# Dreadlocks, have 'em? Want 'em? The full chat here.



## Saber_777 (Feb 7, 2012)

I know that I want them, I am not to particular about the method on getting them. Although I would much rather the neglect style. Wax or dreads I need something that has durability. I'm going to start working soon, March 15 is breaking the water. Going to work at a whitewater outfitters as a raft guide. So I need something that can take water and movement. Plus I need something that is easily maintained. So any ideas. I have read all the dreadthreads on here. 


Anyone have dreads on here? 

Plus my dandruff gets bad at times. So idk what to do there.


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## DrakkarTyrannis (Feb 10, 2012)

You should go to a place that does natural hair and let them tell you. As someone with dreads..I'll tell you that you don't really want to get "freedom" locks as they are pretty nasty. By just not touching or washing your hair, it'll lock without any real form. You could just get one massive dread


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## HOKENSTYFE (Feb 10, 2012)

Welcome to the Dread Side, young Skywalker! Most of this depends on your type of hair. If you have more fair type hair, it will be a daily maintenance, considering your job. If you have more of a kinky type of hair, the maintenance would be less. Ok out of the way.

Having fairer hair, the idea is to keep water out & use a monthly or 6 week conditioner massage in cycle. There are certain Afro-herbal conditioners that once get massaged in, feed the scalp and keeps it healthy and promote growth. The need is only 4-6 weeks, as for not washing your hair, more often application of said conditioner, builds then flakes like dandruff. 

I have dreads, dreads for 8 years. I did not cut my hair 6 years before that. I haven't washed my hair since I got my dreads. They are maintenance with certain conditioners every month, small black rubber bands to keep growth from looking unkept & covered when sleep, as to not to unravel any dreads.

8 years not washing, wat! Yeah. I got my dreads started by my Caribbean girl that put me on to maintaining the condition, as well as the pride she has in her work. One type of conditioner is called 'Loc Butter', smells good & keeps dreads tight. I asked her about beez wax, she directed me away from it. She suggested it was too thick & the build up would cause more problems then it was worth.

Now you have a job that water is an issue. Water is going to contribute to a very frustrating experience with your dreads. But maybe you like the free dread style. Me...I am way too vain! My dreads are about the width of a ring finger, perhaps a few cm smaller. From the top of my head to an inch past my waist. Maybe 3 1/2 feet? I followed my girl Lisa & for the past 8 years I am constantly complimented by their beauty! 

Good Luck!


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## HOKENSTYFE (Feb 10, 2012)

.double post.


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## Jontain (Feb 10, 2012)

I had em for 2 years through college until I was visiting dad in Bahrain and could'nt take the heat so out came the shaver, lol.

I found the best way to put them in was to section off your hair into 3cm - 5 cm squares depending on the thickness you want, then using a metal comb, dread wax and a crochet needle (needle with a hook on the end) backcomb and tangle those buggers until your done (this does take a while to complete and is something you will need a hand to do, your head will hurt by the end too). 

The dreads will start off quite big a puffy but will tighten after a while of having them in, when I started mine I used wax for the first few weeks until they had bedded in then only occasionally used it to make repairs etc.

In regards to cleaning them alot of people will presume if you have dreads you never wash your hair but this is usually bs, there is no reason you can't wash them (infact because they act like a sponge its quite easy) but you just have to be sure to wash them with the right shampoo. It HAS something without any conditioner or adatives in, a natural soap works well or there are some dreadlock shampoos out there too and will keep your dreads tight and clean, but if you use anything with conditioner etc in they will start to come apart.

As a side note the curlier your hair the easier this is to achieve, my hair is quite wavey so it did take some work to get the roots of the dreads neat but this is were the crochet needle was really useful.

Hope that helps


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## highlordmugfug (Feb 13, 2012)

DrakkarTyrannis said:


> You should go to a place that does natural hair and let them tell you. As someone with dreads..I'll tell you that you don't really want to get "freedom" locks as they are pretty nasty. By just not touching or washing your hair, it'll lock without any real form. You could just get one massive dread


I've let my hair dread all neglect once, and right now I have dreads forming that I started using twist and rip and then left alone apart from some separating.

When I did full neglect (just washing my hair and never combing) they actually turned out really good and were all fairly uniform in size and well separated. Now, I have a lot less, and a lot of them have formed together and they seem to want to eat each other a lot more  So, personally, full neglect worked "better" if more uniform and smaller dreads are what you want, I really like my big ones as well so for me, since this method worked a little quicker (2 years and I still had a lot forming with full neglect and it's been less than a year and I have them all formed but still tightening and sucking in loose hairs) I like it a little bit more.


As for what Drakkar said, it all comes down to personal preference if you want to go neglect or not, but yes they could turn out pretty wild so that's just something to be aware of. And you'll only have one huge dread if you COMPLETELY ignore them (aka, if that's what you're going for anyway), if you separate them from time to time then you'll be fine.


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## ZXIIIT (Feb 13, 2012)

Ever since I saw KoRn, I liked the idea of clean looking dreads, I had mine done by a black chick (pretty awesome too)
She said they would be braidlocks, which would turn into dreads in time, I just had to keep twisting them and not combing them. 

(First show with them later that day)






After a few weeks, they were pretty cool but messy looking, I started applying the wax, and it was the worst decision ever. The wax makes them sticky, when it's hot they drip and the wax-y smell is pretty annoying.

(what they looked like after a few weeks of natural-ness)





So I was not happy with how they looked and felt, after a while, I had began using liquid latex face paint (like what Mushroomhead uses) and decided to put it on my dreads...not only did it clean them up, but it gave them an awesome Predator style look, the latex would come off a tiny bit, so small touch ups were needed (especially after long, hot showers...) still, it was awesome having them and I can't wait to do it again.

