Hi there, your ratio was off. Try using 1/2 baking soda to 5 cups of water, rinse well after 10-20 minutes, then use 1-2 capfuls only of apple cider vinegar with 5 cups water, leave on for only 1 minute and rinse. Rinse off everything well, then finish off with a cold rinse to the head, as cold as you can take. Your ratio was off, so it did not completely exfoliate the scalp. Try this and let us know how it goes.
Peace
The size of dreads depends on the size of the section where it meets the scalp. If you want fat dreads, then that's cool, but they take very long to dry and put pressure on the scalp due to the weight. If you don't want the fat congo dreads, then it is recommended that the scalp area section is no larger than 1" or a 25cent coin. Sections may look skinnier now, but as they mature they will become the width of the scalp area. If there is no wax in your hair, then yes, they will settle down, but yeah, take out anything restricting the root area. Dreads take time, they will loosen before they start the journey of locking up, so don't worry when this happens, it is their natural way. If you wash & separate any sections trying to join together, then you are doing fine and so are they.
Peace
Dawn dish soap is not harsh. When animals are caught in an oil spill, this is what they gingerly use on the wildlife to help remove all that oil. It is perfectly safe to use this brand. No worries
Peace
The great and lovely thing about dreads is all you have to do is keep them clean and separate when needed. The easiest hair care in the world, and the most beautiful. When the wax comes out, the true dreading will begin, and I won't lie, it will look different and a little out of control, they won't look straight because they will start looping and shrinking so that they can mature properly. You just enjoy that ride and don't give a shit that they are not "perfect" in other peoples eyes during this process. With time and patience, they will be awesome, you will never have to worry how they look again, every day they will be beautiful, and will sway with their freedom and lightness. With your new found free time, you can knit a tam and head wrap.
Peace
Congrats on your journey, sounds like you are enjoying it. As for enemies, the #1 is Velcro. Also burrs and twigs & brush when walking through the bushes.
I have heard that knotty boy soap and shampoo is not good to use. I believe there is a post on here somewhere about it. There is a fantastic no scrub method that exfoliates the scalp. Mix 1/2 cup Baking Soda to 5 cups water, pour on head and leave for 10-20 minutes, rinse well. Next mix 1-2 capfuls of Apple cider Vinegar to 5 cups water & pour on head, rinse after 1 minute. The ACV will balance the PH & condition your hair.
Many soaps & shampoos leave residues in dreads if used with hard water, good to find out what kind you have. Oh yeah, I had to separate my sections every day, some only need to do it once a week.
Peace
Good day, I don't know if that will cause a problem with your roots when you shake, but I think that the head banging to shake off water may be to forceful and that is why you feel some of the hairs pulling at your roots. I hang my head upside down and sway it side to side, and stay that way for a few minutes. My best tip is to purchase a micro fiber towel, like a Shamwow, to absorb the extra water out right after washing. It reduces hours from my drying time. Dripping and drying in the sun is perfect for you.
Peace
I think that the crochet hook was the reason your dreads broke off, not the separating that you did. Glad you threw the hook away, but it already broke hundreds of pieces in your dreads, so they were weak from that, they do get stronger with time though. You only waxed once and brushed it out, but did you get the wax out with anything like Dawn dish soap or Wax B Gone? The thickness of your dread is what is causing tension on your scalp. Hard to tell by the picture, but I think you can divide that one into a few, unless you want fat dreads, but they do cause tension when they are that big. Anything over a 1inch section at the scalp will take longer to dry and cause the tension you are feeling now. I kept mine around the temples thinner so that I would not feel any pressure of weight there, especially years down the road.
Baba Fats has a video on his page on how to separate dreads, a good one to watch. Due to your crochet, even once, you may still loose some of it, but lets hope not.
Did you start in August 2012?
Thanks, I like it to and have been debating whether to hemp wrap it to keep it longer. For some reason, the process is way behind on that one. If I don't wrap it, I know I will miss it when if does finally shrink 
amethyst777 said:
Nice! I love the long dread too!
Thanks, my hair was almost to my waist when I started my journey, That one just stayed behind in class:)
melanie rose said:
I really love that loc that's longer than the rest! They sure have lots of character:] congrats on the dreadiversary, and many more to come..
My hair lightens with the sun, so it looks darker up top. I think my daughter had the camera setting on vivid color, because it is actually brown with a tad of grey mixed in.
KnotLady said:
is the lightening on the ends natural?
