Need Help With New Locks!!!

Hey folks,I had my girlfriend dread my hair about 2 weeks ago. Over the duration of these weeks I have some disappointment and some acceptance. Most of the dreads are becoming strong and knotted at the tips and ends, but from the root down, it's stilly basically my curly hair. Now, most of the research I've done leads me to believe I need to simply wait.I understand that I need to wait for my locks to mature. I'm just having a difficult time with the overall maintainence and feel like if what's on my head eventually become dreads... will they be how i wanted them. I want to ensure they grow the way I want them too.My girlfriend gave me a down-the-middle part, with equal portions of hair, starting from the back forward, totaling around 30 something dreads. It took about 10 hours, and we redid this a day or 2 later since it didnt look anything like a dread and it didnt really help. Since then, i've read that the middle part of the head should (or should i say id like to) be parted in a brick placed style, as to not having a blinding middle part. Now we must tear apart some of them, and redo the process all along the top of my head.Backcombing doesn't seem to do very much, once the hair is twisted, it just curls back up again. I'm curious about the crotchet needle technique. We went out and bought the needle, but must it have a latch? the one we bought only has a hook, and doesn't seem to be effective.Day 1

Week 1

Week 2 (taken as i'm writing this)

Reccomendations, answers, and suggestions to any or all of these concerns would be greatly apprechiated!!! Thank you!!
updated by @sean: 02/14/15 09:42:47AM

no crochet it destroys them backcombing nit the best either just leave em leave em leave em your at 2 weeks read the dreading the 1st weeks of dreading in featured discussionsbesides backcomb u didny use any products i hope right?they are dreading but to dread they go through that stage looseing up all u need to do is leave them alone! stop messing with them completely let them dreadif u used wax get the wax out!of not throw away the crochet hook throw away the mirrorsforget your hair for the next 6 weeks then seee


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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

So I am also really new to this gig but what I do know is this, just leave it.No needles or back combing. It will wreck your hair in the long run. Meting your hair be is part of the processDid you start by twist and rip?

we started with just rubberbands at the roots and tips... taking out the root bands and some of the tips. and just backcoming the crap out of each one. the only product used was rasta locking gel. it didnt have any wax or pretroleum or petrolatum in it so i figured it was okay....my biggest concern at this point is the top of my head. it's parted down the center and none of the hair is dreading, and alot of it is just loose normal hair... but ive heard it over and over... just leave it leave it leave it... ya?

People think that you can create dreads and you really can't. All the back combing and crocheting and T&R will all just come out. You are just destroying your poor hair. I am on 2 mos. and I will tell you that the best things are washing using Dr. B's or baking soda, wearing a wool tam as much as you can and some sea salt spray. Everyone is different and you have to kind of find your groove but no one succeeds with wax, crochet, back combing, braids or rubber bands from what I have seen. In only these 8 weeks my hair has changed constantly and trying to control it will just leave your frustrated and disappointed honestly. Just relax and let it be. And the biggest thing...don't let other people bring you down or tell you what dreads are supposed to be. Your hair really does know what to do. Peace brother.

Guys... thank you all very very very much!! the salt spray has helped tremendously! my gf changed the middle part and ive had it up in a bun all day at work...my last question, is about putting my locks up... since they are trying to knot, is it best to put them up in a bun or pony tail with a large hair band? i usually do these tight.. i work manually most of the day and cant have them in my face, or on all the dirt im touching. also... does having them up hinder progress? thank you thank you again. you guys are making me much more confident in my own dreadies =)

You know, I would say to alternate with the bun and ponytail or...whichever you feel still gives your hair the ability to move. I say alternate because you don't want constant tension in the same place all the time.( I have recently taken to sleeping on a wool sweater and boy it has helped alot!!) I do wear my hair up too when the weather makes me irritated (which is all the time lately)..but I have also been wrapping my hair in a headwrap and I find that is good too and the dirt stays out. You might try a scrap of fabric with alittle stretch and just wrap your dreads (like a doo rag). Good luck...wish you the best! Sean said:

Guys... thank you all very very very much!! the salt spray has helped tremendously! my gf changed the middle part and ive had it up in a bun all day at work...

my last question, is about putting my locks up... since they are trying to knot, is it best to put them up in a bun or pony tail with a large hair band? i usually do these tight.. i work manually most of the day and cant have them in my face, or on all the dirt im touching. also... does having them up hinder progress? thank you thank you again. you guys are making me much more confident in my own dreadies =)

I'm only on the end of day 2 and I have a lot of the same worries. I'm just forcing my self to leave them alone. I know they are going to fall apart an I hate it Mine is almost the opposite of yours, My dreads are real nice towards the top but the ends pretty much would not do anything...so i let them be but I have found if you take a Headband that's fairly stretchy and only wrap it twice...It will hold your dreads back well and they still move, An it don't give you a head ache...I Really like loose pigtails but I son't see you rockin out the pigtails :P Good Luck!

thanks again guys, awesome advice and im feeling better already.one last inquiry:rubberbands are at some of my tips... they were folded and banded. should i take them out? leave them in? add bands to the ones without?

I used rip and twist, and my dreads stayed locked up for the most part, maybe try it on a few if you can and see if it helps?