Dreadfully discouraged...help me!

Ok, here's the deal...I want to dread my hair really badly, but I am having so much trouble. First of all, my hair is layered and is not really even shoulder length yet. Anyway, I have only brushed my hair probably 2 times in about 6 months and, there are NO tangles. I use a residue free shampoo as well, and I do not condition my hair. Anyway, I tried backcombing a bit of my hair and after about 30 min on ONE dread, it kinda knotted up, but it acutally looked like straight hair just sectioned off ( maybe like if you put gel in it all the way to the tips and separated it from the rest). Anyway, I left it and after 3 days, it was gone completly. No tangles, like it wasn't even there.
Now I know that there is a lot of DreadheadHQ bashing, and I don't agree with everything they do, but I used to work there, and I know about dreads. I know that with some products, I could FORCE them to dread, but I don't want to do that. It's not that I don't know how to backcomb, because I have dreaded someone's hair before. What could the problem be, and how can I fix it??
Not to mention, I have NO ONE to help me dread, and I really can't reach some places in my hair good enough to backcomb well.

 

Everyone's hair will lock up naturally...some just longer than others.

Make sure your hair is really clean...not oily. Oil makes the knots slip out...this means no dready action.

I guess unless I saw your hair, I would know what else to tell you.

 

wool rub a bit to jump start it

 

yea wool rubbing will help it, also the longer it gets the better it will tangle.

another thing to do is wrap your hair in large hair wraps and they will dread at the root then when the roots are about an inch maybe then take out the wraps and tangle the bottom bits a bit.

 

i had very difficult hair to lock. first off - let it grow longer. that is major.
next, procure some dr.bronners hemp bar soap. it'll dry the hell outta your hair and give it no choice but to tangle up.
third - to lock it: take the piece you'd like to lock, twist it up, split the ends in two, and pull. do this repeatedly for each lock. at the end and/or beginning, put the littlest, hardest to see (so it won't look too geeky) rubberbands. keep the bands in for about two weeks.
wash with dr.bronners soap apx. 2-3 times a week.
also can put sea salt in your hair. the trick is, you don't want your scalp to get so dry, it being winter and all.
all that said, preform 'topsy tail' at the roots of your locks if they're getting undone (if there's no rubberband there) by doing topsy tail, you split the hair into two (slightly) and take the bottom of the lock and bring it through the top.
i promise you, if you follow these directions, your hair will lock.
like i said, my hair was not lock stylie when i began. but i did all that stuff and now it's fully there. you can see my picture on the 'hi' thread.
i'd say, for sure, the trick is allowing your hair to grow a bit longer.

 

I have the same kind of hair. I dye my hair a lot, though, so it's sorta fried. I cut my dreads off about a month ago, and I'm starting them again, except pretty much naturally... I just tease my hair a lot (ironically, I use dreadhead wax to style it) and sometimes rub it with a sweater. I'm starting to get dreadies already.

Now if I can just get my friend to stop sitting on me and combing them out. -_-

 

You poor thing! <img>

1. Dying your hair might help, but that might not be okay for you, depending on how you define "natural."
2. Have you tried knottyboy brand shampoo? It's better than regular soap because it has no moisturizers whatsoever. Residue-free shampoo that you get at the drugstore is still gonna have moisturizers in it. Stop using it.
3. Seasalt and lemon juice will work, but make sure that you dilute it!!! It can really mess up your scalp if it's too strong.
4. Wait and be patient. No more brushing. Wear a winter type hat all the time. I had a friend who wore a hat all winter (we have long winters in VT) and in 5 months she had perfect dreads. If you are trying to do the neglect method (which is what this girl did with her straight hair and I did, but I have curly hair), you are going to have to wait.

But don't despair. It will come together in time!

hilary

 

Hi:
why do you think a hat might help? can you tell me more please!? I thought a hat will crook the dreads?

Aslo, what did you mean by winter hat? do you mean "Tam"? I find it difficult to wear a normal hat as my dread makes the head bigger.