Dreads falls apart when shower.. but I have to shower!

Ok guys, here's the dealio.

I work at Ikea and it's super hot and hard work at the dishes. Which is the place I work basically all the time. It ends up with me having to shower when I get home. But when I do shower, my dreads fall to mush and needs to be re-backcombed.

They're only 4 days old (young..) and I've been scared shitless to use wax because of all the talk of it getting stuck in your hair and unable to wash off.

So what do I do? Go around smelling bad, shower and go through a month of no free time and just backcombing.. or do I use wax.. or whatelse?

Ideas?

updated by @conny-nordlund: 02/14/15 11:21:48AM

I'm a noob too but I had an idea! Use a shower cap and don't wash your hair everyday. If your hair doesn't smell too fresh try your favorite oil (lavender, peppermint, lemon...) and some water in a spray bottle to feel a little fresher between washing. I've heard that the knots loosen and tighten a lot but if they are all falling out maybe you could try rubber bands but I hear that's not so great for your hair. You might also want to try beads and wraps to just kinda keep things together. Idk, I hope I helped.

Definitely do not use wax!! I back combed and used wax because I was worried about them falling apart too but yeah..long story short it took me a few days to get all of that gross wax out. As Amanda said, just use a shower cap! I've never heard of using scented oil but that seems like a nifty idea too!

they are going to fall apart a bit anyway..It is part of the process.Don't comb anymore!!! You'll probably just break more hairs..I am a waiter.I shower daily,but I don't put my dreads under the faucet every time because it is more harsh than just dipping dreads in water and washing them...Just rinse them well if you absolutely have to clean them.I wash mine twice weekly with soap,but other than that,I just rinse....A knitted cap will let shampoo and water get to your head without the rushing water hitting the dreads hard.

Hope that helps....Stop combing

I work near pizza ovens all day,so It is hotter than sweating over dishes.You really shouldn't be washing them the way you are daily.

none of the abvove never rebackcomb let them fall apart then redread but how are u washing with what and how are u drying

no marter what never rebackcomb even if they return to perfectely straight hair just leave it alone and let it dread itself

all your doing is undoing progres returning them to 1 day old every day and adding more and morw damage

if anything just add some beads..nothing else

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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

no dont use a shower cap or knit cap any cap will be too tight and pulling it ion is as bad as comn=bing it will undo knots hjust dont wash your hair its not rocket science the water comes down in a stream just dont stick your head undrr it

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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Don't re-backcomb them, that just keeps them at day one continuously. Yeah, they fall apart somewhat when you shower, but it's 100% normal and it doesn't hinder the progress even though it seems like it. Clean hair dreads better, so all the people you see with dreads still wash their hair yet they have dreads; it's because it doesn't matter if they come loose or even completely come apart. They dread again, just leave them alone, don't worry. When they're more mature though, consider trying to avoid getting the dreads wet when you shower everyday, cos they take long to try. But for now, it's definitely fine.

Thanks guys! I will stop re-backcombing even if they fall apart.

I have rubberbands at the roots though, I hope that isn't a problem? I don't want them to grow together and have any of those con-goes or what they're called

To answer soaring eagle; I didn't have a showercap so I tried using a stocking.. soridiculous! Didn't work any better than showering without. As for drying, the first time I squeezed out the water gently with a towel and blowdried them carefully, although the dreads already fell apart before they dried. The second time I used the stocking, they still fell apart and I blowdried them again.

I've heard mixed opinions about blowdrying but I don't want to walk around with super wet dreads all day. But maybe I should? I don't know!

Anyway thanks for the tips, people!

The rubberbands are not tight by any means. I just keep them in there to keep the dreadsseparated. I move them from time to time too so they don't get stuck. They slide around easily.