Hi, i'm new.

Hi,I'm Jerry and I'm new to this forum. I am 20 y/o, and I live in Amsterdam (The Netherlands). The reason why I joined this community is because i'm getting my dreads on the 23rd of December.I have done quite a lot of research about dreads but there is one thing that frustrates me; a lot of people on youtube posting vids about dreadlock maintenance are either black or white. Im a mix of both So I was wondering are there any dreadheads here that are biracial? And how do you maintain your locks ( Im aware of the various methods due to my research, however which one is the best for my hairtype)There is another thing Im a bit concerned about; how many dreads should I take.I prefer nice thin locks, but since everyone has a different hair texture and scalp size it is hard to tell if me having 120 locks looks the same as someone else. So how did you guys decide?Last but not least: English is not my first language so excuse me for any mistakes (spelling, grammar)Jerry
updated by @jerry: 02/14/15 03:27:13AM

1 do not "get dreads" in a salon ever2 all your research unless it was here was bad3 minimal mainrenance no matter what hair type wash and seperate onlylastly how are u getting dreads if youir research was on youtube forget every single thing u think u know and read the dreaducation thread herebest way to drewad is to go natural just stop combing otherwise twists or twist and rip (depends on how your hair is moree black or white)120 dreads is really thin..and can be a pain to manage 20 is tyick 30-50 medium thick 50-80 thinner 80-100 pretty thin over 100 very thin120-200 or more is getting into the micro dread range


--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

looking st your pic u can absolutely go natural or do twists just do not maintain by twistingnever interlock or crochetseriusly forget everything u thought u learned and start over researching here


--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Hi Jerry! Pleased to meet you! There's lots of great information on this site, read the FAQ section and dreading methods, and for sure do them yourself! Salons are veeery risky. I'm sure there are lots of bi-racial dreadheads on this forum, just browse around Take care!

1. Why shouldn't i start my dreadlockjourney in a salon. Please explain. As you state in your post, i could get twists. But why shouldn't i get them in a salon?

2. Why is my research bad? I've read a lot about locking, i've talked a lot with people about locking etc. My research was not solely limited by YouTube . But I will take my time reading threads on this forum.

3 So maintenance in your eyes is only washing and seperating.. But what about palmrolling? And why is interlocking bad? I know it could break your hair, but i've talked with numerous people who interlock and they experience no problems with this technique. But they have african textured hair so maybe it only works on that type of hair and it causes more breakage in caucasian hair?

I do not mean to be rude but why is the information here not 'bad' and all the other information 'bad'? Does this website have a patent on the 'truth'?

What are your thoughts about backcombing (with my type of hair).

Thank you for your fast responce and i will read this website.



soaringeagle said:

1 do not "get dreads" in a salon ever
2 all your research unless it was here was bad
3 minimal mainrenance no matter what hair type wash and seperate only

lastly how are u getting dreads if youir research was on youtube forget every single thing u think u know and read the dreaducation thread here

best way to drewad is to go natural just stop combing otherwise twists or twist and rip (depends on how your hair is moree black or white)


120 dreads is really thin..and can be a pain to manage 20 is tyick 30-50 medium thick 50-80 thinner 80-100 pretty thin over 100 very thin
120-200 or more is getting into the micro dread range

Thanks, I will read the FAQ and threads. Haha and i will definitely browse around!

O'Callaghan said:

Hi Jerry! Pleased to meet you! There's lots of great information on this site, read the FAQ section and dreading methods, and for sure do them yourself! Salons are veeery risky. I'm sure there are lots of bi-racial dreadheads on this forum, just browse around Take care!

Those methods may not cause "harm", but you have to constantly maintain them. Like interlocking or crocheting or whatever....

Doing it naturally, or just twisting and letting it do it's thing pays off in the long run. No going to salons every few weeks to have them "maintained" or buying wax or anything like that. They will look bad for the first year, but so what? They'll be 100x stronger and better looking (eventually) and you'll never have to go to a salon.

Lots of people who "lock" do it with combs or needles or rubbing and pulling and ripping....but sheesh even bob marley said in the video posted here "just don't comb it. keep it clean." and that was it.

and it doesn't matter at all what type of hair you have. it all can dreadlock

Lol! Your research wasn't necessarily wrong, soaring eagle is just so used to people joining the site here who are dangerously misinformed that he's taken to jumping down peoples throats he means well! It's my understanding that most dreadlock salons will try and sell you on the most damaging methods, like crochet, interlocking, waxing, dread perming. And since your hair can dread by itself just save your $300+ dollars and do it yourself! :D There are people on here that use interlocking, and it seems to me that it might be less damaging to african hair, but still not the best idea if you want your dreads to be their strongest. And as far as palmrolling goes, many people say it's pointless and doesn't do anything except weaken the hair, but I roll mine, not like obsessively or frequently, but I find it helps them firm up and suck the loose hairs in. Could be my imagination though

Hey man your grammar is better than mine brother!

salons screw uinterlocking is always bad its a stupid thing to do african hair does survive it better but its no good for any the 1st dreads i sqw fall off from interlocking were african dreadspalm rolling does nothing at all it causes friction dammage if over done but in general all it does is hurt your armsbackcombing is extra extra bad in african tectured hairbackcombing causes dammage to the hairs cuticles making the hair haft more easily dammaged due to the cuticles being stuck opencurly nappy african hair would suffer even more extreme damagesalons know nothing about dreadsthe average twist in a salon will cost u 300-700 dollars and then they tell u never to even wet your head for uo to a year!they insist u only wash when u come back in for retwists and retightening sessions at another 100 bucks every 2-4 weeksu can do it yourself freeu do not ever ever want to retwist or retighteninterlocking causes your head to look silly with more bald scalp then dread with tiny too tight dreads comming from way wider sections painfully tightall u need to dread is stop combingfinger twist into sectionsand leave it alonethats all..free easy no mess no fuss no expence

Jerry said:

1. Why shouldn't i start my dreadlockjourney in a salon. Please explain. As you state in your post, i could get twists. But why shouldn't i get them in a salon?

2. Why is my research bad? I've read a lot about locking, i've talked a lot with people about locking etc. My research was not solely limited by YouTube . But I will take my time reading threads on this forum.

3 So maintenance in your eyes is only washing and seperating.. But what about palmrolling? And why is interlocking bad? I know it could break your hair, but i've talked with numerous people who interlock and they experience no problems with this technique. But they have african textured hair so maybe it only works on that type of hair and it causes more breakage in caucasian hair?

I do not mean to be rude but why is the information here not 'bad' and all the other information 'bad'? Does this website have a patent on the 'truth'?

What are your thoughts about backcombing (with my type of hair).

Thank you for your fast responce and i will read this website.



soaringeagle said:

1 do not "get dreads" in a salon ever
2 all your research unless it was here was bad
3 minimal mainrenance no matter what hair type wash and seperate only

lastly how are u getting dreads if youir research was on youtube forget every single thing u think u know and read the dreaducation thread here

best way to drewad is to go natural just stop combing otherwise twists or twist and rip (depends on how your hair is moree black or white)


120 dreads is really thin..and can be a pain to manage 20 is tyick 30-50 medium thick 50-80 thinner 80-100 pretty thin over 100 very thin
120-200 or more is getting into the micro dread range

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1