As I sit down to write this I am, perhaps, overly aware that I have nothing original to say. There is nothing that I can say that hasn't been said hundreds of times already, over the years that this site has been functioning. But, I feel the urge to write these feelings down, nonetheless.The discourse of this discussion will focus on the natural method of dreading.
As we all know, with this method you simply let go. You let your hair do "what it wants". It may be odd to describe hair as having a mind of it's own, but you could be forgiven for imparting such an idea. The way hair inevitably sets down the path of dread, once left to it's own devices, is a pleasure to observe. There is somethingsupremelysatisfying about watching the slow, but sure, progress. Step by step and stage by stage, each potential dread develops at it's own rate.The delight that watching this gradual change has instilled in me is something difficult to adequately describe. I cannot, in fact, describe it.
The satisfaction experienced with the progress thus far has had an unexpected side effect. I have begun to feel genuinely sorry for people who have been duped into using methods that result in them missing out on these glorious few months, where you get to watch you babies grow and mature. From single strands, they begin to clump together into sections, then the new growth begins to tangle into the bottom of your babies, which results in the formation of protodreads. This is the stage that some of my babies have reached. I could not imagine having missed out on this. I have heard othersreminisce about their journey and tell of how they miss the early stages, when the changes were most obvious.
Now, not only do people who have been so misguided miss out on the delights of the process, they often are left misconceptions about what dreads should be. They think you need perfect sectioned, evenly sized and well "maintained" dreads. What results is a mix of damaged hair, which is all too often infused with dread destroying wax and then they are leftsitting on unnatural sections. This, they go on to advertise as the "proper" way to dread, thus spreading the misinformation. As much as Iempathise with these fools, I can't help but feel a little dismayed with the result they have on the general public and other potential dread-heads.
Of course, these people are not really to blame. It is the "dread companies" in their drive to derive profit from something that is the most natural thing in the world. We all know how they do this, so there is not much point in dwelling on the topic. My only wish is that they would be made to post both positive and negative reviews on their site, which would be relative to the number of which theyreceive.
To summarise.. The natural process is great, so don't miss out on it. It isindescribablyenjoyable. Don't use wax or crochet hooks, and backcombing also damages hair (OK, I didn't really say this in the text, but it is true). Finally, companies who make profits from natural processes, and, as a direct outcome, damage and destroy thes results should be avoided at all costs.
Like I said.. There is nothing new here. You can't say I did'nt warn you!
updated by @kelly3: 01/13/15 09:40:56PM
