Hey Ya'll :-)

Hey Ya'll Glad I found this site. Here's my story :

I'm on Day 5 of my journey. I've wanted to dread my hair for awhile, years, but I couldn't with the job I had. I was able to change that, so I'm all good now. I went to a 'locktician' that does all hair types and a couple people I know use her. My hair was very straight...(I attached my last pic before dreading). I didn't use conditioner the last couple times I washed my 'before' hair. I have used all natural shampoo for years, so no chemicals. I did the backcombing and twisting...no wax,a little holding spray and since then just some sea salt spray I made today. I'm would like to be as natural as I can be. I'm thinking a month until my first wash. I know this isn't instant and will require lots of patience. I have long strands hanging and all types of fuzzies. I currently wish it didn't look as messy as it does, but o-well, it doesn't seem like crocheting is the way to go although it would give me instant gratification, I'm concerned about long term, like the rest of my life I attached some pix, looking forward to learning and chatting with everyone.

~ One Love ~

updated by @l-beezie: 01/13/15 09:55:59PM

Just wash it now! Dreads love water and you also arnt suppose to keep the spray in long.

Hi there. Glad you finally got the dreads that you wanted for years. So you want them long term, the rest of your life. To do this, you gotta keep it natural for sure, so glad you did not crochet them for the instant dreads, too many broken hairs to last a lifetime. Good for no wax...too many problems with that. So you backcombed and twit & ripped. In order for them to start maturing, they must be kept clean...by washing 2-3 times a week for the first few months. Waiting a month will make you hair oily, causing knotting to come undone. Wating a month will cause your scalp to have build up, and when you finally do wash, then all the skin scalp would look like dandruff. A clean scalp is a happy scalp...

Sea salt sprays work fantastic. Just make sure to rinse it out after the two hour mark or you can overdry your hair. Watch out for walls and mirrors with overspray, the salt water leaves stains..... 3 1/2 tablespoons to 5 cups water

Your journey will take over a year with your length hair. It will shrink first and then start to tighten. Crazy stages, but you can do it, the frizzies, the loops. Part of the journey but the reward is awesome healthy dreadlocks.

So now that you have them formed, just wash, separate any sections trying to join on to another..and sit back and enjoy the ride.....Peace

http://www.dreadlockssite.com/forum/topics/just-starting-out-what-to-expect

Agreed ^^ you should be washing 2 or 3 times a week and your locks will be fine

Thanks everyone! Awesome info and tips So I'm on day 6 and I should wash? I was scared it would come out. I'm not even sure how to wash and dry it properly, I'm reading up now though. I'm having a little fear of mold :-/

I just want to try and do as much 'right' the first time to avoid a second time!

Before I washed my hair once or twice a week. I a lot about palm rolling not being helpful, Good...I'm low maintenance and I don't see my self spending the time to mess with my hair all day. I do want them more round than flat though.

I live in South Florida, so pretty humid here. Right now my hair looks a mess, long strands and frizzies all over, plenty of broken fly away hair from the backcombing.

I'm working on the mantra:"what my hair is doing is normal and i accept that it's all part of the process."

Need to learn wrapping styles with scarves.

Question about oils. Can I start using now, say after I wash, before it dries? I have rosemary and peppermint, my favorite combo

Love Love Love the just starting out tips !!!

Oh yeah, *definitely* time to wash. Especially if you live somewhere that's so hot and humid. We had this weird 3-4 day heat wave in MI a couple weeks ago (as in it was around 100 and humid every day. Which rarely ever happens here, but I figure that's generally what it's like during summer in south FL, haha), and by day three my hair was raaank. And I've never been one to have an oily scalp, either.

Yes! Oils are always awesome. Just make sure to only use a few drops of each. They're hella potent.