What would happen if I combed my hair?

So, like I’ve said in a recent post I thought about combing out my freeeform dreadlocks and starting again (and then I decided not to) but now I’m thinking about it again...

They are not really fully dreads yet and I still have mostly loose hair with lots of curls trying to dread finally, but would a lot of hair be pulled out if I combed it? I don’t want to loose a lot of hair.

I’m still undecided yet and it might be a really stupid idea but I know how to wash my hair better now and how often and what products to use, etc, and my hair is much longer now, so I’m really curious to see if my hair will begin to dreadlock quicker with all that. Because I started them really badly, using residue shampoo, with short hair and not washing my hair as much as I did before freeforming. I’d treat as an experiment and if I decide to comb my hair I will be going through with the freeforming properly the second time.

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Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.

Choose love over hate.

World peace is possible, give peace a chance.

Combing your hair out now and completely starting over won't make your hair dread any differently. It will just set you right back to the beginning which means all the time you have spent so far will have been a complete waste.

Like you said you know how to wash better now and what products to use so you are already in a better position than you were some time ago. Just bare with it.

I definitely think if you combed your hair out you would regret it almost instantly.

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I wouldn't do it either, maybe just wash your hair really really well with some cool water and the dreadlock shampoo if you have it (if you don't have it, try making some tea with rosemary, green tea and a little bit of sea salt and wash your hair with that), maybe all you need is to give your hair a day of extra care to feel better about it

But it's your hair, if you really feel like brushing your hair and starting over is the way to go, then go for it. You might regret it, so I suggest waiting a little longer to think it over.

Just to put my two cents out there (Again) I've brushed my hair out twice and this time shaved it off for an experience, So far no regrets i will regrow my freeforms

I think that mistakes are a part of your experience with dreads and free form tbh. I don’t think that combing out and restarting with new knowledge will get you anywhere faster than just continuing with what progress you’ve already made, so if it’s just that you feel it’s all taking too long I don’t think it’s the best idea. I was still using a regular shampoo and just not conditioning at first, and I tried sleeping on a microfibre towel wrapped around my pillow thinking it might cause some friction but it kinda brushed the back of my head instead 🤦🏻‍♀️ So that was two mistakes I guess! It all depends on your reasons for wanting to start over, but if there’s any part of you that thinks you might regret it, just give it some time. If you do decide to comb, just go gently with lots of conditioner or something from the tip up, you shouldn’t pull too much out of your head, but and shed hair will be combed out. How long have you been free forming for now?

@aquaguy Not sure how far along you are/were as you were using a residual shampoo, but there could be a build-up inside your dreads from it. As for combing your hair, I can't say what to do. I would try combing it out before cutting it off though.

I have a few dread balls forming at the end of some of my young dreads, I have tried combing/teasing out the ends to help water drain out more easily to dry quicker...It took alot of time, using alot of conditioner, would hate to have to comb them all out. Think i will be leaving them do their own thing and just concentrating on good separating from now on.  

Yours might comb out easier, who knows?  Good luck whatever you decide.

You just reminded me too, that the "Lazydreads" guy combed his long, 10 year+ dreads out (see youtube).   

It’s been around 8 months now, give or take a month. I didn’t make a note of the date unfortunately, but I started from fear short hair so it has taken a long time to see just a little bit of progress.

--
Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.

Choose love over hate.

World peace is possible, give peace a chance.

And thanks, guys, given me some food for thought.

--
Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.

Choose love over hate.

World peace is possible, give peace a chance.

I know this post is old but i want to add in my experience. I brushed out my 18mo freeform dreads, 5 dreads i had crocheted and quickly stopped because of how stiff and pokey they were, those dreads lost LOTS of hairs, all the other dreads did not, as they were all natural. Only hairs that came out are hairs i would have lost not dreaded. It took 4 months, hours each day, slowly combing from the bottoms up. First picture is the day i began combing. 2nd is my undreaded hairs. Biggest downside after coming was all the split ends it left. That and no matter how much i conditioned my hairs were quick to lock back up.... conveniently now that I'm redreading lol.

Added a better picture of the brushed out hairs

updated by @peaceful-passer: 07/11/19 08:05:57PM