Forum Activity for @stephani

Is it not meant to be for me?

Dreadlocks Journey Emotional Support

From looking at your photos I would say you hair is in really healthy condition. My guess is that your cuticle layer isn't very roughed up. Which could be why it's taking longer. Also, like someone said aboue, I would hold off on the acv. It can very conditioning. Since you tried tnr, maybe you could try a backcombed section. Also the beads really do help to get things going. The sections that I have that have beads on them are locking faster then the others. You can buy small wood beads at a local craft store or walmart and meijer both have a craft section. Make sure they are small ones though, and I recommend wood. That way if you get knotting below where you put the bead at then you can just crack it with pliers instead of having to un-knot your hair to get it out.

I hope you don't give up though, your hair is almost there, I really think the beads will work for you.

My Journey From Waxy Salon Dreads to My NOW Wax-Free Natural Dreads!

salon and loctician dreads recovery

My dreads are a month old and I used no wax so of course they are loose and "stringly" looking. Dreads are free dude, you shouldn't have spent $1.00 on them. BUT, that's cool like I said good luck 5 years down the road.

It kind of annoys me when I'm respectful and try to help someone to the best of my ability. I am a very nice person but you sir are bull headed. You really shouldn't step on the toes of those who are trying to help you out. Most of the people here know what they are talking about, you'd be wise to listen if you would like "thick" dreads some day.

Dusty Ray Jaco said:

I bought the supa dupa ultra plus kit which was like around 100 plus i have two bars of knotty boy bar shampoo and some vegan knotty boy shampoo with rosemeary peppermint and tea trea lots of knotty boy sprays to relive itch and knotty boy tea bags for several things

i prob won't use wax now but i'm not spending money on wax removal, in fact i'm not spending any more money for my dreads soon, i've spent 150 on them, i think that's enough for now

thanks and no offense to you but when ppl tell me go natural you'll be fine, i go to their profile to look at their dreads and i see stringly thin loose looking dreads, the way mine look I want someone with tight thick dreads to give me advice

but i must say soaring eagle, your dreads are pretty trill for rill

My Journey From Waxy Salon Dreads to My NOW Wax-Free Natural Dreads!

salon and loctician dreads recovery

You have unfortunately been fooled by the illusion that is jonny clean. I read in the comments that you feel overwhelmed by all the conflicting information you are getting. That is perfectly easy to understand. A lot of people have opposing opinions on the subject, but honestly the fact of the matter here is, you don't need any products to help you achieve dreadlocks. They will form naturally. Believe me when I tell you that I am in no way against using hair products, nor do I do everything all naturally. I am a hairstylist so I use products everyday, not on my own hair anymore though. I have seen so many different people that have started their locks so many different ways. I can tell you from my experience in the business that the people who start their locks naturally using no wax are always the happiest. I'm not telling you this because I think everyone should go all natural in everything they do, because honestly I love hair care products.

Wax is a hydrophobic substance, meaning it repels water. Just like oil repels water, only worse. No matter how small the amount was that you used it needs to be removed. What happens is the wax will eventually find it's way to the center of your dreads and stay there. It will NEVER come out unless it is properly removed. Once it's in the center of the dread it will not only prevent your hair from locking, it will mold. Yes, mold. Like a mildewed towel. Your dreads will smell awful and soon you wont be able to stand the smell, or how hard and heavy they are. That is why most who used wax will cut there dreads.

If you want nicely locked mature dreads you really should remove the wax completely, and keep removing it beyond the point that you think it is removed. Once the wax is gone, leave them alone. You honestly need NO products, all the extra products are just going to hinder the process. I hope you decide to remove it, but if not I wish you all the best anyway.

