Flat Iron

So I had to go to my mothers today, and I decided to skip a major scorning and go ahead and try the flat iron on all mah dreads.It was a lot faster at hiding fuzzies than palm rolling, and a lot less labor intensive.I'ma see how it lasts over the next few days.
updated by @alden: 07/18/15 11:47:53AM

Wow this is really interesting. I have an old flat iron at home that doesn't really heat up too much that I guess I could use every once in a while. I have been trying to find a way to make my hair look a little decent for church at least

OPaulaO said:

Wow this is really interesting. I have an old flat iron at home that doesn't really heat up too much that I guess I could use every once in a while. I have been trying to find a way to make my hair look a little decent for church at least

Well, I don't know that I'd use it on a regular basis, the heat alone isn't good for your hair. My primary concern is that it may solidify the knots and kinks in the dread, causing the dread to 'look' more mature, but it may keep straight hair (within the dread) straight and not allow it to knot up.Besides, God loves you regardless of what you look like, and if the pressure to control fuzzies is from other church go-ers then let God handle their intolerance, you just be you sister.kthnxbye

Oh no there is no pressure at my church but I feel that becaus they accept me the way I am that I should try my best to look put together. One lady at my church complimented me yesterday so that made me feel real good!!!oh and I've been thinking about this a while and my babies tent to be a little flat so using the iron might make them even flatter. I think I'll stay away from it.. At least until my dreads are more mature Alden said:

OPaulaO said:

Wow this is really interesting. I have an old flat iron at home that doesn't really heat up too much that I guess I could use every once in a while. I have been trying to find a way to make my hair look a little decent for church at least

Well, I don't know that I'd use it on a regular basis, the heat alone isn't good for your hair. My primary concern is that it may solidify the knots and kinks in the dread, causing the dread to 'look' more mature, but it may keep straight hair (within the dread) straight and not allow it to knot up.
Besides, God loves you regardless of what you look like, and if the pressure to control fuzzies is from other church go-ers then let God handle their intolerance, you just be you sister.

kthnxbye

I was worried about the flat thing too so i was just careful to not pinch the dread too tightly, and I twisted it as I ran the iron over it, I think that helped a lot to keep them round.

::a disclaimer that i do not recommend doing this often if you plan on doing it at all. i recommend letting your hair do it's thing and believe on you letting you do your thing::

I had started a friend's dreads with the backcombing method and during begining phases of maintenance of his locks i used a flat iron to realign the kinks not even thinking about it. once hair is heated the protein (keratin) is more maluable and if left to cool in that shape it will stay.

it's not a regular routine but he told me now (after two years now) that he feels that is the main reason his dreads turned out more neat looking and tight/round so early (i do not maintain his dreads anymore. they are good for life!)

on the topic of tightening the dread's actual knots- if you go for a week not washing your dreads like some do those reconstructed knots compact and tighten during the flat ironing and that entire time allowing more knots to come easily in my experience. I used a rinse of aloe and rosemary presented by personal jesus in a youtube video i believe then used this technique to play around and my locks feel a ~month tighter. we'll see how it goes

Thank you Personal Jesus for the wonderful rinse! used fresh aloe. added fresh lavander and sage to the decoction- i thought it was nice

salam!