i've started my dreads. they're only barely over a week old, so they're still babies... and needless to say they're super messy. i put in LOTS of rubber bands to keep some of the bigger, insane ones reason why i put lots is 'cause i wanted it to look prettiful so i put a rubber band every inch or so.. ^_^;; the rubber bands are pretty loose.. so i figured it wouldn't be a very big problem? i like having them in because it tidys up my treads and keeps them together better and i like how it looks......... i keep hearing bad things about it though... on a side note, my head is getting insanely dry and dandruffy. it doesn't itch much but apparently it looks gross. i wash my hair every other day... i use. dr. bronner's pepper mint... btw how do you guys use that stuff? i dunno if i'm doing it right.. lol... what i do is i squirt once into a bowl-thingie and then i dilute it enough to make a small puddle then i take it and rub it into my scalp then i dilute it some more using that same soap and soak my head and i dilute more and soak more and repeat until it's diluted a lot then i just do a final rinse and i'm done...... i dunno i feel messier and messier every day and i wouldn't normally but some people around me tell me it's disgusting.. thanks in advance...
Bands aren't all bad, for the first month or so they'll stop your backcombing from falling out and will keep your dreads together more. I wouldn't leave them in any longer than a month, they have been known to disolve in your hair and turn into a disgusting goop. Dr Bronners will dry your scalp out, you need to dilute it heavily with water. Also, your scalp will eventually balance out and become accustomed to your new washing cycle. Might wanna try a medicated shampoo too, T-Gel is pretty good for that sorta thing. Hope that helps! Mal
Get the rubberbands out of your hair ASAP. They just stop your dreads from locking. Backcombing falls out regardless. You're not going to have tidy, neat dreads. Thats not what dreads are. Dreads are the MESSIEST type of hair you can possibly have, by deffinition, at least until they are a few years old. And most of the time even then.
its not going to hurt your hair to have bands in for awhile (similar principle to beads and wraps, no?), but i wouldnt leave them in for more than a month because you dont want them to liquify or be consumed by your hair (to later liquify). really, they arnt necessary. and make sure to get every one out. for the soap, just put a tablespoon in a drink or shampoo bottle and fill the rest up with water (adjust this depending on how your scalp handles it and how effective it is) and use it like normal shampoo. pour it on and rub it around btw your roots and rinse a lot. i often wash mine twice to get them nice and clean. it sounds like your scalp problems are just from the bronners being too strong, coupled with your scalp adjusting to a totaly different regimen.
damn i didnt know you were supposed to dilute it that much, i ended finding a bottle of that stuff like 6 months ago in my house and used it all and never diluted it even tho the bottle told me to and i ended up being fine but i also didnt have dreads i was just not combing my hair
Drew, it really depends. I've used undiluted Bronners a few times with no problems, but I dilute just to make it last longer. It depends on what your scalp can put up with.
my hair got really dandruffy. i think it just comes with the dreads. try using dandruff shanpoo for a couple days and see if that works. bands are good cuz after a while they will just get coverd by hair so hyou wont even see them and they will keep your dreads neat.
Everyone about covered it, but about feeling messy because people think you are, don't listen to people. Stay strong in the journey. It's been about a month and a few weeks for me, maybe 2 months actually. my hair is dreading in the back and sides, but not parts of the underside yet. People stare at me, look at me funny, talk about me, ask me questions, but I just laugh at them. You'll learn to love it, you have started your journey, don't look back. Best of luck!
