10 most common dreadlocks mistakes

the most common mistakes made when starting or maintaining dreadlocks can be easily avoided by being aware of the mistakes made by others.

1. expecting dreadlocks in a day! too often a lack of patience leads to heartbreak, when the would be dreadhead chooses a quick easy way as promised by salons or product pushers to get dreads in a day. there is no way to dread in a day unless you have that very rare hair that will dread overnight. quick start methods like dread perms cause a permanent change in the hairs structure, other methods like crocheting dreadlocks promise an instant dreadlock look however the hairs more woven then dreaded, and so tight and damaged that it takes 6 months after the 1st use to begin to dread right, unfortunately most who crochet end up using it over and over to fix the broken hairs thats caused by the crochet so they remain woven not dreaded for years or forever.
2. falling for products. there are many product companies selling products for dreads , however almost none are worthwhile wax for instance is extremely bad for dreads dread wax never belongs in dreads! on the other hand products made for african type dreads are semi nesacary, for moisture only! however there are healthier better options then those specificaly sold for dreads.
3. falling for the "professional" or "if its expensive its got to be better" the term "loctician" is a made up term combining lock and technician. however locks are tangled hair that happen all on their own nothing technical about it. however the term mystifies the process making you believe you need a professional with a degree in tanglology (yes i can make up words too) all your life your hair has tangled after every shower, why would you pay thousands to do what it does by itself? (thousands based on several hundred 1st "installation" (more mystifying technical terms) then 50-150 every week or 2 for maintenance and retightening)
4. letting others tell you what neat and tidy means. salons and sometimes peers pressure you into thinking your dreads must look like some celebrity or other over worked damaged dreads to fit in and be employable often this "tidy look" is defined as super tight no loose hairs at the scalp huge areas of exposed scalp no frizz. a look only obtainable by either waxing or twisting till yur going bald.. define your own tidy look let it be a neat styled updo or just clean wax free flowing not stiff..in other words..healthy
5. wanting dreads like______ (insert rock idol or celeb) and being discouraged when your dreads look like...your dreads.. every dread should be unique..your own trying to get dreads like someone else will lead to hating your own
6. using rubber bands for months, rubber bands or elastics should always be removed within a day after beginning the dreading process, rubber bands can easily be swallowed to dry rot inside the dread. they can melt into a sticky mess, and even after 2 days can unknot knots when being removed. if left in long term they can cause an indentation and a weak spot even if they don't disappear inside the dread.
7. not washing for long periods. dreads love to be washed and kept clean. even early on its helpful to wash 1-3 times a week. if you are ever told not to wash for months..laugh.. the person telling you that knows nothing about dreads (and its funny most locticians tell you not to wash for even up to a year!)
8. taking neglect literaly and not washing or separating , if you dont seperate they combine thats fine till they get thicker then your arm..or leg..or waist..
9. believing dreads have to be sticky. even today as most people know to avoid wax many still think dreads need to be sticky so look to wax alternatives like honey eggs glue even. sticky dreads have the same problems as waxy dreads but with the added issues of attracting flies bees and ..bears
10. believing that dreads need constant work and dont dread o their own. especially at the roots . many believe the roots need constant touch up work and every loose hair needs to be "fixed" this is not true roots dread by themselves and loose hairs will fix themselves.