Fixing crochet dreads

Before I get thrown under a bus here, let me weave you a story (pun intended). I've wanted dreads for a very long time but have never actually jumped in and tried it.... til now. My hair is around 10 in long and extremely curly - like 1cm diameter spring curls. If I pick it, it grows into a massive afro. Amazingly unique hair, but I wanted dreads! I'm usually a very cautious person doing an insane amount of research before jumping into anything serious (I just spent 8 hours researching hotels for a wedding I'll be going to.... I'll need the room for 2 nights and will pretty much just be sleeping there). So, for one of the very first times in my life I just jumped right in and went to a salon, got a quote, and let the dread my hair.

It was advertised as an all natural, chemical free process. I didn't realize they were using a crochet hook. I didn't know it was a bad thing, until I started doing a bunch of research all over the dread forums.

So - here's my question. Is there any turning back? Are my dreads going to be in a constant state of frizz for 3 months, at which time I'll go in for a repair appointment, they'll look nice for a week, and then back to the frizz?

Or, is there something I can do to help the along? I've done a lot of searching on the forum and while there is an immense amount of information on how bad crocheting is, no one has offered any real *help on the subject. Or - are my new baby crocheted locks doomed?

Thanks for your help, and thanks for not making me feel like more of an idiot than I already do.

*I did see some people mention aloe or gently conditioning the to loosen them up so they can start dreading naturally.

updated by @felicity-day: 01/13/15 09:56:07PM

You sure can get the beautiful healthy dreads you always wanted. When crocheting dreads just one time, it takes about 6 months for the hair to begin the locking process. During this time, any broken hairs will poke out, but will get swallowed back into the dread. Let them do everything on their own and you will be fine. Do NOT go back for them to your 3 month appointment or the 6 month wait will begin again, and you will have more broken hairs. Dreads are free, no maintenance fees, no touch up, no nothing.

You are not doomed, from here on in just wash them 2-3 times a week with a dread friendly shampoo and separate any sections that are trying to join onto another....that's it...easy huh?

So from here on in you let your dreads be in a natural state, be patient, allow the frizz and hairs to poke out...your reward for patience will be your beautiful healthy dreads that can last you a lifetime....peace

They're nowhere near doomed. But here's the thing: don't crochet them ever again, don't go back to that place, and don't do anything except wash your dreads. And, well, yeah, conditioning them a bit would be good too. The frizz is because of the crocheting, so...people who are pro-crochet will crochet their dreads to make them look neat or to 'fix' the frizz, but that continues the cycle of frizz being formed. No crocheting means the frizz will eventually die down and stay away. It takes time, because your hair needs to loosen up and whatnot, so all you really need is patience. But no, they will be absolutely fine if you stay away from those things

So it sounds like this is a hangover for dreads - the only solution is time (tbh I was hoping for some magic fix that I instinctively knew didn't exist even before I asked). Should I avoid things like tightening gels, aloe, palm rolling, ACV rinsing, sea salt spray, etc?

My career requires that I maintain a certain amount of presentability which is why I went the salon route in the first place - it was fast (no dreads one day, dreads the next). Now before anyone gets on their 'maybe dreads aren't for you' soap boxes, let me be the first to say that is entirely possible. And if it gets to that point, I may just have to cut them off - but I REALLY don't want to. I'm very hopeful that with patience and time I'll find what I'm after.

Also, while I'm here and if anyone is still willing to give some input, I have terrible itchy scalp with terrible dandruff. I've seem a lot of remedies all over the interwebs one of them being t/gel shampoo. A lot of dreadies have said really great things about it, anyone want to weigh in?

never go back!

but well they will be in far far far worse frizz then if u went any other method for a good year well at least 6 months

u broke sooo many hairs that will pop out

if u go back many more will pop out

what u want is to encourage loosening encourage frizz the quicker u loosen them up into an insane frizzy mess the faster you will recover but your looking at 6 months till they even begin to dread right

if u go back it wuill be a year

u want to stay far away from salons and hooks and from now on leave em alone aexcept the frizz

use aloe or jojoba to condition till they are soft and loose

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

t gel? for dreads>/

nooo unless u want to be fired for smelling like tar and t gel is the single most toxic shampoo there is!

www.dreadlockshampoo.com teatree rosemary bar

thats it

but jobs are required by law to alow natural unmaintained dreads they cannot legaly make you tidy them tie em back or cover them

however by going to a salon you waived that right stating they are nothing more then a fashion thing so therefore not protected by law

a s far as products and care

wash 1-3 times a week with a dread shampoo

no palm rolling!

use aloe or jojoba to loosen

once looose enough use sea salt to tighten

never use t gel or any store boutgyt shampoos or conditioners

never use gels or waxes (the gel from dreadlockshampoo is the exception since it leaves no residues)

mostly all u want to do from here i=on is wash em thats it and seperate as needed

Joshua Mangler said:

So it sounds like this is a hangover for dreads - the only solution is time (tbh I was hoping for some magic fix that I instinctively knew didn't exist even before I asked). Should I avoid things like tightening gels, aloe, palm rolling, ACV rinsing, sea salt spray, etc?

