Forum Activity for @peacewithdreads

Dreading Mercies - For New Dreadies: ONLY BS/ACV rinse /metal jump rings/wool placemat

Dread Maintenance

I hit my five month anniversary on the 6/1/2012.I discovered some little known facts during the process. I do not know if it is true for everyone, but I know this to be true for me:

1. The natural method cannot be rushed.
2. Different strokes for different "hair". We do not all have the same hair, ergo, our dreading methods that work for some may not work for others.
3. Patience and perseverence is easier said than done. I'd like to say I have done the persevering, but truth be told, it is a daily process. I liken it to a 12 step program: take ONE DAY AT A TIME!
4. During the maturation process, the dread has a cycle. Just like normal hair, you will have good days and bad days. Some days, I am excited as all get out because my hair has definite dreading tendencies, but then five days later, those same dreads will have soft sections, no knots, no twists, just separation. Trust, is what is needed on those days.

I have THIN< FINE< STRAIGHT hair. Here is what I have found works :

1. TNR, don't bother .Go ahead, but realize its a waste of time. It looked great at the start, but after about 7 days, the TNR fell out and I was left with fine, thin, straighthair...only now with fuzz. I tried it three or four times, and it was always the same thing. For ME, it took every bit of four months to get a solid locked knot. Then in the middle of my 4th month, the took off...BUT THAT'S BECAUSES I SWITCHED BACK TO -------->BS/ACV rinse.
2. Baking Soda/Apple Cider Vinegar regiment .It is best for newbies. I started with it, but then I bought the www.dreadlockshampoo.com dread shampoo and locking gel. When I first used it, I was thrilled because I had big time snarls after washing with it. However, those beautiful snarls did not stay, by the time my hair dried, they fell out. The gel was wonderful, but I noticed that when I applied it to my dreads, it moisturized my hair, and the clump/strand would end up fine and smoothe again. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore the product, and will go back to it, butfor me,I am going to wait until my dreads have matured before I use the product again. Everytime I think it's safe to use it, and I havea solid start, I decide to use the product, just one day, because I am rushed, or something...and every time, it reverses the process. I think its because of the oils they have in it. For my hairtype, because I have to wash every other day, the gentle rinse works best.Try not to do the rinse in the evening and then sleep on it wet, that smooths out the dreads too. I do it first thing in the morning and then let it natural dry.
3. Sea salt/water mixture in a spray bottle and Between washings, use a light mist your hair. That helped secure up the separation. I think becaue my ratio of salt to water is so small, I did not rinse out until I did my rinse the next morning and have not noticed any adverse damage..
4. I have a WOOL PLACEMAT and I putit on my pillow and place my head on itevery night, I got that recommendation from Heather I think? Not the placemat, but Icould not find a sweater and I came across the placemat one day, and it's been perfect.
5. Go to a craft store and buy some thin metal jump rings in assorted sizes . Very thin, they have a cut in it that when you make jewelry you pinch together to and on the separations, whatever the size, when wet, I added these thin metal jump rings. Make sure they are tight on the strand, because they will just fall off otherwise. I tried beads, and thicker metalbeads, butI noticed that they would fall off because my dreads would change inshape and size (at least right now). I'd be at thestore, and then all the sudden a couple beads would fly offas I turned my head or something. Kind of embarassassing. However, the jump rings work becausethat little cut in the middle seems to latchonto the hair a little bit.The hair will start dreading up around that ring, and you can just leave it because as the dread grows, if it gets too tight,you can use a small jewelry pliers to expand it right off the strand.

I am coming up on my 6th month, and today, I have some wimpy dreads, they have seemed to thin out a bit, BUT confession, I used my Patchtouli dreadshampoo yesterday because I thought I had such good progress that it would be safe, but it was not a good decision. I will NOT be tempted again, and we will see how we are at 7 months. I am including a picture of the beginning through now. Bon chance, dreadies. Peacewithdreads.

This picture is from 1 week, 3 months, 4 months, and 5 months

This is me today, 5 months, 12 days.

updated by @peacewithdreads: 02/05/15 10:12:49AM

Question about the "Lockin Up Shampoo"

Dread Products

Seriously? Seriously? OMG, I was thinking I was havingproblems dreading because of how often I had to shampoo my hair. Even though I add water, I still get sudsy hair when I scrub my scalp with the tops of my fingers, and palm pat my hair.My hair stillknots, but I am trying hard not to touch my dreadswhen I shampoo because it seems like I have these nice THICKdreads after each shampoo, when wet, but as my hair dries, they separate and thin out as if I have brushed my hair.So do you think I could wash everyday just to get some steady dreads started?

