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dread gurusPermalink Reply by ☮ soaring eagle ॐ on June 3, 2012 at 2:40pm

seperate the ones joining

remove wax

what did you wash with?

 u dont got to worry bout them loosenig or falling apart they will dread fine

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dread gurusPermalink Reply by Baba Fats on June 3, 2012 at 2:51pm

The wax, even the little that was used leaves a film that you might not be able to feel on some of the loose hairs.  That is probably what is making your hair straight now.  If you get the wax removal stuff from dreadlockshampoo.com, or use dawn soap and warm water to get rid of the wax, your hair should go back to being curly again.  

But you NEED to get the wax out.  

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Permalink Reply by Dee on June 3, 2012 at 4:22pm

I did a hot water wash a week after I got them in. I wash with dreadhead HQ shampoo. The once on the sides look great but the once in the back are totally wild. I guess its just a waiting game. When rubber bands came off some became un raveled and wanted to be individuals so i just went ahead and seperated them. They sure have a mind of their own. On some that wanted to seperate it is just a very thin strand how do I join them into the nearest dread?

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dread gurusPermalink Reply by ☮ soaring eagle ॐ on June 3, 2012 at 4:27pm

it will join itself if u let it

i wouldnt use that shampoo or anythung from them it will cause dandruff and psoriasis ..and cancer..and even hair loss

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dread gurusPermalink Reply by Tara C on June 3, 2012 at 4:30pm

You have to remove the wax, it takes a lot of effort to remove it even if you use it just once. That might be one of the reasons some of them aren't progressing as well as others. But it can also be cos you sleep on your side. The ones in the back and left side dreaded the quickest for me, but I guess you sleep differently. Either way, different parts of your head will dread and different times, so just a case of being patient. As for how to get some loose hair to join a dread, you can put a bead on them so they stay together and sooner or later it'll join the dread.

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Permalink Reply by Dee on June 4, 2012 at 2:08pm

Is it ok or not ok to sleep with a tam or or something to keep my hair together at night? I have been wearing an under armour to sleep since day one. For the past 3 night I have been going to bed with out it.

 

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Permalink Reply by Luke Stanton on June 4, 2012 at 2:21pm

i think its best to just sleep normally. no tam or anything

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dread gurusPermalink Reply by Baba Fats on June 4, 2012 at 2:32pm

No need to sleep with one.  If you do, you'll find that you have to separate more often because they will get more tangled together at night.  But there's no rule.  There's not even a better or worse arguement.  It's preference.  If you want to have to maintain them more often by separating, then go ahead and sleep with a tam.  If you just want to take it easy and let your hair to it's natural thing, and only separate when they need it, sleep without one.

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crafty craftersPermalink Reply by Valérie on June 4, 2012 at 2:39pm

Hi Dee,

I just read your profile and you are just 1 week ahead of me on starting your dreads.  At just 2 months they are definitely going to be messy and a lot of them will likely be loose (as with my own) because it takes a while for dreads to really knot up and get solid (mature.)  Also, whe using a starter method such as backcombing or TnR you are giving your hair a guideline for sectioning that it may not naturally want to follow.. in which case, some will come loose or separate on their own and this really shouldn't be fought with since it will set back progress to continually mess with them.  Loose hair will eventually get sucked into neighboring dreads over time.

Everyone here is right when they say that removing wax is a lot harder than just not using it.  There have been some members on this site who only used wax to start their dreads and many years later found hard chunks inside their dreads (since wax can harden over time - think candles) or over time a waxy residue starts to surface on the dread looking gross.  The wax is not water soluble so you need to really strip the hair.  It also keeps the hair from actually dreading properly, slowing down the process.  Sometimes when you finally remove the wax it's like starting all over again but you end up seeing somewhat quicker results.

On your profile you say you only wash 1/wk as needed... I recommend 2 - 3 times/week because oils in from the scalp can slow down the process as well in the beginning year.  Do a little bit more research on cleaning products for dreads.  Some people swear by Baking Soda with Apple Cider Vinegar, some by Dr. Bronners and others by dreadlocks shampoo (advertised by SE and on the side bar of this forum.)  But everyone has different hair, scalp, habits and environments that will play into what shampoos work best.  I can't personally vouch for DHHQ shampoo but I have definitely NOT heard good things about this company or ANY of their products... and not just from this website.  Also, consider essential oils for whatever shampooing method you end up using.  Some oils added to a rinse can really change up how happy or sad your scalp is.

You also say you constantly spray water in your hair... are you just using plain water or are you using a sea salt solution (sea salt and water?)  The sea salt solutions are good for helping dry up the hair and dreading but you don't want them to sit on your head all the time or it can be over-drying.  I wash my hair 3 times per week so the night before I wash I spray some sea salt water throughout my hair, let it dry up, then sleep on it and wash the hair in the morning. 

Just some advice and food for thought. 

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Permalink Reply by Dee on June 5, 2012 at 3:33am

Valerie,

Thank you so much for your input, Today I washed my hair with the bs/acv rinse my hair feels awsome.I don't use the salt water mix much because it makes my scalp itchy. I have done it a few times to dry them up a bit then I wash it out once its dry. I work out and sweat alot so at times I just take a shower and let water run thru them without using any shampoo but, do not put water in them every day. I noticed that my hair naturally parts down the middle and when I had them backcomed the person did them so I wouldn't have the part and two of them made me feel a bit awkward and un natural. So I just went ahead and made the part seperated what had to be. I am just going to let them be and do as they wish my most of em are looking very nice some in the lower back part of my head are a bit crazy (aren't we all just a bit crazy). I am not going to worry so much on how they look any more. How often should I do the bs/acv rinse? 

Once again thank you your information has been very helpful. This is a great site.

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crafty craftersPermalink Reply by Valérie on June 5, 2012 at 10:32am

Some people will use their BS/ACV each time they wash their hair (2 - 3 times/week) and others will use it only once/wk and wash in between with dreadlocks shampoo or other.  It's a personal preference but I think that, considering how you work out and sweat a lot (I assume you work out daily?) I would start off doing the BS/ACV as your regular wash to lift those oils.  It shouldn't be too drying if you are following with an ACV rinse (which should always be done to help balance the BS.)

Hehe, those crazy dreads are my favorite dreads.  Just gotta remember to keep 'em separated.

With the natural part, if it really bugs you, later on when your dreads are more mature and heavier it will be easier to move them and get them to stay in different sections.

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