Congos?

How often should I be separating my locs? One week ago, I took out my extensions that were attached to my tNr 3.5 month old dreads and my naturally curly hair is ravenous!! The weight of the dreads previously kept my curly hair from locking up naturally. I have been separating my locs 2-3 times a day! The majority of my hair keeps separated but I have 4-5 at the crown of my head that are forming into a swirl of connected curls. Its beginning to tangle so much that my separating efforts are futile.

I'm sick of trying to keep them separate. Why do people spend time separating? Just for cosmetic reasons? In the end won't my locks adjust and form as they want anyways?

updated by @dreaded-shredder: 02/14/15 06:57:05AM

some have to seperate several timers a day others once every few months it gets less as they mature

but its not just cosmetic reasons a dread as thick as your thigh dries very slowly and is hard to clean and can pull on the scalp unevenly..and painfully....etc etc

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Eh, not really cosmetic. I mean, if many dreads join together, it'll be quite thick, which takes a long time to dry. I combed out my thickest dread, but it took like 12 hours for it to completely dry, and that's not even a congo, so you can imagine how long it takes for people with really thick dreads to dry their hair. You just separate a couple of times a day or everyday I guess, if it seems to congo quickly. I mean, don't get too obsessive over it because it won't form into a properly-joined dread in the space of a few hours, but just separate when needed. My dreads aren't mature yet and I can go a week or longer without separating them at all, so you can slow down when they get more mature.

Also...that first picture is just fantastic

Ahhh, gotcha. Thanks for the reply! My big congo does kinda pull unevely and can hurt at times. It began congo-ing back when I had my extensions but started morphing as one at a rapid speed last week!!. Can I do anything to separate it out other than pulling? Its getting pretty interwoven despite my efforts. I thought of taking scissors to a few hairs. Bad idea? Should I work them out with olive oil in the shower? I don't want it to get any worse!

I've been blowdrying my hair so I didn't even think about drying time. But, I've been surfing arouo this sight and realizing that I shoud let my locs airdry? I feel like that would take forever! Is blowdrying bad? Thanks for the compliment on my congo pic! they're getting pretty gnarly. i love it!

Tara C said:

Eh, not really cosmetic. I mean, if many dreads join together, it'll be quite thick, which takes a long time to dry. I combed out my thickest dread, but it took like 12 hours for it to completely dry, and that's not even a congo, so you can imagine how long it takes for people with really thick dreads to dry their hair. You just separate a couple of times a day or everyday I guess, if it seems to congo quickly. I mean, don't get too obsessive over it because it won't form into a properly-joined dread in the space of a few hours, but just separate when needed. My dreads aren't mature yet and I can go a week or longer without separating them at all, so you can slow down when they get more mature.

Also...that first picture is just fantastic

try in this order

seperating when wet

adding olive oil to the roots

wiggling a finger under a few hasirs at a time and pulling up and out till u can pull apart (after each try going back to step 1 pulling apart)

and as a final desperatiion act u can slice or cut a few hairs in between till it releases enough to pull apart do that carefully and only a few hgairs at a time

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

It's not the worst thing in the world, but the heat is damaging if done excessively I guess. Maybe use it on a lesser setting if you don't already. Or better yet, let them airdry, but use the hairdryer one or two times just to speed it up a bit. That's what I do, but I don't really bother with the hairdryer now unless they're not dry by the time I'm sleeping.

Dreaded Shredder said:

I've been blowdrying my hair so I didn't even think about drying time. But, I've been surfing arouo this sight and realizing that I shoud let my locs airdry? I feel like that would take forever! Is blowdrying bad? Thanks for the compliment on my congo pic! they're getting pretty gnarly. i love it!

Tara C said:

Eh, not really cosmetic. I mean, if many dreads join together, it'll be quite thick, which takes a long time to dry. I combed out my thickest dread, but it took like 12 hours for it to completely dry, and that's not even a congo, so you can imagine how long it takes for people with really thick dreads to dry their hair. You just separate a couple of times a day or everyday I guess, if it seems to congo quickly. I mean, don't get too obsessive over it because it won't form into a properly-joined dread in the space of a few hours, but just separate when needed. My dreads aren't mature yet and I can go a week or longer without separating them at all, so you can slow down when they get more mature.

Also...that first picture is just fantastic

Thank you for the tips! i tried your method SE and it worked really well for nearly all of them. I have two that are not going to be separated, which I'm fine with. I'm just glad I separated the rest of them at this point. Thanks for all the help!

I now separate mine everyday.Since they're new, I'll probably do it less when they mature. I separate mostly while watching movies, but I read on here that it's best to separate after washing them. I guess it's easier and more effective?

I do have a question of my own though; Will separating really prevent my dreads from getting all mashed up? On my last set of dreads, all I did was just wash them,and never did anything and I remember how much I hated the ones in the back.They mashed into my new-growth, but I'm assuming this is cause I wasn't separating. Even my mom would comment on how it looked,and I never got compliments on them. I have gotten quite a few compliments on my new set of dreads,and even I like 'em better. :D

Yeah, separating them will stop them getting mashed up. I think wearing a hat all the time can mash them up too, from what other people have said, so I guess separating and not constantly wearing a hat will be fine