Dusty Ray Jaco said:

well maybe i'll go wax free i just talked to a girl who used wax she said some mixed thing about it

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I just a notification about this .. sorry I didn't see it until now

soaring eagle said:

we'll give you a job educating ppl on whats best for their hair

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Valerie is right though, and a lot of times it's the parents that want their child's hair braided and pulled that tight. They do it because that is how they were raised, and because they can't correctly care for their hair do to it's texture. A lot of parents that have ethnic children either don't know how to correctly take care of their hair, or they think they are doing it right, by keeping it braided or giving it a relaxer. I have known women who will give their 3 year old a relaxer. If any of you are familiar with hair relaxers then you'll know that it is made up of mostly pure hydroxide. It will completely dissolve a soda can in little time, and people PUT THIS ON THEIR HEAD. They do it to make the hair straight. When in reality, it does nothing but destroy the hair and cause chemical breakage.

I wish there was a way to get people to stop doing harsh things to themselves in the quest to have "good hair". There is no such thing as perfect hair. Our hair is dead. (Which is why it doesn't hurt to cut it) Our follicles however, are alive, and many people just abuse their scalp so much that they destroy them.

So in all actuality, letting your hair dreadlock naturally is the best thing for it. When people ask me if the dreadlocks will damage my hair it makes me giggle, just a little. I abused my hair before with teasing and ratting and brushing and curling, flatirons, color, you name it. I don't do any of that anymore. Everyone should just loose their brushes and combs and dread up. But then I wouldn't have a job.. HAHA

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yeah that is totally not supposed to look that way. Those clips need to be thrown away! Those are roller clips for little old lady roller sets! They should never be used on a dreadlock. Unfortunately, though that is what is taught in our schools!! It's awful isn't it?! Sadly though, I've seen worse. I had a client come in about 3 months ago that wanted braids. I refused to give her braids because her traction alopecia was way worse then this. She got mad when I explained why I wouldn't give her cornrows, and ended up going somewhere else. I educated her as to what I wouldn't, and what she could and should do, like STOP BRAIDING NOW. She wouldn't have it and sadly she's probably well on her way to bald now.

Sorry I got way off track there.

soaring eagle said:

see these freshly twisted dreads? prtobly under a year old at a guess see the gaps between the dreads the hairs pulling into the dreads very tightly the dreads super thin compared to the section size

theres already hair loss here nothing that leaving a\them alone a month or 3 wouldnt fix

but look at the distance between individual hairs on either side of that gap

now healthy hair is way way closer together even in fine thin hair the hairlines receding into each dread

now in his dreads im betting a few fell off alkong the part on top?

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That is just sad! These places are ridiculous! I can tell you the about 95% of stylists don't perform dreadlocks or any form of braiding once they have graduated and are at a salon. Out of the ones about less then 1% have probably educated themselves enough to know the right things to do for things of this nature. I know that in the 2 salons that I've worked in out of my 6 years in this business, I have been the only one that knows how to braid or the safe way for dreadlocks. THAT IS SAD!

soaring eagle said:

i can tell you that twisting starts causing trouble quickly but the salons moake you think that look is desired when its early in ..like 1st year or 2 there maybe an 1/8 to 1/4 inch "part" or scalpy gap between and around each dread it widens slowly but this is what salons call the "tidy' lok the hair loss probably began in the 1st couple years but took 12 years to progress this far thats why its so easily ignored and h=gets this bad

locticiabs make you believe the scalpy look is prefferted even though its the slow progression of hair loss

Stephani said:

How long ago do you think it was that you first noticed the hair loss?

- About 8 months ago is when I noticed it becoming really apparent. For awhile I though it was just from the way they were separated.

My guess because of the maturity of your dreads is that it's been going on for years. So some of it may not grow back. Once it hits the point of no return it wont come back. BUT most of it should grow back just fine! So just be patient, cause it will take some time.

How often are you wearing a tam?

- Just stared wearing one again.

Tam's are good for keeping the weight of the dreads from putting pressure on your scalp, but they can also be counter productive in that they could potentially rub against the affect area. So just be cautious that it's not rubbing the problem and you should be fine with that.

Are your dreads heavy and do you notice them pulling at your scalp from the weight?

- I only notice the weight once they're wet; the heaviness is going down as more wax comes out.

