wash once every three days. How often do you wash?Lesser common causes are Psoriases, Eczema and Seborrhoeic Dermatitis. You would definitely know you had these as they affect not just the scalp but the entire body as well.Also use it not just in your wash, but in a soothing brewed tea spray you can keep in your refrigerator for in between washes. Choose soothing herbs like the ones I recommend to Mario. http://www.dreadlockssite.com/profiles/blogs/tea-tree-oil?xg_source=activity
End of Journey
Dready love
My allotted time had ended, though I am sadden greatly to have ended it. They were getting very thick and starting to combine. My first journey was only a month long, my second was only a few months long. In both cases I only got to the messy tangled hair stage. This time with so many more months I was able to devote to the journey I was able to develop thick dreadlocks. All my friends that have known me the longest all agreed that of all my "hair styles" they had seen on me over the years; dreadlocks most fit my personality. I truly feel they had become extensions of my inner self, my very soul and I was to the point of tears when they cut them off & I gathered them up in a paper bag.I have learned so much this time. Not just about the care of dreadlocks and natural hair, but also of so many more issues in the world and our bodies. Our fate and that of our earth are so intertwined. Not surprising as our mortal bodies are made of earthly dust. Many of our current problems, health, healthcare cost, poverty, inequality, hunger, resource war, pollution and extinction could all be addressed by simply living a more simple, thoughtful, conscious, wholistic lifestyle as we were originally intended. I have come to reguard all life (not just human) as being precious and so I no longer partake in consuming flesh or that which comes from any flesh and now I am completely plant based.I will most certainly return to this journey, and no doubt it will be a life long one next time. I will be better informed and prepared, also I will appreciate the fullness of the journey with regards to hair.With much Love, Peace & Blessings
End of Journey
Dready love
Fifteen months and with a heavy heart my dedication has come to an end. The last steps of this journey is cutting of the hair & offering them up as a burnt offering. For myself this was a spiritual journey first and foremost. I didn't even know I was on the dreadlocks journey as well until I was months into it. I have been on this journey before, but never to the point of developing dreadlocks. I do not consider myself an emotional person, but I was to the point of tears when the cutting was taking place. It was as if they were cutting off pieces of my very soul. This is not a hairstyle, it is a commitment. However you come to this journey, you will leave a different more enlighten person.I want to thank Soaring Eagle and all of my dready family here on this site send you all of my love and appreciation. It was like I wasn't the only one on this journey, the support of this site really helps when you are the only one in your immediate circle that undertakes or even understands this commitment. The knowledge & wisdom of the natural dreadlocks method is without a doubt the safest and cleanest & I will be a lifelong supporter of this site. The lady cutting my hair couldn't believe how soft & clean they were. She couldn't stop commenting on how great they smelled and how she never thought dreadlocks could be as clean as mine. She asked me of course for all my methods as she had plenty of customers asking about dreadlocks. I gave her this web address and that of the Dreadlockshampoo.com site to pass on to her clients. Rest assured that I will return to this journey, though next time it will most likely be a lifelong dedication.Peace, Love & Namaste~StingRey
updated by @stingrey: 01/13/15 10:05:02PM
Considering wax or something to help my dreads..
Dread Maintenance
Best thing to do is go swimming in the ocean. Everyone knows sea salt is the best for frizzing up the hair & knotting it up. Just get it straight from the source and don't rinse it out for a while. Stay away from wax, you'll regret it later if you do use it. If you gotta use something the Dreadlockshampoo.com website has sea salt spray which is great for those of us that can't get out on the waves as much as we would like. Also look into the Gel, I love the Karma scent & use it when I have to look more presentable. I'll palmroll it in gently after washing my dreads when the hair is soft & manageable. It helps tame the fly aways, frizzes & gives them a more mature cylindrical appearence.
Good luck & keep us posted. Post pictures every couple of months, you'll be able to see the progress more clearly. I don't see progress for the love StingRey time (or so I thought) until I started posting pictures then the progress became apparent.