to start becoming insanely impatient? the last time I have dreads, I staretd them with long hair, past my shoulderblades... I cut them off and have had since then short hair. I've been growing it out again since christmas, it was less than 1 cm at that time, it's come to 8-10 cm, an average of 3,5 inches. I've read all over that if you backcomb and use wax, which I refuse, you can start with 3 inches yeah? and I've heard a lot of people start natural dreads with 2 inches. I am going all natural which I hoped would help me become more patient but I'm starting to go mad for the suspense you know? I've been feeling tiny little knots in my hairs for months but they only rarely stay. I wash my hair with dr bronners bar soap every three or four days... is that often enough or too much? annnd... well, any suggestions or advice? or am I just needing to wait some more? peace
I think you need to wait, I started mine all natural just washing my hair with residue less shampoo / soap and my hair was at less then 3 inches, I'm about at about 2 and a half week in and some of my hair knot, some dont, and the knot fall off in general but I think it just need time, locks are long to form. I use sea salt spray and lemon on my hair, and wearing a tam or something helps too, but I don't have one now. Time is the key
Time is of the essence, time is one of the biggest recipes in acquiring dreadlocks. It's a good thing you're starting to use residue free shampoo from now. Sea salt as ShortyAH recommended will help, I'm using it and from what I noticed it keeps your hair dryer and less greasy making it easier to knot up.
mine started at just a couple inches too akll what they said is true and play around with it a lil too but be patient it will dread as it grows since its so short wrappin the ends in wool or adding beads will surely help and yea wearrin a wool hat alot too
gotta say one thing about dreads... they teach you patience. don't worry, i'm going nuts too. we should start a dread support group, heh. keep our crazy runaway dread desires at bay. make yourself a tam! or i know several people here make them... i do and so do a lot of the ladies on the arts/crafts forum... i make myself wool hats and then use them to massage my head all day. that's more natural for me than rubbing it with a piece of wool fabric or something.
thanks for the advice I know I know I know dreads take time... a lifetime really. I know and it doesn't make it easier for me knowing that. Rarr. Well I've made a wool hat out of old socks (but clean) that I've been wearing for months and I sleep every night with a wool scarf, and the back of my head is tangly and sort of sectioned... I'll try it with sea salt the next. I'd try beads but I think they wouldn't stay put... also I wanted to ask, as I had dreads last time my hairs were very coarse and sort of wiry. As I cut them off, they grow back very fine... still loads of hair, but fine almost like a baby. Or like... I dunno an undercoat on a sheep or something. Is that unusual, is that the effect of cutitng of the hairs completely? peace
Your hair is supposed to go through changes every 7 years. So yes it is possible for your hair to come back curly, darker, straighter, thinner, thicker... etc. So yeah it is normal. As for me. I shaved my head in.. late november or early december. Somewhere around there. I havn't touched a brush to my head once since then. Yes i have virgin hair... haha. Although i did end up washing it with a regular shampoo at one point by mistake.. but that was some months ago. since then just been using dread hq shampoo which i dont like and i have recently switched strictly to bronners every few days. If your hair is anything like mine, (pretty thick wavy hair) then it probably wont really start knotting real good untill your at a good 4 inches. im probably at about 4-6 at this point and i just kinda play around with it daily... twistin up and playing around making dreads out of boredom.. and just letting em do there thing (they always fall out within a few days.) I don't really have any full dreads yet.. but i feel em coming. Good luck.
I know how you feel my first orginal set was w/ long hair and now my hair was about just getting to my collar bone then when I backcombed it shrunk! But its really starting to grow now and its still a learning process to wait cause I want long dreads now!! But alas must be pattient they say good things come to those who wait:}
I hear ya there, brother. I'm 3.5" also and goin' natural and its frustrating me to no end. I think the only thing this experience is teaching me about patience is the fact that I hate it! haha
Frustration is key i suppose. AHH i just washed again and my hair came all loose. I'm on vacation up in lake tahoe and the weather has seemed to make my hair knot up really nicely and all of the sudden i was hit by a wave of hope joy that my hair was coming along so nicely all of the sudden. then BOOM. bronners knocked me out again and it feels like im going from scratch again. except a few parts of my hair are still matted... idk what ever. the greatest words of wisdom for dreads :time is key -soaring eagle.
