New and worried.

Hello I'm brand new and have been reading and taking notes from this site for a few weeks now. I am not currently dreading tho I plan to if a few months. I plan on going 100% Natural. I've learned so much from this site. Thank you for all the knowledge. I do have questions due to either I couldn't find the answer or I flat out didn't understand. Overall I'm so excited to do this I'm worried about screwing it all up lol. Any help is much appreciated. Tell me where to go and I'll share my questions. I look forward to growing knowledge. Thank you for your time.
updated by @zachary-tyler: 02/14/15 06:42:03AM

Ask away, ask here if you want no worries.

-I live in a hard water to semi hard water area I think. How do I know for sure(cant find the map here on the site) and how do I go about washing my hair with it? What changes will I need to do if any?-My hair gets oily fast. Like 2 days after a wash. Is this an issue?-When washing its kinda an effort to get to my scalp to make sure it gets washed well without soaking my whole head. Any tips? Or will this affect the dreading process for me?-I've read that you soak down your dreads and that you don't when washing. Which is it? It seems almost impossible they won't be drenched for me.-I want to air dry but I've been scared by reading about all day drying times. Should I worry?-I sleep rough and toss and turn a lot. Is this ok? I mean my hair is a mess as is when I wake. I'm afraid it well mess up the process, or tangle all wrong or something by not allowing my hair to naturally section.-Any way I can keep them tidy for work? Or advice of what to tell employers?-Am I allowed to tie it back or tuck it behind my ears or flip it around while letting them form? Or do I need to keep my hair down and in a "normal" position all the time?-Is it ok to wear hats/reg ball caps? Or should it only be like the beanie type hats?-Is it ok to "straighten up or pat down"my hair after waking, bathing, wearing a hat, etc?-When is the best time and application for adding oils to your hair? Mainly for an earthy smell.

And I've been experimenting with the bs wash. All ratios I've seen seem messed up. It's water with bs. How thick is it suppose to be? I come up with literally water. I can't massage it in or anything. I dump it on my head it runs thru my head and hair and body. There is no way to stop it. So I figure I'm doing something wrong.

And Thank you so much. I'm very excited about my journey and want all the info I can fit in my head. I just want to get it right. I appreciate any and all help. Ty

I can't answer about the hard water/BS questions because I haven't used that yet, but the ratios change depending on whether you have hard or soft water I think, so someone with more experience can help there

- It won't matter. When you have dreads, you wash less often than people usually do when they don't have dreads. As you decrease it, your scalp/hair adjusts to the changes and becomes less oily.

- Why is it an effort to get to the scalp? You can soak your dreads whilst washing your scalp, there's nothing wrong with getting your dreads wet, just make sure they dry properly. Washing them helps the hair tangle and dread.

- I wouldn't worry. The thicker the dreads are, the longer they take to dry. If your dreads are thin, no worries, but if they're thick, you can use a hair-dryer for a bit and then air/sun dry them. In any case, just make sure your dreads are dry when you go to sleep or tie them up or put them in a hat, and make sure they're thoroughly dry in-between washes.

- It'll be fine. Just means you might have to separate more often. You separate hair/dreads that are connecting that you don't want to join together (congo). In the beginning you'll have to do this more often than when your dreads are more formed. But it's normal, it won't mess up your progress.

- Tie them back, wear a bandana or hat if you're allowed, or tie them back with a wrap/headband sort of thing.

- You can tie them back and etc., but be aware that if they're always tied back it'll take a bit longer for them to dread up properly, because they're not as free to move about and dread. Maybe if you do tie them back, do it loosely.

- You can wear normal hats, just same as above, not all the time if possible.

- It is, but straightening it up or patting it down won't help, it'll be messy again soon it's just part of the dreading process.

- When you wash them. I think you put them in the ACV wash, but don't take that as gospel, I'd have someone more experienced answer that.

Thank you so much for your knowledge and reply.Only reason I say it's a challenge to get to my scalp is cause my hair is everywhere lol. So massaging the scalp and so on is hard without wetting everything else.That being said I had read that you don't want to wet down your dreads at all if possible. If its in avoidable then as little as possible. So I was going off that information.

Only other question is my gf loves me tons. But finds dreads very very unattractive. Any tips to help her see dread thru the forest lol.No but really she is very ugh at even the idea. And I just wish I could relax her...discomfort of them.

damh thats alotta questions

1. google hard water map mix 1/2 a cup per every 5 cups water pour on soak 10 min rinse
2. oily hair gets less oily if u skip acv and wash lil les often
3. soak your whole head u want to wash the hair but when u use shamooo scrub only the scalo rinse the shampoo thru the hair
4. see 3..soak
5. sun dries em fast dont worry as long as they get airflow (no hats not tied up) in winter blow dry
6. tossing and turning will make it dread fster just may need to seperate more
7. tam bandana tie em back (loosely) tell thenm your dreading naturaly for soiritual reasons and it will be a bit messy for awhile till they mature
8. base bal caps will prevent dreading even undo progress u can tie back (loosely is best) it will skow progress if u do alot
9. pattig it down will mess thinfs up
10. add esential oils to your bs wash
11. its suposed to be like water in fact its turning to gasses and evapoerating you dont need to massage it in pour it on let it soak 10 min and rinse ration is 1-10 1 part to 10 parts warer
12. ask her why she hates dreads (sterotypes?) tell herthe truth show her the rich beautiful spiritual heritage they come from and then ask her would she care if yoy severely burned your face or lost an arm or a leg are superficial things like looks so important

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

updated by @the-barrellady: 02/05/15 10:12:49AM