Forum Activity for @panterra-caraway

Should I start again?

Help! Save My Dreads

What are you washing with? How often are you washing? Do you go to sleep with wet hair? Do you put wet hair up or into a tam?

DESPERATELY NEED YOUR HELP>>>SERIOUS SITUATION> THANK YOU <3

Life Issues Facing Dreads

This is a difficult post for me to make. A couple of months back I told everyone how I was having a gluten problem and must make a big life change to embrace a new eating plan. Well, unfortunately ALOT has happened since then. I have been off the gluten for over two months, and it was by far, the best thing I have done for myself(second to dreads!). Anyway, I went through a colonoscopy, endoscopy and stomach biopsy...which all determined that I was cancer free and my internal organs looked healthy, although inflamed from the past gluten. Next, I had a new series of bloodwork and several hormone studies, all performed by an Endocrinologist. What was found was twofold...First, I have something called Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Which is to say that I have a very enlarged thyroid, that for some unknown reason is turning on itself and destroying itself! I had an ultra sound to confirm that my thyroid was covered with scar tissue and was very damaged. Second, they found that I may also have something called Addison's disease...which goes with Hasimoto's quite often. The results of Addison's is a low cortisol level from adrenal failure. Your adrenals help to process stress. So, high levels of stress upset the adrenals and then the less cortisol you produce, the less able you are to handle the stress...a vicious circle really. Anyway, in plain English...my stress is literally killing me. I am now on thyroid meds (for life!), and my neck has shrunk over two inches in a month! I have another specialist appt. in a week or so and will find out if I must go on steroids (for life!) to deal with the Addison's. I do have a pituatary tumor in my brain that was found long ago and is benign, but may be causing or adding to these problems. Anyhow, many of you know that I have two special needs children. My youngest daughter is mentally ill and highly violent. She was in a facility for two years and came home in April. Because of budget cuts, I will lose vital services in June to help me care for her. I have VERY few options and at this point...I am too sick to fight for more services. All of you here are my family and I love you more than you will ever know. I truly feel blessed and at a place in my life where I am happy with who I am. I have found so much love and guidance from all of you. You have never let me down...evenwhen my own family did. I believe that my dreads hve lead me to explore my world differently and to get answers that I was too afraid to contemplate in the past. What I need from you all now is this...I MUST get my stress under control, or I will not be here in the future. My doctor has been very clear. I just don't know how to find peace in a situation that I can not change (my daughter). I don't know what to do for myself to get to a calm place. Please, will anyone help me?

updated by @panterra-caraway: 02/14/15 05:41:14AM

No Soap No Shampoo!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bathing with only water

Alternative Lifestyles and Subcultures

Guess what? BS does strip away natural oils...whoever said it didn't doesn't have a clue. BS is routinely used to prepare walls for painting....it cuts grease and absorbs odors. Even if you don't know anything about chemistry...try reading the box it comes in. BS is VERY drying....that is why it soooo deeply cleanses. And no one has even mentioned bacteria. There are alot of germs and other cooties that are best killed by soap and water. Sure, you can just use water...but who would want to? And I am sure no one who just uses water for everything thinks they stink. You get used to your own smell....others don't and I don't want to be near a bunch of smelly folks. Do as you please...it is certainly your right...but unfortunately, the dirty hippie label gets thrown at me along with you and I don't much like it.

Gunky scalp, scabs and juice.....help me

Help! Save My Dreads

Thank you very, very much Lauren! I truly love everyone here as well...you are definitely a family to me <3

Lauren Halsall said:

we all love you Panterra ^-^

Gunky scalp, scabs and juice.....help me

Help! Save My Dreads

Thanks alot Mark! It's not that I took your remark so personally really, it is just that between actual stylists who destroy people and a very dismissive attitude that seems to grow by posts made here...stylists aren't being accurately portrayed. It was the perfect moment for me to remind everyone (not just you mate! :D) that stylists are as individual as everyone else. I see an overwhelming amount of people here on the site that assume that coloring and bleaching their hair is just a matter of common sense and get themselves into bad situations. Normally, most things can be fixed...but, with dreads, you amp up the risks and can't easily correct anything!
I take what I do VERY seriously. I value hair for its very spiritual nature and feel responsible to educate, guide or work to people's happiness. Thank you again for your encouraging words, peace and love to you Brother <3
Mark Fry said:

Hi Panterra.

