wool rubbing/salt spray
Dreading Methods
Thanks for the feedback, I decided to untangle the mess. I think the thicker your hair the more of these loops from the roots you get. It took lots of coconut oil rubbed in and gobs of conditioner then untangling the loops in the shower after the conditioner soaked in, then wide tooth comb, more soaking then regular comb, then back to normal, I strained neck/shoulder muscle during the process too.
I agree with you. With wool rubbing once you get the beginnings of locks formed it is counter productive to keep rubbing which can damage and weaken the hair. I did notice after wearing a loose wool beanie using a circular motion with just my hand very loosely over the ends of new locks for just a minute or less helped to re-awaken them without damaging the hair. In fact even in the beginning light pressure and wider circles did better in forming the twists. Heavy pressure just created a bunch of frizzy hair which may be good when you first start rubbing to rough up the hair then quickly change to light pressure and wide circles to actually form those twists of hair.
So I'm regrouping. Actually in it's natural state my hair divides into natural loose curly locks of hair. If I try again it will be twist and rip with sectioning for medium to thin locks.
Watched a lot of TNR tutorials of which some were terrible. Noticed many locticians almost on purpose making the TNR locks very loose so they then could show more skill you'll need to rely on using the crochet hook in the beginning and for maintenance.
The one good video from 9 years ago
Shows the friend doing TNR tight to begin with and using backcomb for seconds minimally while twisting and ripping to tightening up some loose areas then continue TNR. They look pretty good from the beginning but still have some loose hairs coming out but no where as near as other videos where loctician purposely leaves them extra loose so she can crochet the heck out of them.
So far in what I've read is:
Don't twist to much
Twist to the root even though there inevitably be loose hair at the root that will lock more later although not too tight
When ripping use different sections each time you rip after you bring hair together after last rip and give a half to one twist to avoid the braided look although even if you get the braided look some it will dissipate in time.
Now I've also read you want the TNR new locks to be somewhat loose for hair movement but you need to balance that (tightness vs looseness) enough to where the don't go undone while being gentle with them as well so they won't become loose (hands off).
Some say don't wash to often and just the roots but my question is:
Should you gently wash all of dreads too with say a diluted residue free shampoo (I'm using Free and Clear from Walgreens) enough to clean and also rinse easily but not scrubbing new dreads but gently allow the diluted shampoo in the dread and maybe gently squeeze then rinse?
How often should you wash all of dreads vs roots?
I sweat a lot either working or working out so I need to at least rinse my hair every day adjusting shower head add-on if you have one for a narrow more powerful stream of water to rinse effectively without having to squeeze locks except at the end gently to get the water out then blot dry with very absorbent towel or old cotton t-shirt or two.
I've changed to No-poo method years ago and maybe shampoo and condition once a month with my regular hair along with leave in coconut oil (expeller pressed).
This really improved the condition of my hair over time and the coconut oil is one of the few oils (medium chain fatty acids) that can be absorbed into the hair.
Others through scientific testing (I'll find link to research study) were olive oil, cotton seed oil but I found the coconut oil absorbs the best and easier to find. In fact I have to add more over time, especially my beard.
I'm thinking in preparation for dreadlocks no-poo except maybe once a month and using coconut oil on hair after bone dry and letting it soak in for 24 hours before getting wet in the shower, super saturate and comb through to disperse oils even more through hair and leave in.
This will strengthen and improve the quality the hair, plus getting scalp use to no-poo and allowing natural oils to remain. Combing in the shower helps prevent sebum build up. Along with eating well, staying hydrated, ensuring getting enough biotin. I take a supplement along with multi-vitamin.mineral supplement. The biotin as made a noticable difference in hair thickness and growth
I think sebum build up would not be an isssue with new dreads as I would actually shampoo my hair (diluted) more often than I'm doing now.
I'm writing this all out in detail so feel free anybody to correct or add to anything I wrote as despite reading a lot and watching a lot of videos and asking questions over several years experience wise I am still very new.
I still like the wool rubbing method because of it's minimal approach as a good start for neglect dreads (if done minimally) . No sectioning as the sections form naturally where they are meant to form which makes me think of another idea:
Using initial wool rubbing just enough to define the beginnings of sections to then guide you to where you to start TNR locks.
It also makes since to have loose hair at the roots even though frizzy at first for strength plus I think it looks more natural versus tight to the scalp and bald spots between sections. For the life of me I can't understand people's obsession with having tight to the scalp locks.
Lastly speaking philosophically I believe (on my opinion) locks are a spiritual thing to separate from as the in the Nazarite vow or other spiritual traditions as opposed to dreads done for fashion or I call vanity dreadlocks that are perfect, uniform, tight to the scalp, requiring much maintenance leading to destruction like baldness or thinning locks about to fall off.
Vanity leads to destruction. Spirituality leads to growth. Not to judge as a middle ground can be found.
Even too much neglect can be bad like the homeless mentally ill that enter the psych ward with the hair matted completely filled with lice and dirt that we have to treat and/or shave which requires time consuming procedures and cleanup.
Like the lyrics of the late great reggae singer Jacob Miller, Rasta friend to Bob Marley "I'm a Natty, Not a Dreadlock"
and when they start to fall and maintain around that length which I assume will change as they mature. Although I'll probably wear a beanie for bried peroids to train them down wards somewhat to make life easier with me and managers even though for religious purposes I am protected for religious reasons (Nazarite Vow in Truth). I'd rather avoid as much as possible that conflict and may even wear a large fitting slouchy beanie (I don't like tams that much).