Hi.
Alright. I'm going to act ignorant despite all the information I've read about dread maintenance, care, and what to expect with new dreads. I got my dreads a week ago and I hate the way they look right now.
I don't know what specific method they used to make my locks. The person who made them would section my hair, then divide that section into various strands, tangle the hair up, use a crochet, then finish the dread up by palm rolling.
I kind of knew what I was getting into. I have really thin, sparse hair and figured out that I wasn't going to have a lot of dreads like the people on Pinterest way before I decided to get them. The guy who made my dreads said this also, but he also said that he was going to balance "volume with quantity" given my hair type and I believed him. Yet, here I stand, pretty self-conscious about the whole situation.
Apart from wondering if they are going to get any better, I have some questions about the actual maintenance:
I was told I should wash my hair once a week for a month, then wash it 1-2 times a week after that period of time. They itch like crazy so I'm probably going to wash them twice a week when the time comes. Is this accurate?
I use a rubber band (the type that has cloth around it, I'm not sure what they are called) to hold my hair up for when I'm at school. It's not tight at all, in fact, it feels like it's slipping out most of the time. Besides, I can't get all my dreads in the pony tail since they all differ in length. Is this a good idea? I do this because otherwise I look pretty crazy.
I was also told to retwist once a month. I think that's a little excessive. What do you think?
Big no to beanies, caps, or tams. I'm alright with the caps and maybe even the beanies. But no tams yet? Why not? I do use a headband when I'm at home and when I sleep.
I moisturize with a combination of rose water and vitamin E that I spray directly onto my dreads. Good idea?
That's it for now. Thank for you reading and thank you for your comments in advance.
Much love.
updated by @trico: 01/22/20 09:33:16AM