My career requires that I maintain a certain amount of presentability which is why I went the salon route in the first place - it was fast (no dreads one day, dreads the next). Now before anyone gets on their 'maybe dreads aren't for you' soap boxes, let me be the first to say that is entirely possible. And if it gets to that point, I may just have to cut them off - but I REALLY don't want to. I'm very hopeful that with patience and time I'll find what I'm after.

Also, while I'm here and if anyone is still willing to give some input, I have terrible itchy scalp with terrible dandruff. I've seem a lot of remedies all over the interwebs one of them being t/gel shampoo. A lot of dreadies have said really great things about it, anyone want to weigh in?

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Should I use the jojoba when it's wet or dry?

soaring eagle said:

t gel? for dreads>/

nooo unless u want to be fired for smelling like tar and t gel is the single most toxic shampoo there is!

www.dreadlockshampoo.com teatree rosemary bar

thats it

but jobs are required by law to alow natural unmaintained dreads they cannot legaly make you tidy them tie em back or cover them

however by going to a salon you waived that right stating they are nothing more then a fashion thing so therefore not protected by law

a s far as products and care

wash 1-3 times a week with a dread shampoo

no palm rolling!

use aloe or jojoba to loosen

once looose enough use sea salt to tighten

never use t gel or any store boutgyt shampoos or conditioners

never use gels or waxes (the gel from dreadlockshampoo is the exception since it leaves no residues)

mostly all u want to do from here i=on is wash em thats it and seperate as needed

Joshua Mangler said:

So it sounds like this is a hangover for dreads - the only solution is time (tbh I was hoping for some magic fix that I instinctively knew didn't exist even before I asked). Should I avoid things like tightening gels, aloe, palm rolling, ACV rinsing, sea salt spray, etc?

My career requires that I maintain a certain amount of presentability which is why I went the salon route in the first place - it was fast (no dreads one day, dreads the next). Now before anyone gets on their 'maybe dreads aren't for you' soap boxes, let me be the first to say that is entirely possible. And if it gets to that point, I may just have to cut them off - but I REALLY don't want to. I'm very hopeful that with patience and time I'll find what I'm after.

Also, while I'm here and if anyone is still willing to give some input, I have terrible itchy scalp with terrible dandruff. I've seem a lot of remedies all over the interwebs one of them being t/gel shampoo. A lot of dreadies have said really great things about it, anyone want to weigh in?

hey Joshua, after every shower, finish off with a cold head rinse, as cold as you can take. This helps many people with itchy scalp.... Never used Jojoba, so can't help you there...peace

This is really good advice.

the Barrellady said:

You sure can get the beautiful healthy dreads you always wanted. When crocheting dreads just one time, it takes about 6 months for the hair to begin the locking process. During this time, any broken hairs will poke out, but will get swallowed back into the dread. Let them do everything on their own and you will be fine. Do NOT go back for them to your 3 month appointment or the 6 month wait will begin again, and you will have more broken hairs. Dreads are free, no maintenance fees, no touch up, no nothing.

You are not doomed, from here on in just wash them 2-3 times a week with a dread friendly shampoo and separate any sections that are trying to join onto another....that's it...easy huh?

So from here on in you let your dreads be in a natural state, be patient, allow the frizz and hairs to poke out...your reward for patience will be your beautiful healthy dreads that can last you a lifetime....peace

This is really good advice too

Tara C said:

They're nowhere near doomed. But here's the thing: don't crochet them ever again, don't go back to that place, and don't do anything except wash your dreads. And, well, yeah, conditioning them a bit would be good too. The frizz is because of the crocheting, so...people who are pro-crochet will crochet their dreads to make them look neat or to 'fix' the frizz, but that continues the cycle of frizz being formed. No crocheting means the frizz will eventually die down and stay away. It takes time, because your hair needs to loosen up and whatnot, so all you really need is patience. But no, they will be absolutely fine if you stay away from those things