I feel like my natural dreads are at such a blah stage. A few questions.
General Questions
Thank you guys! I am feeling better about them already. = ]
Forum Activity for @emily-smith
General Questions
Thank you guys! I am feeling better about them already. = ]
I feel like my natural dreads are at such a blah stage. A few questions.
General Questions
Thank you both. I think maybe it is just that I am having a bleh period. I am stuck wearing them under a wool beanie almost every day because I work in a kitchen and i think I just miss seeing them all the time like I did this summer. When I do get to see them down they look so foreign to me. I have a couple of dreads that just decided they saw it fit to grow together, but I was fine with that. I will try to only concentrate on the ones that are in need or separation as opposed to going through my whole head that way I will decrease the amount of loose hairs.Thank you both once again. = ]
I feel like my natural dreads are at such a blah stage. A few questions.
General Questions
I don't know if this is just part of the process of having natural dreads, but I am about 4.5 months in an my dreads just seem very.....blah. I can't seem to find a word to describe it. There are a bunch of loops and stuff (and the loops look very cool individually), and my hair has gotten about 6 inches shorter. I feel like I still have a lot of loose hairs also. I also feel like when I separate them it caused more loose hairs. I have started separating them only once a week or so. How can I make sure them separating them isn't causing more loose hairs? I posted some pictures also to show everyone how short they are (there are pictures on my profile of my hair before it was dreaded to show you how long it was)
Is it normal to go through this bleh period? And is separating my dreads increasing my loose hairs like I feel it is?
updated by @emily-smith: 02/14/15 03:27:18AM
Hey guys,i just got a red/ blue nose pitbull mix,and i cant think of a name.
Introduce Yourself
rabbit. You should name it rabbit.haha.I think it is funny to name animals after another animal.
hello all!
Introduce Yourself
Natural dreads are the way to go for sure. That is how I started mine. As for whether to start dreading the longer part and waiting for the rest to grow to a longer length that is all personal preference. if your hair is a couple of inches it will dread too! Baking soda works lovely, but I use Dr. Bronners. Just remember to keep them pulled apart because natural baby dreads really like eating each other. in my first month and a half I had to pull mine apart every day (but my hair was also much longer). If you are going to use a sea salt spray I would make sure to dissolve the salt very well, and spray it on freshly washed hair and let it dry. That always seemed to work best for me. = ] Good luck on your journey and if you ever have any questions never hesitate to ask. = ]
Honey In Month Old Dreads
Dread Maintenance
It looks like everything is going well. I started mine naturally and they are almost 3 months old. the back of my head knotted up much quicker then the front. I still have parts in this front that are just starting to knot. It just takes time. Be patient! I would wash it at least 3 times a week. Also there is no need for rubber bands. As for the salt flecks in your hair, it may help if you put the salt in really hot water cause it will cause the salt to dissolve. Just be patient and let your hair do what it wants. If you continue to have sections that don't want to dread naturally I suggest you t&r them to at least give them a little help.Good luck!
Just got dreads today --- Possible damage prevention --- Help!
Dreading Methods
I like this idea of Moogfest in exchange for dread help! hahaha MzElaineous said:
Also, your other friend is right when she said "to make sure the dreads dont cross section and separate any awkwardly combined roots"
Her sectioning is just crap. Hopefully, this helps with the confusion and doesn't add to it. Basically, backcombing, tnr, whatever other methods are just ways to section hair. Whatever you do, some work will undo, but will eventually lock.
Since you have issues with your curls and the natural method, I highly recommend just twist and ripping rather than re-backcombing. You hair has had enough damage.
Maybe take Emily to moogfest in exchange for dread help? She seems to know what she's doing.
darkstar said:yea doood i live here now but im from maryland
im going to try and get her to undo some of the root flips and make the sections smaller
ill continue to wear my beanie and separate what i can before i go to bed, but im a lazy mofo and wanna do minimal work
the only reason i wanted her to kinda initiate the dreading process was that my hair only knotting up in the back and nothing else. ... i'd shower and then my hair is so curly it would just condense to little j curls
by sectioning them and backcoming just once, i feel like it set the process in motion, but maybe im wrong =/
so many different opinions from people ive talked to... it can be a confusing venture !
nice to meet a fellow ashevillian
you goin to moogfest?
Emily Smith said:You are from asheville? That is where I live! You don't have to spend a whole bunch of money on some non-residue organic stuff at greenlife (that place is expensive, at least to someone on a budget like me!). Try Bronners (its like 10 dollars for a 16 oz bottle, but you dilute it so it lasts a LONG time) or a baking soda wash or something. You really should have tried natural dude. Thats how I am doing mine. They all look crazy and twisted and loopy and ridiculous right now (I am 2 months in.) but that is just part of the process because you hair is pulling up and in to knots. Just let your dreads go, maybe try to separate some of those huge sections into smaller sections, then just keep those sections pulled apart and you should be fine! Just remember to be patient with it. = ]
Just got dreads today --- Possible damage prevention --- Help!
Dreading Methods
I don't have to money for moogfest, as much as I would love to go! I went to Ralak a couple weekends ago and that was my splurge for the month. The dreads in the back of my head are forming MUCH more quickly then the sides and front of my head. I have some in the back after two months that are pretty damn close to mature. Once they start to really pull into each other you don't have to separate them as much. I had to every day for about the first 2 months, but in the past few week I have started only doing it every 3 days or so when I wet or wash my hair. I wear a wool beanie to bed a few times a week too. With all the tossing and turning I do I figure it has to help some! Try a sea salt spray on your hair also. I mix really warm water with a few pinches of sea salt and put it in a spray bottle and shake it to get the salt dissolved, then spray it on my hair after I wash it while it is still damp. I like to go outside in the sunshine and let it dry that way, but not every day will be as warm and beautiful as the days we have been having recently here in asheville! I also do a little palm rolling on each of mine when I am separating them just to keep each section defined and maybe rub in a few loose hairs. = ]
Just got dreads today --- Possible damage prevention --- Help!
Dreading Methods
You are from asheville? That is where I live! You don't have to spend a whole bunch of money on some non-residue organic stuff at greenlife (that place is expensive, at least to someone on a budget like me!). Try Bronners (its like 10 dollars for a 16 oz bottle, but you dilute it so it lasts a LONG time) or a baking soda wash or something. You really should have tried natural dude. Thats how I am doing mine. They all look crazy and twisted and loopy and ridiculous right now (I am 2 months in.) but that is just part of the process because you hair is pulling up and in to knots. Just let your dreads go, maybe try to separate some of those huge sections into smaller sections, then just keep those sections pulled apart and you should be fine! Just remember to be patient with it. = ]