Forum Activity for @caitlin

breakage

Help! Save My Dreads

mostly all of them are natural. im a little surprised you think they look uniform! if you saw them in person you would think otherwise. in the beginning i crocheted some of them. but i havent touched a hook for that purpose in well over a year so we don't have to worry about that! what im thinking is that maybe i crocheted a little more than i thought. see when i started i only wanted a few and its clear because i did touch the hook that i was unaware of the actual damage but as soon as i decided to grow a full set i just let my hair do its own thing. my hair was actually really healthy before i started them. like a newborns hair and thats notexaggeration!! as for lemon juice or anything i don't ever use that for my hair.

your positive attitude is giving me hope that there is hope for my locks so thank you and thank you for taking the time!!

jazzymomma said:

is this the only dread doing this>? if its the only one than may have got caught on something being thinner tore it. or if u had very damaged hair before dreads make them weaker in general. if u started a method like crocheting then in at an point they would make alot damage a breakage which would weaken them alot an cause to break off later. also if u use like a very acidic based habit on them such as lemon juice will dissolve the hair from inside dread out causing them to fall aprt weaken and break off as well. those are not fixable conditions, but dont stress we can help u figure this out. keep in touch.and we dont judge here. we r all friends and dread family. peace an luv

ur dreads are v ery thin in thickness hun an very uniform looking, may i ask how u started ur dreads? i does help dertermine what is going on with them k

breakage

Help! Save My Dreads

well i use aloe, fresh. i have somelavender,tee tree, jojoba, and rosehip. and they are 2 oz

Teddyjo said:

how many essential oils did/do you use in a spray bottle? and how many fluid ounces in the spray bottle? thanks

the Barrellady said:

Thanks Caitlin. I don't know how you use the oils in your hair, but here is what I do. To tell you a short story, While doing the baking soda wash in the beginning stages of my journey, I rarely used the ACV rinse, lesson learned the hard way, I fried out my hair over time and the process was so slow that I did not notice until the damage was done. Lesson learned, I always use the ACV now. But what I was getting at is that to correct it I bought a spray bottle and put in water, added different essential oils and sprayed my hair a few times a day, always shaking the spray bottle before using. This has helped me out so so much. It might help you to!

When using a blow dryer, I understand you need to sometimes to get ready for work, use the setting on cool/cold and continually move it around, don't concentrate on one spot. If you have time to stop for a couple of minutes, then stop, and then do some more. I use a Shamwow micro fiber towel to suck water out after I shower, just gently patting the sections will draw away plenty of water. If you use one, less time with the blowdryer. Bleaching as you found out always dries out hair, if you are still going to do it, keep up on the essential oil sprays and treat your dreads to fresh Aloe Vera sometimes, right off the plant. If you don't have one, buy a mature Aloe Vera plant. Cut off a stem and use a rolling pin to roll out the juice onto a piece of plastic wrap or whatever. Apply this to dry hair. This might be a good weekly treat for you.

We all do mistakes along the way, so you learned what the hook can do. There really is no fix, just don't do it any more. In about 6 months or so, those sections will change over time, sucking in the loose hairs, then it won't be so noticeable, but let this happen naturally. A quick fix will just damage them more.

Rubber bands will also cause hair to break. They put pressure points on the area that they are on. Did you know that rubber bands will eventually melt and dissolve with warm water, then stick inside your hair? What solution can we come up with since you really want the extensions, I understand why you do and won't pass judgement, so I will offer a better way for you to do it. Sew them in using thread the same colour as your hair. This way, no pressure points and nothing will dissolve or get sticky to your dreads.

I hope I covered anything, Any more question, feel free to ask...peace

I walked away in the middle of this to finish making my egg salad, so if someone else replied back, sorry if I repeat anything.

breakage

Help! Save My Dreads

you didn't come off as if you were judging me im just always prepared for someone to shun me forextensions and dying.lol. thank you so much for your help! hopefully i can get on the right track to healthy long beautiful dreadlocks. im so paranoid ill have to start over and id really love not to do that! i wish you luck as well!!!

Justin said:

Not to worry Caitlin. I wasn't judging you at all and I apologize if it came across that way. I was just posting what information I found on your page for anyone else that might have answers for you.

