1 year and still no dreads

not backcombing ones that are actually doing something. Keep in mind I have no curls, silky hair and it's dry, not oily (unless I go 2 weeks without washing it). It's really not going to do anything if I don't do anything to it. If I never did anything to my hair, I'd have a head full of straight, silky hair that can be easily combed. I do not have hair that is going to dread by itself. I'm pretty sure I've proven that to myself.

The ones that are doing whatever I'm leaving alone. The ones I have to keep backcombing are the ones where anything I've done has completely fallen out and reverted back to acting like it has no idea I'm working on dreads...

Haven't tried twist and rip. Dunno how to do it... I'll look it up

And what's this about wraps?? That's intriguing...

lol about the handcuffs. I'll try to take a pic when I get up in the AM...

updated by @jeannie-pitt: 07/17/15 05:14:00PM

I wear a bandana a lot, especially if going out of the house at this point just cause i'm still in the messy phase of my dreading (almost 4 months so I AM getting there) I wear a hat to bed (when I can find it >.&lt def agree w/ the wool tam it has helped a lot! I love beads but usually where I find i put them, i end up laying on them so end up taking them out after not too long :P i agree your hair def looks damaged so just be gentle with them, sea salt spray helps a lot! but agreed don't over do it! You will have beautiful dreads in not time!

Honestly... and I know everyone here disagrees with doing this... I put some rubber bands on the ends of my stubborn ones. I didn't have a choice, the last time I had dreads I left them alone and they came completely out when left alone. I put the rubber bands on loose so they could move up and down a little, I think the friction helped knot, and I moved them up and down every couple days. After a while they were knotted at the end and I slid the rubber bands off. I've done it a bunch of times (I only do a few at a time) and I have NEVER had a problem with damage or with them getting stuck. I really don't see what the big deal with rubber bands is. It worked for me.

Also maybe reconsider the ACV, it makes my hair really soft. If I had been using it from the beginning I don't know how well my silky hair would have dread. I've had my dreads for almost 2 years now and I still have to be careful with it because it makes my loose hairs really soft and they don't ever seem to ever knot up if I use it regularly.

I promise you that continuing to backcomb your hair over and over again is NOT going to help. You will never have dreads by doing that. Backcombing is only a starter method. It works better for some peopple then others. You are creating your desired sections and giving your hair some tangles/texture to begin the process. You may have the rare type of hair that does take longer, but you are honestly just stopping your progress from all this backcombing, don't you see that? It's been over a year and your still in the same boat. It's time for you to either leave your hair alone and stop all the backcombing just wash and seperate or I suppose you could crochet.I personnaly wouldn't do it but it's your hair so make a choice and stick with it. Good Luck!

u never proved leaving em alone wont let em dread cause u never left em alone long enough to do it u backcomb they fall apart u backcomb they fall aparyt how long do u wait after they fall apart to backcomb again? a day? ..or a year?

at least 1/2 who backcomg have them fall apart completely...then they do nothing and it does indeed dread

babies.. with ultra fine baby hair will dread in months if u do nothing..

it will dread..and backcombing is notorios for falling apart

stop it..

try twist and rip

toss a bead in that fits snug near the tip

then leave em alone

if some strands dont dread right off...leave em be..let them get there on theyre own terms..they will

dreads are a journey of acceptence not force

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

*sigh

Thanks for you guys' help. I think I'm not making myself clear somehow.

Actually I think that picture from a few months ago looks good. Your hair looked like it WAS dreading. The beads are a good idea too. They make me feel like I have a way to mess with my hair too. I drilled some wood beads a little bigger than they were for my hair, and because my ends are still loose i twist up a dread (not like SUPER TIGHT) enough that it's got all the loose hairs kind of wrapped up and then I sort of "thread" it through the end of a bobby pin and use the bobby pin like a needle and tada! There's my bead

how long did u leave em alone?


--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

There was about a 4 month period toward the beginning. And I left them alone again for a month after I first posted here. And I'm not touching the ones that are responding in one way or another...even if they are horrible.

how are you not making yourself clear??you said some are dreading and some are not, you are not touching the ones that are showing progress but the ones that are not up to their speed you are continuing to re-backcomb after only 1 month of stopping backcombing. Am I right so far?? 4 months is a drop in the bucket for dreads, 1 month is less then a drop in the bucket. All that re-backcombing has slowed you down. I truly believe that it's not your hair that's the problem, it may be your patience. Please let me know what I'm not understanding, so I can try to help. Your pics show progress for sure.