In reply to your comment you made about my previous comment. I think you may have taken what I wrote personally. Let me just start by saying that is not what I intended. I don't think it's uncommon knowledge that people in general not just hair dressers have a lack of correct information about dreads. Hairdressers have an extensive skill set in what they do, however as you say dreadlocks aren't something they study at school. It's certainly not an unfair statement to say forget about what your mum and hairdresser say... at the end of the day it's down to the individual.
I'm glad glad Panterra is on this site getting quality information now. It would be sad to hear she gave up because somebody had told her that dreadlocks were going to ruin her scalp. Everyone on this site knows that's not true.

Panterra, keep up the good work. Wash those dreads and watch those beauties grow into mini ropes. It'll be great to watch them blossom. Get some regular pictures up

Peace

Panterra Caraway said:

I would just like to say here, thatALL hairdressers are not bad...just unfamiliar with dreads. Dreads are not taught in Beauty College at all. I have been a licensed stylist for 31 years and it really offends me that everyone lumps us all together and just assumes we are all harmful, stupid cheaters. That is not true. Like any profession,there are good and bad. Just because someone chooses to dread and no longer cuts their hair, it doesn't invalidate all our knowledge and expertise. I personally have been on this site for 18 mos. giving good advice and trying to help people who ask questions about hair structure, scalp health, and many coloring/bleaching questions. So, it would be nice if people realized that all stylists are not the same...and like any other individual, we are entitled to respect. Thanks.

updated by @panterra-caraway: 07/18/15 04:11:32AM

Gunky scalp, scabs and juice.....help me

Help! Save My Dreads

Yes Angel, it is difficult to interview a sylist...but it is possible. I guess being a professional, there are definite questions that I would ask and things I would look for. Unfortunately, curly hair does pose a challenge to somestylists. I feel irritated when I hear stylists boast about skills that I personally know they don't possess. I have worked right next to guys and girls who simply lied and their standard answer was, "Sure, no problem...I can do that." It is a challenge to gracefully "rescue" a client...you really can't just intervene, but I have "worked " circumstances to get a client into my chair so some other person won't wreck them! LOL

Angel Frye said:

Awesome to see you again, Panterra!

And yup, like any profession or specialization, hair dressers have a range of education to offer clients. It's kinda hard to 'interview' a hair dresser though, which ticks me off. You have to literally let them work their craft on your hair in order to see if they understand what you're trying to communicate. Imagine having a dozen people say, "I'm really good at cutting curly hair" and then they proceed to pull your hair taunt and slice and dice their way into making your hair a good three inches shorter than what it's supposed to be and flared out in twenty directions as opposed to the stylist who REALLY has experience cutting curly hair and who doesn't pull the curls at all except to untangle them and get a feel for how they want to lay before snipping. I've only had a grand total of THREE stylists who understand curly hair in my entire life.

Education and experience varies.

I am very thankful for a resource like Panterra here. And very thankful that dreads are(will be!!! ONE day for me!) a hair style which can be maintained on my own. No salon visits(or locticians) for trims, etc. For dying... yeah. I can see a need for a salon visit even if you have dreads. It's kinda hard to see the back of your head to know if you've saturated the hair enough.

