Forum Activity for @the-barrellady

Took my dreads out, and hair is super thin, want my dreads back

General Questions

Hi Jecca, Sorry, what do you mean by bring impatient on trying to combine your dreads? Were they too thin that your wanted to join two or more together? If this is the case, and it happens in the future again, try wrapping two together with embroidery thread, eventually they will join. I guess your hair thinned out by taking out the dreads? When starting again, just make sure on the width of the section where it begins at the scalp. They say no larger than a quarter coin in size for easy to manage dreads. Your thinned out hair will fill back in, so the quarter size section will get more hairs inside of it when they start to grow. No need to wait, start all over again now if it is what you want. Different lengths is okay, it will not be as noticeable as you think because the forming dread feeds up higher, shrinking as it goes. Good luck on your restart

Promoting/accelerating dread process

General Questions

Well hi there. Natural dreads = patience, lots of it. You are already worried at only 9 days in...to little time...too much worries. The hair is going through a separating process right now, not dreading yet. Around the face and hairline and ears, we tend to be more oily, so the hair there does not dread as fast as the rest, sometimes it may not even dread there. Do the baking soda wash as others suggested, washing 2-3 times a week in the beginning. At the end of your shower, rinse your hair in as cold water as you can take, this process closes the pores on the scalp, slowing down the time hair gets oily. You are just starting out, so when your hair sections, make sure that they are no larger than a quarter/25 cent coin at the scalp- your scalp section is the width your mature dread will be. If they are larger, divide into smaller sections. Anything larger than this size will eventually cause long term problems being: weight, long drying time, higher chance of mold if they do not dry properly due to the thickness. If you want fat dreads, that's cool, just be aware of problems. This will be a long journey that I hope you enjoy along the way. Remember, no worries, just let them be. Welcome

Introduction and newbie questions

Introduce Yourself

Greetings to Australia from Canada. Your journey process will teach you that you can no longer be a control freak about your hair. It will do its' own thing. Like Taye, I also started with hair your length, 11 months later, most are above my shoulders. Your hair will NOT look anything like the micro braids you would like to try out. Have a 5 year vision for what you want your dreads to look like, they will not look like that for at least the first year, probably two, especially with super long hair. Mature dreads will become the thickness of the section by the scalp, the hair slowly feeds itself up and forms the dread. Be prepared for loops, bumps and shrinkage. Straight hair usually takes longer to dread, so photos you see on here of people who started with curly hair and have dreads within a year is unrealistic for our type. Being as controlling as you are about your hair, if you don't like the look, you can still take them out even when they are two years old. Have the vision though and you will love them.

Dreads!

Introduce Yourself

Hi Jonathan, welcome to this wonderful site. I am constantly looking at photos on this site and reading about their journey. People who started with curly hair and let it free form all by itself get the quickest awesome looking dreads. Curly hair already has spiral forms, so let it lock up by itself. You are luck, you have a head start on many of us.

Just remember to keep it clean, read the dreaducation tab for great tips. Enjoy

The Demon Drink

General Questions

Nice to hear you around again. One glass of red wine a day is very healthy for you, a good choice for your daily drink. Research has suggested that specifically red wine is the most beneficial to your heart health. The cardioprotective effect has been attributed to antioxidants present in the skin and seeds of red grapes. Scientists believe the antioxidants, called flavonoids, reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in three ways:\

• by reducing production of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (also know as the "bad" cholesterol)
• by boosting high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the good cholesterol)

• by reducing blood clotting. Furthermore, consuming a glass of wine along with a meal may favorably influence your lipid profiles following that meal

Peace Kelly

Kelly said:

I haven't really been around here lately. Thanks everyone for their comments. I have totally cut back my drinking. Funnily enough, I now drink every day. One glass of red wine. On occasions when I amhavingmore than one week, I stick to the guide line of 4 pints per session, with one drink per hour. I think I may have already said that I would adopt this approach, and I have done so.

I want to live forever. Going down the road I felt myself been drawn down would have hindered this goal. I get "drunk" (having been a heavy drinker, I don't consider my currentconsumptionlevels as getting drunk) socially. Daily intake of red wine has been shown to reduce the chances of cardiacissues.

As they say, moderation in everything.

The Demon Drink

General Questions

Turn your thoughts around and volunteer to be the designated driver when out with friends. It may be easier not to have the first drink if you know that you have the responsibility of your friends.

Being aware is a huge step, it makes you take notice more. Peace

updated by @the-barrellady: 07/23/15 05:20:40AM

baby dreads remove wax

Dread Maintenance

Sorry to hear they used wax, nothing should ever be added. Words of wisdom, wax, gels, lotions etc., even when used once, will attract dirt, lint and stuff into the center of the dread. They will also trap water droplets and cause mold and smells. Please never cover your hair in the shower, scalp gunk, dandruff and dirt need to be washed out of your dreads. Let them be free, wiggle them around in the shower and watch the droplets fall off. Wash hair every 2-3 times a week in the beginning, read the dreaducation page at the top of the site for cool tips on hair care.Lucky you found this site and can start ya new beginning of healthy dreads that will last a lifetime. Lesson: $50 Dreads: $ priceless

Pomade in the early days.

Dread Maintenance

Unfortunately even once is too much when using products in dreads, but at least you are only 4 1/2 months in, easier to get it out. If pomade, gels, wax or anything else like those are used, even once, it causes problems down the road. Things like lint, dust, etc will attach to the dread & work its way in, can't wash it out because it is glued in. These products also trap water droplets inside the dread, causing smells, mold and just plain funk. Glad you asked here for help. The DAWN dish soap will take you a few times probably, but you will notice the difference right away. Please don't stop at one time, you want to make sure that it is all out from the center. Give yourself a treat after the second attempt and after rinsing it out in the shower, fill the tub & let yourself & dreads soak underwater for about 20 minutes. They will enjoy floating around and more of the soap & pomade will work its way out during the hair dance. Enjoy the changes along the way

Free Dread Kit

Dreading Methods

New to dreads? Want to dread? Don't quite know how to start? Visit the dread shop tab at the top of this site for your free dread kit. Everything you will need ! Worked for me.

updated by @the-barrellady: 01/13/15 09:45:31PM

Waxy white stuff!

Dreads Hair and Scalp Health

Greetings to Norway from Canada. My mom is from Finland, so I know your winters. Does your country sell a product called SHAMWOW, which is a liqued absorbing cloth? If not, I am sure they are sold on the web or try an auto shop store. Soaring Eagle said he used it to help dry his hair, so I bought a large one to try. It literally reduces hours from my hair drying time. And yes, hot air blow dryers will heat the oil on the scalp and also dry out the dreads, which reverses what essential oils do. Stay warm, we are having winter here too.

Reben said:

So i'll just stay as clean, bronners-free, blowdrier-free and such until my scalp gets healthier.

updated by @the-barrellady: 07/18/15 11:47:55PM