I had some "bling" in my hair wrapped with charms for about 8 weeks, and I had these nice THICK solid(1/2 in dia) dreads that formed and congoed around this threading, I took the threadout last week, and now today, those three dreads arethe size of 1 pencil, a chopstick, and embroidery thread.

I did the bead thing, but the beads eventually come out because my hair eventually shrinks and untwists.I'd have to retwist myhair to get the beads on, and I do not want to do anymore twisting and ripping.

Yesterday, after reading one of the postings about salt damage, I was convincedI had salt damage ,( I spritz my hair gently with salt spray 2-3x a week before wash)because my hair was kind of cripy when it dried, so I conditioned them yesterday so they weren't cripy, but then when I woke up this morning, it felt like I undid everything I worked60 days to accomplish. So, I used the shampoo this morning, and I got big fatknots again, so i put the gel on them to hold them in place, but I know whats going to happen when I go to bed. So should I try shampoo everyday? see what happens?

soaring eagle said:

i cant say for sure but i do have a feeling if u used it more straight and scrubbedthe scalp/roots with fingertips it would be less oily and dread faster

Help with small/thin dreads

General Questions

That's a pretty awesome picture. I have very "thin" hair and my dreads are extremely thin, and I am cultivating them as such because with thin as my hair is, if I had a bigger dread I'd have maybe 2 on my whole head (lol). That being said, you can have a certainl amount of control over it yourself.

It is fairly easy to twist and rip small sections. However, on thin hair, t&R tends to split the ends andthey won't be nice and pretty like this picture is.Thisguys dreads seemvery organized and coiffed. Not sure, but I suspect this is not natural neglect. He probably used wax (advise against it, but your choice - look at the forums on this before going that route though). Spreading Eagle (S.E.)would be a better expert at looking at that picture.

It depends on how your hair is. If you have thick coarse or curly hair, dreading will come easier, but probably not like the picture. However, I noticed in my limited experience that when you first start out, the tendancy is for the dread to come undone as you wash and wear, etc. I would recommend you get some of the dread locking gel that they sell on www.dreadlockshampoo.com and maybe even theirshampoo. As you let your hair go, if you go natural, it will start sectioning before dreading. (i kept wondering why my hair would do it. I thought it was oily but it was merely beginning its thing.)...the gel actually does help keep the dreads together while they are still young. I have not been using it long term (i am only in for 48 days, so i still have babies.) I had to get the "gel" because my hair, everytime I rinsed, when it dried, the new strands that had formed while wet, and before washings would slide on out.

Not sure this helps, but wanted to give it a shot. Peace

hello new friends!

Introduce Yourself

Bee. Welcome! There is a wealth of information that you will find on this website. You can be on here for 45 days (like me) and still find new stuff each day. I would suggest you go to the "dreaducation" section and look at what Soaring Eagle has written about the methods of dreading. By far the biggest is natural neglect, and there is quite a bit written. But read what everyone has to say, read the replies the comments and questions and that will be your biggest source of information. My first feedback from S.E. was "throw away your comb"...."there, now you have begun dreads!". Then go to the maintenance site and read what people do for care and maintenance. I love the Baking soda and apple cider vinegar rinse, but I also ordered dreadlock shampoo from www.dreadlocksite.com . I would check out those first and you can always add a "forum" discussion if you have questions. Hope this helps!

2 months

Introduce Yourself

ditto, ditto and ditto. I've been at it for 45 days and I am no where close to what you have. Everyone progresses differently. As Heather and Knots say, they are all unique. They seem to reflect a warm vibrant personality, and judging by your profile pic that's you! Hang in there!