That's great news! Once the wax is out they shouldn't put anymore pressure on the scalp.

Since you've stopped twisting completely, have you noticed the hair toward the base of your dreads get a little loser by your scalp?

- Yep the bases are much looser

This is also good news! I was worried they might still be tight. You definitely want them to be loser so they aren't causing any tension.

Are you pulling them back tightly?

- The most I'll do is put them back loosely with a headband

Should be okay as long and they aren't tightly bound, and you don't put the headband on your hairline or affected area.

Have you used any essential oils before?

- nope, but going to take a look at that book Valerie posted.

That would be a great book to check out. The only reason I asked is because I know sometimes people are affected by scents, allergies to them and what not. Just ease into them and use one at a time at first so you can see how you react with it. If you use several at a time at first and have reaction, then you wont know which one you are allergic to. Or which one is causing a major migraine, etc. There are a few that give me terrible migraines and it took me forever to figure it out.

Don't think a scalp sucker is in the cards, but I do take cayenne as a supplement.

As far as the cayenne as a supplement, I'm not sure if that will necessarily bring blood flow to your scalp like it does when applied to the skin. But if you do decided to put it on your head, just be very careful (as I'm sure you know)

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- About 8 months ago is when I noticed it becoming really apparent. For awhile I though it was just from the way they were separated.

My guess because of the maturity of your dreads is that it's been going on for years. So some of it may not grow back. Once it hits the point of no return it wont come back. BUT most of it should grow back just fine! So just be patient, cause it will take some time.

How often are you wearing a tam?

- Just stared wearing one again.

Tam's are good for keeping the weight of the dreads from putting pressure on your scalp, but they can also be counter productive in that they could potentially rub against the affect area. So just be cautious that it's not rubbing the problem and you should be fine with that.

Are your dreads heavy and do you notice them pulling at your scalp from the weight?

- I only notice the weight once they're wet; the heaviness is going down as more wax comes out.

That's great news! Once the wax is out they shouldn't put anymore pressure on the scalp.

Since you've stopped twisting completely, have you noticed the hair toward the base of your dreads get a little loser by your scalp?

- Yep the bases are much looser

This is also good news! I was worried they might still be tight. You definitely want them to be loser so they aren't causing any tension.

Are you pulling them back tightly?

- The most I'll do is put them back loosely with a headband

Should be okay as long and they aren't tightly bound, and you don't put the headband on your hairline or affected area.

Have you used any essential oils before?

- nope, but going to take a look at that book Valerie posted.

That would be a great book to check out. The only reason I asked is because I know sometimes people are affected by scents, allergies to them and what not. Just ease into them and use one at a time at first so you can see how you react with it. If you use several at a time at first and have reaction, then you wont know which one you are allergic to. Or which one is causing a major migraine, etc. There are a few that give me terrible migraines and it took me forever to figure it out.

Don't think a scalp sucker is in the cards, but I do take cayenne as a supplement.

As far as the cayenne as a supplement, I'm not sure if that will necessarily bring blood flow to your scalp like it does when applied to the skin. But if you do decided to put it on your head, just be very careful (as I'm sure you know)

updated by @stephani: 07/23/15 02:45:35AM

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ahaha excuse me would you mind sucking on my scalp through this straw.. what an ice breaker that would be!

soaring eagle said:

yea finding a willing scalp sucker might not be easy lol

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SE that's what I was thinking about the wax. If it's weighing down his dreads then that could be making the issue worse. Probably best to get as much out as possible asap.

Massaging with fingers is okay but just be careful and use caution because it can cause friction. Friction can irritate the issue more. Also if done too much, it could cause the dreads to congo. They would need to be separated. (if congo's aren't wanted, and because they will only add more weight pulling the root in the follicle) If they aren't separated extremely carefully they can just pull more hair out. So as long as it's done with caution and these things are known, It should be okay.

I think your idea of the straw is great though! If he can get a friend that wouldn't mind doing it lol!