New Here!

Hi, everyone, Tiger Lily here. I've been lurking the site for a long time now and finally mustered up the courage to join, even though I don't have dreadlocks--yet. I brushed out my 2 year old dreads about 5 months ago and I'm starting to miss them. However, I'm not missing some of the issues I've had with that as a result of them being backcombed, gelled, waxed, put into tiny little rubberbands to keep them "neat and tidy" and the massive amounts of crocheting I did to also keep them looking neat. I loved my dreads, but after a while i got so sick of them being 'unmanageable', frizzy, itchy, and extremely dandruffy. Only recently did I discover that most of that happening was probably because of how roughly I was treating my dreads.

After reading through the forums for a while I realized all the mistakes I made to my poor dreads and I want to start over again fresh and natural. However, it's going to be a while before I take that step because after brushing out the dreads, I decided to cut my hair super short! I guess I just felt like I needed a change. I felt like even though I brushed out my dreadies, my hair still carried with me some left over negativity and psychic junk. (I had moved, freed myself from a 5 year relationship, and changed my lifestyle for the better). I needed to start fresh! Anyway, sorry to ramble on a bit, but that's me.

updated by @tiger-lily: 01/13/15 09:44:05PM

welcome dreads and hair cary with them alot of your experiences dreads they are all bound up together this is why they grant wisdom..but at times a mourni g a seperation from these experiences is nescary lik e the death of as loved 1 or when you have to sever the ties with the past *(breaking free of abusin=ve relationships ending addictions etc) at these times cutting the hair cuts the ties to the past

and glad u decided to start over naturally u can start now and let ot dread as it grows

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

right on! welcome to the site and the community after lurking for a while glad to have you! this is goin to be a very fresh start. growing your hair out and letting it dread at the same time has be been such an enlightening experience and im very happy for you to surrender and let jah make your mane. Happy dreading!

Welcome to the site I understand feeling that you need a change. Hopefully soon you will be ready for dreads again. and this time it will be so much easier !!

I hear you about needing to cut your hair. I used to have a really great mohawk. My girlfriend loved it. She'd spend hours messing with it every day. But she was absolutely insane. When I finally mustered up the guts to break up with her, I shaved it off. It got the the point where every time I looked in the mirror and saw my hair, all I could think about was how miserable the last 2 years were.

Hair does carry a lot of your baggage for you.

You can always start completely natural from a shaved head. Just wash you hair like you have a full set of mature locks. Let them separate themselves over time. Then, once they are long enough, you can start separating them into sections on your own

welcome newcomer! Hope you find all the answers to all your questions on this site like I have!