Okay so I'm just shy of two months in on my all natural dread journey. I can't see me dreads, only feel them. The ones in the back (about 5 or 6) are kinda like connected toward my scalp and then branch off. The ones on. The side of my head are all completely separate. Now I know this isn't an overnight process, but my husband says that the back is horrible and I should brush it out and start over. I feel that I should just leave them alone and continue letting them do their thing and be patient, but now he has made me feel like I screwed up. Is it okay that they are more one then branch out or what? Thanks in advance for the help.
updated by @danika-skalet: 01/13/15 09:19:59PM
HELP! Did I screw up???
Do you separate? That's the key to going natural. If you just don't touch them at all, they will congo together to form one giant matted lock. It sounds like that's what you're doing. Grab hold of 2 that are connected and lightly tug them in opposite directions until they rip apart. It can be uncomfortable. Most will recommend doing it right after you wash them when they are still wet. That seems to be the easiest and least painful time for most people here. If you just washed and you don't want to wait a few days till you do again, you can always just do it when their dry. but keep it up. After every 2-3 washes normally. After each wash if you hair knots up really quickly.
Don't brush them out. This is what they are supposed to do. Mine are 5 years old, and the roots still tangle together once in a while. Not as often as when they are young, but still sometimes
I separate them daily, wet and dry, I just can't seem to get the roots separated. Like the very top 3 are kinda fused together at the root but separate after that and under those are the other 2 that one king one at the base but become two after that. I've thought about gently snipping them apart, but I feel that's kinda extreme but idk
If it's absolutely necessary, you can get a razor and take a small slice, then try to rip it the rest of the way. if it still doesn't rip, take another small slice, and try to rip it.
But that is in extreme cases. Have you tried using any oils to loosen up your hair and then ripping it? Aloe Vera would be good for this too. I'd try either one of these before the blade
Separating that much isn't necessary (and my hair tangles like crazy). 3x a week is plenty in the beginning and make sure you get all the roots separated because else it will keep congoing over and over. You want to focus on quality instead of quantity.I really doubt you are going to need to cut them or start over or anything. I started over in the beginning because I panicked but if you focus on holding the roots tight to your head (so it doesn't hurt or damage the roots) while your husband separates the roots of the dreads they should be fine. It's kind of tricky because the back (atleast for me) tangles like crazy so you look at the front and your like "oh it hasn't dreaded much" while the back of your head is one big brick at the roots.
Thanks. Yeah I'm really not to concerned about how many I end up with I figure I will get how ever many I need. Ill give those ideas a try before snipping. Again thanks bunches
