Alright so about a week ago I got dreads (crochet technique) but I do not have the Time (drive is 4to hours round trip) or the money. To keep going back once a month or once every other month to have them maintained... can I just not do anything to them at all and have them still not look to terrible? I've heard something about 6the months or so they should fix themtolves naturally? I would prefer to just not have to do anything to then, kinda just forget about them and have them work themselves out.
updated by @angus-bennett: 02/14/15 09:15:24AM
CROCHET DREADS!
crochet was a bad idea ok this is what to expect
very slow recovery 6 months is typical till they begin proper dreading
extra fuxzzziness all the broken hairs crochet caused pop out all over
in 6 months some looping will indicate they finaly are dreading properly
you must must must leave them aklone anhd not maintain them
the more you crochet the worse off you are
its a horible method
in fact its a good idea to lightlu]=y condition to try to loosen them up faster
how much did u waste on that?
u realize dreads dread for free?
and are healthier andf happier if u letthem dread themselves
so throw away the hook
let them recover'
conditiin with aloe otr jojoba to loosen i]=up the extreme tighteness
id actualy request a refund
they gotta learn to stoip i[using such destructive methods
and just let them dread and recover
--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1
you have been here for a good while now
why ogh why would you go to a salon and get them crocheted
/ you have read the horror stories on here right?
didnt dozens tell you notto go to a salon?
why would you do thst after learning all you learned here?
--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1
Well, you should never have to maintain locks. The point of them is that you don't have to keep working on them, no matter how infrequently. Crocheting does so much damage to your hair that it will take months or years to recover from even 1 or 2 sessions. All a crochet needle does is break hairs and make them look worse in the long run.
It is true that it can take around 6 months for them to mature and look like the locks you are imagining they will look like. If you feel like you have to have them look more "groomed", you can put beads on them to keep them separated from each other. But just so you know, locks are messy matted hair. It takes time for them and patience for them to become mature.
All you should be doing is washing them often and keep separating them so they don't congo together. That's all.
You could wear a tam or abandanna to keep them back and out of your face, but remember that if you wear a tam, you'll have to separate more often, and if you tie them back, you will be hindering the process. It's best to do nothing and just let them hang free. If you wash enough, they will grow faster and be healthy
Alright so I went with the crochet option due to lack of patience. Stupid choice? Maybe. But it was MY choice. And ok so I use Deadhead Dread Soap am I still allowed to use that or when ou say NO maintaining do you mean none of that either?
I don't know about that soap but in my opinion the baking soda wash is the best *and cheapest* way to clean them.
dreadhead soap will give u dandruff psoriasis dermatitiss and possibly cancer
i would bnever use anything d-=from them!
try these www.dreadlockshampoo.com
you wantto wash
you want to seperate]
thats all
wash seperate nothing else
Angus Bennett said:
Alright so I went with the crochet option due to lack of patience. Stupid choice? Maybe. But it was MY choice. And ok so I use Deadhead Dread Soap am I still allowed to use that or when ou say NO maintaining do you mean none of that either?
--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1
Course it was your choice, no-one's gonna dictate what you can and can't do, but all the info on here and the warnings against these methods are only ever because these people care about the health of people's dreads (not to mention the time, effort and monet wasted). Impatience is understandable, but it's a hairstyle that does require it, and I'm sure a lot of people will agree with the fact that it's a process that actually teaches patience. As for the shampoo, if it works for you then use it. No maintaining just means no messing with your hair trying to "fix" it, just washing and separating and you're good to go.
When I say no maintenance, I mean no crocheting, felting, wax, interlocking, root flipping, etc... There's a whole list of "Don'ts" under the dreaducation link at the top.
As for the DHHQ soap, from personal experience and from others here, I found that it leave my hair feeling oily and greasy. There are other soaps that are much better and cheaper. Dr. Bronners is around $16 for a 1/2 gallon bottle that should be cut with water to anywhere from 12-40 times. So for that $16 you are really getting 12-40 times what you see. There are bottles of dreadlock shampoo from DreadlockShampoo.com that are actually made for locks with ingredients that are not harmful you your hair like those in DHHQ. If you really want to go the cheap way, and the way that most people here swear by, get a box of Baking soda and a gallon of Apple Cider Vinegar. The BS costs around 2-4, and the ACV at that quantity is around $6. Mix 1 cup BS with a gallon of water and pour over your locks. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. Rinse well. Then do the same with the ACV but only sit for 3-5 minutes.
That's really all you should be doing. Every 2-3 washes, depending on your hair type, you should separate the locks that have hairs trying to grab onto another lock.
Alright thanks for all the cleaning tips! The lady who did the dreads said I should only wash my hair once a week to start out then in a few months move to every 2-3 days, is that correct? And if I was to go with the soaps, which do y'all believe works best the bar or liquid?