Barrellady has given you some very good advice to follow. Telling you exactly what regimen to use isn't always the best because everybody tends to be slightly different from one another. That said, if you are using the ACV rinse it is best to do it after a BS rinse. It helps to put your scalps pH back in balance after using the BS. I tend to wash my hair every 3 days whether using the BS/ACV rinses or using the dreadlockshampoo.com bars. That's a pretty good place to start and then just pay attention to what your hair and scalp tell you after that.

Sewing would definitely be your best option for the extensions but I'm not the one to tell you how to go about that. I also suffer form very short and shrinking dreads that formed from hair halfway down my back. I can not wait for them to decide to start growing long again.

Good luck friend.

breakage

Help! Save My Dreads

may i ask how to sew them in? ive only heard of crocheting never sewing! morepermanent than rubber banding them really strikes my interest!!! especially until my real locks are natural. would i sew them at the root or at the ends! i am actually very excited about this so thank you so much for your advice!

also may i ask you how many times a week you wash your hair? and how many times you do the AVC rinse? i guess what im really asking is for you to please help me set up aregimen that way the constant worry of if im doing it correct will be lifted off my chest. i understand if you feel as though im asking to much and respect if youd rather let me figure it out on my own but that being said it would really mean a whole lot to me!

i thank you so much for your time and your advice!

the Barrellady said:

Thanks Caitlin. I don't know how you use the oils in your hair, but here is what I do. To tell you a short story, While doing the baking soda wash in the beginning stages of my journey, I rarely used the ACV rinse, lesson learned the hard way, I fried out my hair over time and the process was so slow that I did not notice until the damage was done. Lesson learned, I always use the ACV now. But what I was getting at is that to correct it I bought a spray bottle and put in water, added different essential oils and sprayed my hair a few times a day, always shaking the spray bottle before using. This has helped me out so so much. It might help you to!

When using a blow dryer, I understand you need to sometimes to get ready for work, use the setting on cool/cold and continually move it around, don't concentrate on one spot. If you have time to stop for a couple of minutes, then stop, and then do some more. I use a Shamwow micro fiber towel to suck water out after I shower, just gently patting the sections will draw away plenty of water. If you use one, less time with the blowdryer. Bleaching as you found out always dries out hair, if you are still going to do it, keep up on the essential oil sprays and treat your dreads to fresh Aloe Vera sometimes, right off the plant. If you don't have one, buy a mature Aloe Vera plant. Cut off a stem and use a rolling pin to roll out the juice onto a piece of plastic wrap or whatever. Apply this to dry hair. This might be a good weekly treat for you.

We all do mistakes along the way, so you learned what the hook can do. There really is no fix, just don't do it any more. In about 6 months or so, those sections will change over time, sucking in the loose hairs, then it won't be so noticeable, but let this happen naturally. A quick fix will just damage them more.

Rubber bands will also cause hair to break. They put pressure points on the area that they are on. Did you know that rubber bands will eventually melt and dissolve with warm water, then stick inside your hair? What solution can we come up with since you really want the extensions, I understand why you do and won't pass judgement, so I will offer a better way for you to do it. Sew them in using thread the same colour as your hair. This way, no pressure points and nothing will dissolve or get sticky to your dreads.

I hope I covered anything, Any more question, feel free to ask...peace

I walked away in the middle of this to finish making my egg salad, so if someone else replied back, sorry if I repeat anything.

breakage

Help! Save My Dreads

in the beginning i was only going to have a few dreads so yes there are a few that are crocheted. but not soon after did i quit that due to deciding on growing a full head of natural healthy dreadlocks due to finding this website.blow drying, only when 100%necessary meaning if i need to get to work and my hair isdrenched, ill dry it until its about 75% dry. thats very rare though.bleaching... guilty,but i havent done it in some time and i don't bleach the ends considering they are already blonde. i know that doesn't make it any better but to throw it out there my roots are doing great! i do wear extensions just loosely tied in by clear rubber bands because the length of my hair literally depresses me. they did loop in the beginning stages. it is sometimes dry and brittle but i use oils, i find sometimes that doesn't seem to be enough. what im thinking is maybe i crocheted a little more than i actually thought i have. the breakage is only at the ends on most of them. and this isn't even happening to all i think thats all the information that i have on them. i use natural items for it and know about the acv rinse.

hopefully this was enough information and try not to judge me on my mistakes please! i really appreciate you both taking the time to try and help me!

