brand new dreads, am I doing it right?!

Hello!!

I've got brand new dreads (finished them on Saturday night) and just want to check I'm doing things right as they look a bit.... strange...!

ok so I've used the twist and rip method with no products at all (no wax etc!), I put my hair into small plaits onThursdaynight and then started twist and rip Friday night (I've gotstraightstrong hair so figured it'd be easier to dread whilst wavy!). The TnR seems tohavegone ok and I WAS going to crotchet but decided against it after reading lots of posts here.
So here are my questions!

1) the ops of my dreads appear to have fallen at the root... I've got about an inch of straight hair at the root, then dreads. Is this normal? Is this ok? Is there anything I should be doing about them??

2) I'm not sure what to do with the ends? I've got about an inch or so at the ends which are straight and not dreaded, what should I do with these?

I was going to go "natural" form now on (now I've got the little thin dreads started) so, as a bit of a contrast to thatstatement is there anything I should be doing form now on? I've not washed my hair yet (it's now Tuesday night) but I'm going to need to tomorrow before I go utterly mad...!!! I've got Lush's solid shampoo, Seanik I think it's called it usuallyleavesmy hair quitestrippedand in need of conditioner (that weird sticky feeling!) so I'm *hoping* this will be perfect for dreads..!

Any advice on little tiny baby dreadies will be greatly appreciated!

updated by @niki-younie: 02/14/15 10:39:34AM

All you need to do is wash 2-3 times a week with a non residue soap. I think Lush is ok, but ask Eagle. Dreadlockshampoo.com has the best soaps. Or you could look into the Baking Soda/Apple Cider Vinegar wash

Then Separate them as needed.

The tips should be loose. Blunted tips take HOURS longer to dry. This can lead to them rotting.

Baby locks NEED to have about 1-3 inches of straight hair at the root. Don't do anything to fix this. That loose hair is what snags and tangle with new growth and promotes healthy roots. If you tighten them and pull in those loose hairs, it will weaken and thin out your roots which will make it harder for them to hold the weight of the lock itself. As they mature that straight hair will tangle. Mature ocks have about 1/4 - 1 inch of straight hair at the root. It is normal

Thanks for your reply I feel better now!
When is the first time I should wash them after putting them in? I really can't do the baking soda/acv thing... I really hate the smell of vinegar (I use it in cooking and acv is a brillianttonicfor my chickens...!) but eugh! can't have the stuff anywhere near me!! Is there an alternative?!

Thankyou for your reply... rotting dreads aredefinitelysomething I don't want!

Silly question alert... how long until the frizzy craziness dies down and they look a bit more... flat? Will they ever look more flat going natural?

Thank you! xx

You can wash them as soon as you want. There's no timeline for it. But try to wash at least once a week. 2-3 times is best.

The ACV doesn't actually smell strong in the wash. It's extremely diluted, and you can mix whatever essential oils you want into it. Or you could check out dreadlockshampoo.com. They are amazing.

There are a thousand an one factors that go into how your locks will form and what your timeline will look like. It took me a year to see any progress. Ixchel is 8 months in and just seeing some knots.

Look at the timeline forums and see how others are doing. Natural locks do flatten out. But there will always be frizzies that you will see because you're closer to them than everyone else

well 1 and 2 are normal and perfect so do nothing 3 just wash and seperate as needed the lush maybe ok but may not not all lush are any good some contains sls even

maybe try the baking soda or www.dreadlockshampoo.com ones

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Thankyou so much for your replies! I will be looking at tatwebsite! Glad my locks are normal!

Another silly question alert! I work as a tutor and go into schools and primary/infant schools obviously I need my dreads ot look somewhere near neat-ish! I've been wearing a hairband over the top and putting them into a ponytail or bun at the back is that ok to keep doingwithbaby dreads? Do I need to only do that for a few hours at a time or is all day ok?

If you are growing them for any type of spiritual reasons, they don't have to took presentable, by law. But I understand the desire to. I make mine look neat when I go to interviews and work. A ponytail is fine, but tends to slow down the process. A tam would be better, because it allows for them to move around and brush up against eachother. A bandanna would work as a good middle ground and still look neat if you have a nice looking one

Thanks for your reply

I'm growing them because I'm afreespirit, so is my hair, also boringstraightbrown hair is so dull with the colourful clothing I have... I need some beads!Unfortunatelymy bank account isnt! The Schools have said they don't mind as long as they "don't look TOO crazy" I get away with it because I'm a peri tutor rather than a full-time teacher!

So far I've been putting them in a ponytail with ahair bandover the top to keep the flyaways mostly at bay! It seems to be working, will just remember to let them go free as soon as I leave the school gates!

Talk to Eagle, but unless the school's dress code says something specific about dreadlocks, they can't make you tame your hair. And if they do say something about dreadlocks, it's illegal. That would be like telling muslims and jews from wearing their headpieces

This is true... one of them is a convent school... and this week (first week with dreads) I kinda just hid fomr the head of music (Who, although nottechnically, Is my boss). Saqw him coming and dived into a practice room... sure it wasn't suspicious though!

On the plus side it's really raised my respect level from the kids! They think I'm awesome! :D

On a side note I'm finding that once they dry after a shower some of the back dreads arecominguntangled (only time in my life my hair has voluntarily UNtangled it's self...) should I be redreading (ie take the section and TnR)? Or is this bad?

Ta xx