Forum Activity for @rockerbaby

Preventing blunt ends

Dread Maintenance

Is there any real way to prevent blunt ends if that's what my hair is trying to do? I am really trying not to touch them except to separate, but it took so long to grow my hair out this long and now all of my dreads are folding over on themselves and blunting. Can I just keeping tugging the hair at the tips to keep them loose? Will that do anything in the long run?

Funny, on my last set I couldn't wait for my tips to blunt. Now I'd rather have my loose tips back!

updated by @rockerbaby: 01/13/15 08:56:03PM

Is this "maintenance" alright?

Dread Maintenance

Don't brush it! It's really very easy to feel with your fingers where to start separating if you just keep calm and don't get frustrated. I never kept up with separating on my last set and combed them out because of the frustration and I immediately regretted it.

If you can't easily tell where everything goes, enlist the help of a patient friend to tell you which hair should go into what dread. Then start separating from the root downwards towards the tips. It's really so much easier to get every hair that way. I always thought that ripping from the tip upwards was like a massive twist and rip and made the criss crossing hairs worse. You're inevitably going to cause some loose hair by doing it like this, but if you just keep on top of things, pretty soon the loose hair will join.

K. Moonheart said:

I'm having a problem with "webbing" as you call it! There seems to be a huge area in the back that is all webbed up, i'm not sure if i should brush that area out.

greasy feeling creamy coating on my scalp WTF?!

Dread Maintenance

I had the same problem washing with bs/acv, and nothing I did helped. My scalp always felt greasier AFTER washing than it did before. (ick!) I played with the amounts for at least 6 washes and my scalp just kept getting grosser.

I decided to give up on it and I'm back to clarifying shampoo which keeps things nice and clean. Just make sure your dreads are separated before you wash again so that the residue has a better chance of coming out.

Mildew Problem

Dread Maintenance

No problem! We like to see everyone have healthy dreads. Keep us posted!

NappyBoyMike said:

i used wax about 2 years ago a couple of times when i first started my dreads.

And i'll definitely look into that bodysplash stuff, thanks for the tips both of you, its guaranteed that im gonna try most of these things and thanks again

Mildew Problem

Dread Maintenance

Head and Shoulders has chemical conditioners in it that can definitely build up! So yes. Switch shampoos asap. I use Suave Naturals Clarifying shampoo. It works great and is usually only 90 cents a bottle. AND I live in the city of Chicago and everything is expensive here. So if it's that cheap for me, if you live in a suburb/rural area it will probably be even cheaper.

But then you also said you don't use wax 'anymore'... I'm not completely anti-wax, but there are many many many people on this forum who used it just once or twice and found it in the core of their dreads years later when they combed/cut them out. How often did you use it? It might be a smart idea to cut an inch or so off the end of a dread that's relatively hidden and dissecting it. If there's a white, gross looking core in the middle, your issue is probably wax related. Or, if you don't want to take that route, when you wash your hair, try washing it with the absolute hottest water you can stand. Some people even dip their dreads in boiling water (obviously NOT close to the scalp.). There's also a product somewhere called Body Splash that members here completely LOVE for wax removal. Check the link at the top of the site that says "wax removal" and it should give you all the info you need to know.

As long as your dreads are dry by the time you go to sleep at night, letting them air dry the rest of the way should be just fine. I'd first work on getting rid of the shampoo residue, and seeing if any of the wax removal stuff helps.

Oh! One more thing... I use a cup of white distilled vinegar in with my laundry (tip from my grandma! Grandmas always know best) and it completely cuts ANY odors. Seriously it gets rid of any smell. After washing with your new residue free shampoo, try dunking your dreads in vinegar, letting it sit for 5-10 minutes and then rinse it out. Vinegar itself doesn't smell the greatest, but once your dreads are dry you won't be able to smell it at all.

Hopefully other members chime in too and give you more opinions too! Everything should work itself out as long as you try. Good luck!

NappyBoyMike said:

I use Head and Shoulders, i wash my hair every 2 to 3 days and i use a blow dryer to dry my dreads, but for some reason using a blow dryer doesn't completely dry my hair all the time, so i just air dry the rest.....

i dont use wax at all, well......not anymore so i know thats not the problem, judging by what you said im guessing its the shampoo?
Rockerbaby said:

Uh oh! Sorry to hear that.

Everyone here is going to recommend washing with baking soda and apple cider vinegar.

But before we get to that, what HAVE you been using to wash your dreads? A lot of normal shampoos will leave residues behind that accumulate and well... mildew. Are your dreads drying COMPLETELY after you wash them? Dreads are like towels - you leave them wet and crumpled up and they grow mildew and smell.

Do you use any products on them? A lot of people have mold/mildew issues if they used wax.

If it's simply just that you consistently don't dry your dreads out right, regular washings and drying them with a blow dryer or out in the sun will fix you up.

But if it's a shampoo problem and you have residue stuck in your hair, baking soda and apple cider vinegar are your best bet. Baking soda is a natural deodorizer and cleanser and apple cider vinegar is a great natural conditioner and also had deodorizing properties as well. I'm sure someone else will chime in to give you the exact recipe for how to wash with those. Also, change your shampoo! Generally, any drugstore shampoo that says "clarifying" or "no residue" will work just fine for dreads. I know some people who also wash with dish soap since it's so good at cutting through grease and residues.

If you used wax and you think that's the issue, you're going to have to take some pretty aggressive action because if it's causing enough problems to where you have mildew, then it's probably really stuck in there. Generally I think the recommended course of action is soaking your dreads in the hottest water you can to try and melt the wax out, followed by bs/acv wash. Then repeat a million times until your dreads feel better.