Dread the News! Instagram

General Talk

I am a new member, but I have seen S.E.'s posts about getting the word out and I thought of another way to "dread" the word. Believe me when I say I am not tech savvy, so i only put this out there...BUT...my daughter taught me about "Instagram" its an app (i have a new iphone, so i don't know if it is iphone exclusive). Anyhoo...it is wonderful because it's like a "twitter" for pics! If our member who had the capability took their pictures using the "instagram" (it also allows you to edit the pics as well) application, they can email them right to their page. The beauty is, if you make your pics public, and add followers, you can have "popular" photo likes that people go out and see. You created tags like #dreads or #dreadlockssite....but you can create a profile and people could enter the www.dreadlockssite.com address on their profile. If you have a chance to check it out, and if you want to see, my "user" is same as here just look at @peacewithdreads follow me, i can follow you and we can get the word out! Just a thought. If someone else has a better understanding of this and can weigh in, please do so. It will not detract from this site in any way, its actually an addendum. I love looking at pics, and its a cool way to go out and look atand "like" what you see. Peace.

updated by @peacewithdreads: 01/13/15 09:18:59PM

back of my head is completly not dreaded..

Dread Maintenance

I concur with Bryce and Faye with their experience and I sleep all over my head. It is freaky because my hair will look good and encouraging but then throughout the course of the day the knots that were in earlier in the day slip out and smoothe by the end of the day. I do a little twisting and ripping, and it is doing good, but then by morning, it will have smoothed out again.

Of course to qualify I am still waiting onthe dread shampoo that I ordered from www.dreadlockshampoo.com last week, but I am trying to go longer between washes, I did the salt spray a couple nights ago and by the end of the night my hair had the george kastanza "shrinkage". It looked likecooked then dehydratedspaghetti. (except a little thicker...maybe i should sayfetticine)..My hair shriveled which i thought was a good sign. I rinsed out the sea salt, (careful not to mess with my hair) and by the next morning smooth silky hair (except for the one lonely dread that i had twisted and ripped and placed a small metal ring around (its actually for jewelry making but about an 1/8" in diameter).I did not despair, I went to school, lightly put a scarf round my head and by last evening when I got home I was psyched because it looked good again.Even my husband said "you look good your hair is taking". (which is a major concession considering his views---he's making progress; my hair is not.)

This morning I looked pretty scuzzy and knew I desparately needed a wash, (had been three days)I was tempted to leave it but I remember reading what S.E. wrote about dreads not forming on unclean hair, so so I washed it and patted it clean (careful not to lather) and when I got out of the shower I was psyched by how knotty my hair was. I didn't touch it, I threw on my clothes and headed off to school knotty hair and loving it. Got to school, hair had dried during my45minute transit to school, and the "smoothe fairy" had had her way with my hair on the way to school..I hadsmoothe, silky, albeit wavy, hair.

It seems as if the hair is separating. There are sections, (though no knots) except for the smooth back.I have not used a brush for nearly a month, I havent even styled my hair, other than to lightly clip it during those moments of vanity...which are getting fewer and far between.

So, the question is: does the hair go into that phase where it is separated (looking kind of stringy/greasy) and smoothe just before it starts knotting? I view the pictures that people post and many of those who have "2 week" and "10 day" dreads look amazing. I am definitely neglecting my hair, am I being too impatient?

Thanks for posting Bryce and Faye. Peace.

Silly question from a baby dready. Size matter?

Dreading Methods

Okay, so my hair is just above my shoulder so i can look forward to spikes? Lol..

samoan rasta said:

i was thinking the same thing to,,, i started my dreads last yr november 14,2011 and i have 16 locks and my hair is as fine as horse hair....lol... before dreadlocks my hair was long...it came down to my waist...bt when i dreaded it...it was up to my mid section of my chest and im over a 1 year and 2 months and my dreads shrinkd to my shoulders...so my question is since i have 16 locks and shoulder length....will my dreads ever get really fat similar to alborosies(which case i want) and how long does dreadlock take to get length as to my ribs?

Silly question from a baby dready. Size matter?

Dreading Methods

That is SO SO very encouraging. Thanks. P.S. what brand oils do you recommend? Is "plant life". A good brand?

soaring eagle said:

dreads do thicken to the root section size when you tnr a dreazd the "dfread" will be way thinner then the section till they thicken months from now a 1/2 inch section might make an 1/8 inch dread till it thicken s

thin hair looks best with a variety of sizes most thinish to a couple thickish

so they blend with no gaps

chances are u made a thgick dread from a massive section like over 2 inches to get a 3/4 inch dred

common mistake

Silly question from a baby dready. Size matter?

Dreading Methods

Wow! Thanks. Good to know. Your dreads look absolutely amazing.

taye said:

dreads thicken. My hair is very thin and fine. before dreads...my ponytail around the elastic was only as thick as a nickel. Now each one of my dreads is a thick as a nickle