Gunky scalp, scabs and juice.....help me

Help! Save My Dreads

Thank you Soaring Eagle! I have tried to learn as much as I can about dreads hereon the site, to supplement and complement what was missing from Beauty College. I have always felt a great sense of responsibility to inform and educate the public about their hair. Now, I also want to be a positive factor in making the site the very best it can be under your knowledgeable leadership. I love you all too <3

soaring eagle said:

your right we should specificly say when it comes to dreads they know nothing

especialy the ones that claim to be dread professionals

but you we look y=]up to your our expert on all things hair and scalp

and we love you

Panterra Caraway said:

I would just like to say here, thatALL hairdressers are not bad...just unfamiliar with dreads. Dreads are not taught in Beauty College at all. I have been a licensed stylist for 31 years and it really offends me that everyone lumps us all together and just assumes we are all harmful, stupid cheaters. That is not true. Like any profession,there are good and bad. Just because someone chooses to dread and no longer cuts their hair, it doesn't invalidate all our knowledge and expertise. I personally have been on this site for 18 mos. giving good advice and trying to help people who ask questions about hair structure, scalp health, and many coloring/bleaching questions. So, it would be nice if people realized that all stylists are not the same...and like any other individual, we are entitled to respect. Thanks.

Mark Fry said:

Hey Preston.

Just so you know, the Baking Soda wash is tops. It's best to put all the BS wash in a jug and pour it over your head allowing it to drip dry. Leave it for 15-30 depending on how intense of a clean you want. I normally head outside and do some yard work so I don't drip throughout the house. Then rinse it very well.... make sure you do this step. After that. ACV rinse..... leave it in for 5 mins before you wash it out. Only rinsing it tough.... you just want to get all the ACV and left over BS out.

I think you just need to give it a really good clean (with out scrubbing the dreads, only the scalp).

As for what your mum and her hairdresser say...... forget about it. It's not their hair and they would have no idea. The hairdresser uses toxic products and puts on peoples scalp and hair.... that's way worse than anything you've got going on. Just remember, your dreads are your own and they will do what they please for quite a while until they become formed. Mine took months

Gunky scalp, scabs and juice.....help me

Help! Save My Dreads

Thank you Baba! I have worked hard to become a resource here that peoplecan feel good about

Baba Fats said:

panterra's a good resource

Gunky scalp, scabs and juice.....help me

Help! Save My Dreads

Thank you very much Preston! I am glad you are here too!

Preston Consagra said:

Well, I'm glad your here Panterra!

Gunky scalp, scabs and juice.....help me

Help! Save My Dreads

I would just like to say here, thatALL hairdressers are not bad...just unfamiliar with dreads. Dreads are not taught in Beauty College at all. I have been a licensed stylist for 31 years and it really offends me that everyone lumps us all together and just assumes we are all harmful, stupid cheaters. That is not true. Like any profession,there are good and bad. Just because someone chooses to dread and no longer cuts their hair, it doesn't invalidate all our knowledge and expertise. I personally have been on this site for 18 mos. giving good advice and trying to help people who ask questions about hair structure, scalp health, and many coloring/bleaching questions. So, it would be nice if people realized that all stylists are not the same...and like any other individual, we are entitled to respect. Thanks.

Mark Fry said:

Hey Preston.

Just so you know, the Baking Soda wash is tops. It's best to put all the BS wash in a jug and pour it over your head allowing it to drip dry. Leave it for 15-30 depending on how intense of a clean you want. I normally head outside and do some yard work so I don't drip throughout the house. Then rinse it very well.... make sure you do this step. After that. ACV rinse..... leave it in for 5 mins before you wash it out. Only rinsing it tough.... you just want to get all the ACV and left over BS out.

I think you just need to give it a really good clean (with out scrubbing the dreads, only the scalp).

As for what your mum and her hairdresser say...... forget about it. It's not their hair and they would have no idea. The hairdresser uses toxic products and puts on peoples scalp and hair.... that's way worse than anything you've got going on. Just remember, your dreads are your own and they will do what they please for quite a while until they become formed. Mine took months

updated by @panterra-caraway: 07/23/15 08:43:06AM