So, any ideas as to what's causing the problem?

Mildew Problem

Dread Maintenance

Uh oh! Sorry to hear that. Everyone here is going to recommend washing with baking soda and apple cider vinegar.But before we get to that, what HAVE you been using to wash your dreads? A lot of normal shampoos will leave residues behind that accumulate and well... mildew. Are your dreads drying COMPLETELY after you wash them? Dreads are like towels - you leave them wet and crumpled up and they grow mildew and smell.Do you use any products on them? A lot of people have mold/mildew issues if they used wax.If it's simply just that you consistently don't dry your dreads out right, regular washings and drying them with a blow dryer or out in the sun will fix you up.But if it's a shampoo problem and you have residue stuck in your hair, baking soda and apple cider vinegar are your best bet. Baking soda is a natural deodorizer and cleanser and apple cider vinegar is a great natural conditioner and also had deodorizing properties as well. I'm sure someone else will chime in to give you the exact recipe for how to wash with those. Also, change your shampoo! Generally, any drugstore shampoo that says "clarifying" or "no residue" will work just fine for dreads. I know some people who also wash with dish soap since it's so good at cutting through grease and residues.If you used wax and you think that's the issue, you're going to have to take some pretty aggressive action because if it's causing enough problems to where you have mildew, then it's probably really stuck in there. Generally I think the recommended course of action is soaking your dreads in the hottest water you can to try and melt the wax out, followed by bs/acv wash. Then repeat a million times until your dreads feel better.So, any ideas as to what's causing the problem?

Girly opinions needed. :) Bangs/no bangs?

Dread Maintenance

I just got a new job at a pretty popular bar/grill in Chicago. I'm running into quite a few issues as I have several body mods - pierced labret/tattoos/stretched ear lobes. Also... the dreads.

The owner is a pretty conservative fellow, and I NEED this job to make rent next month, so I can't afford to be picky here. I'm already compromising by having to retire the labret piercing (they won't let me wear the clear retainer because you can still see it.) and I have to keep my tattoos covered at all times.

The owner isn't really sold on the dreads, but he said I can keep them as long as I always have them pulled back and neat. So here's my train of thought - what do you chickas think about bangs with dreads? I was thinking that if I just keep my dreads pulled back, wear a headband along the rootline and have undreaded bangs it would look a lot less dready, yeah?

Another thing I'm taking into consideration are my ear lobes. They're at 0g right now, which certainly isn't big, but it is definitely noticeable. We're only allowed to wear "small studs" in our ears. So, my initial reaction was to get some of these: http://www.bodyartforms.com/productdetails.asp?keywords=hider&button=Search&RecordDisplay=&Filter=Yes&ProductID=2706&index=5

But you can definitely still tell there's something different about your ear lobes when you wear them, and since I have to put my hair back, there's really no way of hiding it. Again, bangs with a little bit of the hair in front of my ears combed out seems like this would be a good option. Also, those silicone flesh toned hiders can be pierced through with a regular stud earring, so it looks like you have just normally pierced ears.


The whole thing makes me kind of upset and makes me feel like everywhere I go, someone is trying to "normalize" me. I really don't like bangs, but they seem to be a good option right now given the circumstances.

Do any of you here have bangs? I'm really hesitant to cut them into my hair, but I also really don't want to let my lobes shrink back down. It's taken me almost a whole year to get them where they are now, and I either have to retire them or hide them really well.

Damn you, conservative culture!

PS - Sorry that was super long/rant-y. Just looking for comfort/reassurance/opinions and suggestions.
updated by @rockerbaby: 01/13/15 08:53:08PM

kinked dreads at the roots...

Dread Maintenance

Just don't forget to separate the roots. Mine feel somewhat kinkier if they're trying to join together.

Raul Stevens said:

Thanks for the reply peoples...
I want to keep my dreads for aslong as I can, so i guess i will just have to let the dreads do what they want

Rockerbaby's rockin' dreadies

Member Journals and Timelines

Hey all! I am officially starting a thread timeline. Hooray!

I started my dreads Dec 1st, 2010 using a combination of backcombing and crochet. Personally, I think I gave my dreads a head start by creating the knots with the hook, and since I only crocheted to put them in, my dreads are now naturalizing normally. Currently the only maintenance I do is separating the roots. Also, in case anyone is curious, I have 80 dreads!!! Holy cow! I used 1" sections, but I have seriously the most hair I've ever seen anyone have.

Before: I don't have a great picture as I just deleted my Facebook (LIBERATION. DO IT.), but it was extremely thick (hair elastics only wrapped around my ponytail twice, most people wrap it 3 or 4 times, I hear.) wavy normally/curly in humidity and overall, actually very pretty.


EDIT:

2 months! Also, some really crazy loops on the back of my head.

Crazy loops!

updated by @rockerbaby: 02/05/15 10:12:49AM

Help with dying dreads

Introduce Yourself

Since your hair is so naturally light to begin with, it probably won't take too long for the red to fade out. Try using Prell Classic shampoo. It's residue free and it's also known to help strip hair dye. Red hair dye is also the fastest fading dye, so you won't be a redhead too long.

I don't know where you live, I didn't look, but if you live somewhere warm, spray lemon juice in your hair and sit under the sun for an hour or so every day until your hair lightens up to where you want it. It works really well for light hair.

Since you aren't bleaching your hair THAT much (not like going black to blonde), it really might not damage it too much, and your hair might take it well since you're naturally blonde anyway. I'm not 100% on that though, since I have super dark hair. Just be sure to rinse your hair completely. I mean completely. If you think you rinsed well enough, rinse it again. It would suck to have bleach stuck in your dreads causing all sorts of damage.