(Predator style dreads)


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## highlordmugfug (Feb 18, 2012)

Bumping for more dreadheads to post and for a response from the OP.


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## Saber_777 (Mar 1, 2012)

Hoken, the info was good, same to all you guys. 
Apparently I wasn't subscribed to this thread, even though I was the OP. 

Hoken, did you get any bad dander associated with not showering? DOES ANYONE KNOW A TREATMENT FOR DANDRUFF THATS NOT A SHAMPOO. Aside from vinegar in my hair. 

I dont believe I will be working around the water anymore. Somethings arose between me and another worker there and he is a vett for a while, and I dont want to deal with it. So I am jobless. 

But my hair all depends on how recently it was washed. I never shower in the moring usually right before I go to sleep. So in the morning most of my hair is dry, but it stays somewhat wavy with some cuurls. Mostly on the under part of my hair. 

Zombie, dreads look great man. 

I'd post some more well thought out replies. But I have to leave right now. 

I will try and post my questions later.




Everyone please post pics!


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## Razzy (May 31, 2012)

Bumping this thread as I've decided to do dreadlocks again. I did the "braidlocks" method when I was still living in California and my hair was much shorter, but I'm going the full neglect route this time around. I've been working on it for about a month and a half and have taken care to separate my hair so that they're coming out relatively uniform in size. I did have a beaver tail form at the back I had to untangle before it was too late, but so far everything is going according to plan, and my hair is already separating itself.


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## highlordmugfug (May 31, 2012)

^Neglect is what I did the first time, loved them, I TnR'd the ones I have now to get them started, but they have changed so much since then from growing into each other and growing apart of the original ones.


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## highlordmugfug (May 31, 2012)

Mine are going on a year now (TnR then neglect) and they're all pretty well formed, but the tips of a lot of them are still not tied in and are kind of 'poofy'.


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## penguin_316 (Jun 4, 2012)

As someone who had dreads for 8 years, nice big bongo sized dreads similar to Munky from Korn...I can give you some advice.

Messy, shitty, unkept dreads are disgusting. I kept mine clean as hell and had my hair sectioned off in braids for 2 weeks b4 the actual "dreading" process. This will build volume for your hair but also give you a bit of insight as to how the dreads will feel. Assuming your hair is long enough to stretch past you lips or to your chin, you ready to start dreading, if not i suggest getting it this long at minimum and (twice roughly?) longer if your hair is naturally straight.

Step 1: Supplies. Beeswax, hairdryer, metal comb, paper towels, and small rubber bands.

Step 2: Doing each dread properly will take about 20-30 mins at least. Take the hair out of the braid and back comb the sectioned hair while twisting it. Repeat until you literally can't move the comb through the hair anymore. The better you tangle the hair now, the sooner they will naturally dread and you can stop the nasty beeswax.

Step 3: Add the wax to the dread from root to tip...use a hairdryer to melt it in and then use a paper towel to wipe off excess wax from the outside of the dread. Your going to want to sleep with a pillow cover and try not to sleep "on" your dreads while they form...makes em flat and shitty looking.

Step 4: Wax your dreads once every one or two weeks for 3 months or so, if you see flyaway hairs wax em in when needed. I pretty much stopped waxing entirely after 4 months.

Step 5: Anytime you notice new growth at the roots, get on it with the metal comb and the "circle" method. The circle method involves grabbing the dread with you fingertips and rubbing the root of it against your scalp gently. You need to get used to doing this as it keeps em tight and nice looking.

Cleaning them: wear womens' pantyhose on your head the first 6 months or so when washing them. Use surgical antimicrobial soap, the clear stuff. This helps tighten them without introducing any conditioners or fragrances as they will tend to make the dreads slip as they are forming.

Starting out you should try to go a fews days between washing...eventually you will be able to space these out to 1-2 week range (I know it sounds nasty but believe me, your hairs natural oil prevents odor. People don't understand that because they wash that oil out of their hair every day).

There is alot more but I think this wall of text will get you started.


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## Saber_777 (Jun 4, 2012)

All talk, no pics. 

I too know the feeling of a beaver tail.... 

Thank you for the info Penguin!


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## penguin_316 (Jun 4, 2012)

Unfortunately, I could only find pics of right before I cut them. I did have them to below my shoulder blades at points, but that shit is seriously heavy.


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## penguin_316 (Jun 4, 2012)

Oh and as far as dandruff and such, when you wash your dreads your main goal is to clean the scalp, not the dreads really. After u wash them, its' gonna take a good 4 hours to air dry so plan for it. 

I think i tried all kinds of crazy stuff for dandruff/ichyness, but in the end, head and shoulders does the trick. You don't want to use this as ur main shampoo though as it has fragrances and stuff in it....

As far as work goes, once u get into the ponytail range most places don't mind if you have em and they are clean. Before that, u may be boned lol.


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## the hittmann (Jun 5, 2012)

Dreads look so sick, but i doubt i could pull it off.


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## Saber_777 (Jun 14, 2012)

penguin_316 said:


> Oh and as far as dandruff and such, when you wash your dreads your main goal is to clean the scalp, not the dreads really. After u wash them, its' gonna take a good 4 hours to air dry so plan for it.
> 
> I think i tried all kinds of crazy stuff for dandruff/ichyness, but in the end, head and shoulders does the trick. You don't want to use this as ur main shampoo though as it has fragrances and stuff in it....
> 
> As far as work goes, once u get into the ponytail range most places don't mind if you have em and they are clean. Before that, u may be boned lol.


 
No shit, I would use that non stop and Selsum blue every times. I finally after years of fighting dandruff found something called Pirhana-X, try it out guys. No dreads yet.


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## jymellis (Jun 15, 2012)

i had them for about 6 months in 1998.


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