advice needed! new, shoulder-length, backcombed, w/ rubber bands

Hi all!! my name is ashley i have had dreads since february 20, 2010.method: backcombinghair type: dark blonde, wavy, white-girl hairthe reasons i wanted dreads was cuz i think they're beautiful, and a good way to express free-willness and represent a time in my life. i've also come to find out that having dreads is a good filter of people... frankly, if someone is gunna judge me on how my hair is, thanks for saving me time, cuz i didn't wanna know you anyways heheI wanted them for a couple years, had talked about it for a while, was gunna do it.. then i moved back to college and they never got done. ended up choppin off my hair to my shoulders and regreted that!! cuz one week later, i was at a bonfire and my little tiny ponytail got singed! that was it... the next weekend my dreadies begun!Not many people in wyoming with dreads, so not much input on methods. Wish i woulda found this site before dreadheadhq. i ordered a dreadhead kit. started by using their shampoo and accelerator. i thought the accelerator worked great cuz it caused more friction (so did the lock peppa).We sectioned off all the hair into nice little squares with a part about 3" to the left (my natural part), then got onto the backcombing... hurt like a mothereffer!!! didn't think all the pain was necessary, but my roommate is kinda a bitch, and after the first three she was tired.process took about 5 days to complete! about 30 hours of pain!!i totally wish i would have heard of the twist and rip method!i added two small silver beads to one dread on the right side of my head, and one on the left side. I like em ok so when they were all finished, i put a healthy dose of dreadhead wax in the bad boys and tied some rubberbands on the roots(loosely) and tips. left them in for a few weeks than just wanted them out. i didn't add any wax until i couldn't feel any. I washed them every 2-4 days also. basically, i went as long as i could stand without washing them. once i took the rubberbands out, they slowly started to unravel.please keep in mind, i am in wyoming!! dreads aren't as accepted here. i get a wide range of comments!so once i took out the rubberbands, they came out a lot and some sections were completely out! this stressed me the fuck out! no joke, i would have dreams about my hair! i set aside a night and got a fellow dreaded friend, a case of beer and a lil nug and slaved away on my head. we backcombed the undone ones, clockwise rubbed, and palmrolled, then put the rubberbands back on the roots and tips.They are alright looking now, but i would like to have them lookin a lil more clean. i know i know, it takes time!ADVICE AND/OR COMMENTS ABOUT ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!Thanks fellow dreadheads
updated by @earthbaby422: 02/03/18 02:28:23PM

after reading about wax, i think i'll stop using it.what about palmrolling?and i have loops.. i palm roll them out, but leave some of them cuz they're kina cool.should i leave the rubberbands in? and keep palmrolling?what could i do with the stray hairs?

heres whats going to happen...1) don't do rubber bands. If you must find a way to keep the sections together, use hemp wraps or something that can breath without melting into your hair. Rubber bands turn nasty. trust me, I have seen it. Beads can also do the same thing, just move them around so your dreads don't shrink up and eat them.2) please, please, please for the well-being of your hair do not back-combed again. Even if it all falls out, it is not worth the pain, suffering, and damage. TnR if you simply *must*, but even then...it is a waste of your time and is only beneficial for its potentially perceived impact, and is all in your head.3) DON'T MESS WITH THEM they really do improve faster the less you touch them and the more time they have to themselves.4) you might want to rip them apart when they get stuck together. Literally, rip them away from each other. Don't let them make dread babies if you don't want thick dreads.neat is something nigh on impossible to achieve in the beginning, if I were you I would buy a lot of hats and scarves and get out your thick skin.oh, and welcome and good luck the waiting is more fun then you think.

When you get the chance read the following thread: Wax removal Other than that, welcome! I am Rayne

ok its most important u do the wax removal wax is evil crap its not good enough to just stop using it cause it never comes out without extreme effortrubber bands dont belong there eitherbackcombing falls apart ..but it has to somewhat to dread..dint worry if it unravels it will dread up anywaylock peppa is just dirt..flakes nothing good accelerators extremely expensive salt watermake your ownget the wax out completely and they'll dread much faster


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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

ok i see the picture do they feel stiff or can u twirl em tound a finger as easily as u could undreaded hairif theyre any stiffer then undreaded hair u got a wax problem needing agressive removal to dread tight hair must move not be held in placethink aboutr this straight hair dreads on its own without effort just by moving and knottinghow does keeping it from moving then help anything?the whole wax thing never made any sence


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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

also palm rollings pretty useless


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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

thanks for the advice!! ive done a lot of readin on this site and learned many things that i will definitely use! Lex said:

heres whats going to happen...

1) don't do rubber bands. If you must find a way to keep the sections together, use hemp wraps or something that can breath without melting into your hair. Rubber bands turn nasty. trust me, I have seen it. Beads can also do the same thing, just move them around so your dreads don't shrink up and eat them.

2) please, please, please for the well-being of your hair do not back-combed again. Even if it all falls out, it is not worth the pain, suffering, and damage. TnR if you simply *must*, but even then...it is a waste of your time and is only beneficial for its potentially perceived impact, and is all in your head.

3) DON'T MESS WITH THEM they really do improve faster the less you touch them and the more time they have to themselves.

4) you might want to rip them apart when they get stuck together. Literally, rip them away from each other. Don't let them make dread babies if you don't want thick dreads.

neat is something nigh on impossible to achieve in the beginning, if I were you I would buy a lot of hats and scarves and get out your thick skin.

oh, and welcome and good luck the waiting is more fun then you think.

i plan on doing the wax removals asap (once finals are done). and it is a little harder to twist around my finger. i havent used wax for a couple weeks, so that's good. i'll take the rubberbands out and do the wax removal methods, and let nature take its course! thank you oh so much for all your advice. really really thankful i found your site. turns out all i need is time! soaringeagle said:

ok i see the picture do they feel stiff or can u twirl em tound a finger as easily as u could undreaded hair
if theyre any stiffer then undreaded hair u got a wax problem needing agressive removal to dread tight hair must move not be held in place

think aboutr this straight hair dreads on its own without effort just by moving and knotting
how does keeping it from moving then help anything?

the whole wax thing never made any sence

thanks for the advice! ima do the wax recovery junk and let it go from there. pce&lv Makarov said:

Take all the crap out of your hair, do the wax recovery and from now on just leave it alone. If you live in Wyoming then message me or comment or whatever. Much love, peace.