Justin said:

What are you doing to them maintenance wise? A quick look at your profile, posts and blogs puts your start date closer to 2 1/2 years ago, not 4. Your very first blog post also admits to quite a bit of crochet use and palmrolling in the early months. Is that still happening? You also have blond hair in the pic above but some on your page show you with auburn/red hair. The dyeing/coloring, palmrolling, and crocheting are all harmful to the strength and health of your hair.

It is hard to see in the picture but it doesn't look broken, just looped. Loops should have started happening around the time they actually started to resemble dreads. Far earlier than 2 1/2-3 years into your journey. It's one of the first signs that your hair is actually dreading on it's own and not from continued maintenance. If the hair on the loop is broken I would assume it is from the hook you used or it is from accidentally snagging it on something.

Tell us more about how you maintain them or how you wash and we may be able to offer more specific advice.

breakage

Help! Save My Dreads

So im getting really nervous about my hair breaking. ive been growing my dreadlocks for about 4 years now and not only havent they grown but some of them have loops, but the outside of the loop is broken hair. i have a photo to show what i mean and hopefully youll be able to tell. i for sure need advice! id hate to have to cut my babies off or worse, them break off. and the length is really starting to depress me.. i thought they would be long by now! PLEASE help!!

updated by @caitlin: 02/14/15 08:49:02AM

rosehip

Introduce Yourself

so ive noticed that some of my locks seem to be thinning. not to drastic yet thought there are a few that were not locked in the middle (they were really tiny in general) that broke off (from the middle) thought they were tiny and its not much of a big deal...im beginning to fear my babies are going to end up thinning a lot and braking off and i will be bald and sad. there are a few that were crocheted.. by a few i mean 2 or possibly 3. they are about 4 years old now and mature. the ones i feel are thinning were not crocheted. anyway ive heard that rosehip oil works to strengthen. is this true? i do use aloe, teetree and jojoba oil. i also do the acv rinse as needed. i feel as though sometimes after im done using a softening agent, my hair is too soft which is when i feel as though it thins. again i don't palm roll i don't do anything im not supposed to. if you have any suggestions on something i can use to hopefully strengthen my hair id really appreciate it.

updated by @caitlin: 01/13/15 09:44:01PM

jojoba to water ratio

Introduce Yourself

hey all! I finally was able to go out and get some jojoba oil and im very eager to start using it. I have a 2oz spray bottle. my question is, how much jojoba oil do I add to 2 oz water?

I also have tee tree oil. in which id like to make a spray with as well. how many drops of that would you recommend? putting thought into it I thought I wouldn't add both oil together because I am not going to wan to use the tee tree all the time. so ill make 2 separate sprays and thinking ill add rosehip and or lavender to the jojoba spray. all input would be gratefully appreciated so please share!

thank you!! =D

updated by @caitlin: 01/13/15 09:42:14PM

anti-itch spray

Introduce Yourself

im sure there are 1000 discussions on this and i apologize. but id love if someone could please tell me a good anti-itch spray that i can make. my dreads are a little over a year old (insert cheering here) and just started to expierance the itchyness (insert cheering again). i know im using the right products to clean my little friends, now im just looking to make a decent spray. there seems to be a few different ones so if you can just leave your opinions on what worked for you. would be fantastic! again im looking for just a spray! =D thank you so much!

updated by @caitlin: 01/13/15 09:27:00PM

volunteers wanted for "outreach programs"

Help! Save My Dreads

id love to help in any way i can. i get many question about how to do my hair and so many people saying "ive always wanted dreads", they then ask me how do do it but before they explain to me how they plan to do theirs and i can't believe how clueless people are! right away i let them know that they will be making a mistake by doing them the way they plan them and to please take my advice on the way i feel as though they should do them. i think you should set up a youtube channel just for these types of questions and advice! as said its normally youtube and yahoo answers. wouldn't it be great if someone was on youtube searching and was directed to you?