Okay, so I want a definitive answer on how to get dreadlocks.

I see a lot of arguing about what to use and what not to. I know not to use wax, but some say not to back comb. I don't see how just leaving it will dread well, unless i did seperate it and use elastic bands.
So is it as simple as not combing, and seperating? If you wash your hair, how do you get it clean without unknotting it, as you have to massage it in afterall.

 

Well, personally, I did back comb. I did it once to start them off, then left them to their own devices. It's kind of like giving dreads a head start, and I see no problems with it. Others will vehemently disagree and say that back combing is terrible for your hair, but I don't think doing it once will kill dreads.

If you don't back comb, the process will take longer. It'll take longer for you to get "results", but they'll be purely natural which is definitely something to brag about. You just have to have patience.

And I scrub my scalp (sometimes with a washcloth) when I was my hair, and only once did I use the washcloth to wash the actual dreads. As I rinse the soap (Dr. Bronners) out of my hair, it trickles down through my dreads which I generally find sufficient. I also find that washing them makes them lock up more once they're dried, so I wouldn't be worried about them falling apart in the shower. Just don't wash too often.

 

shit, i was suppose to ask this but no one could have said it better more than you. please do answer it folks out here.

 

yes.

 

my back combing fell out within a week or 2, and a lot of other people on here have said the same thing. I think when you BC you kind of make a pile of 90% broken hair held together with 10% knots, which promptly falls apart, but that's just my personal theory.

If I could start again I would probably do the neglect method, they way my hair used to matt I would have had something to tear apart after about 2 days of not combing.

 

after you wash your haitr wuthout conditioning u get knots every time then comb them out creatting split ends needing trimmiung

backcombing is much more painfull and agresssive and ive heard of lots of haIRS PULLED OUT AT THE ROOTS EVEN

GOING NATURAL U DONT CREATE OR REMOVE KNOTS THEY JUST HAPPEN SO DOES SECTIONING
SECYIONS MAY TRY DEVOURING REACHOTHER SO SEPERATE SECYIONS OCCASSUIBALY AS NEEDED
YIME PASSES DREADS FORM PAINLESSLY AND VERY HEALTHFULLY

OCCASSSIOBAL DIPS IN THE OCEAN HELP TOO

THINK HOW MANY KNOTS U COMBED OUT THE PAST 6 MONTHS ANDHOW MANY MORE U MIGHT HAVE GHAD TO IF U DIDNT COAT YOUR HAIOR WITH RESIDUES LIKE CONDITIONERS.. THEN MULTIPLY BY A THOUSAND ONCE THEY BEGIN TO FORM THE KNOTYYS MULTILPY EXPONENTIUALY TILL THEYREE LITERALY LOCKED IN


SOMEONE SHOULD DO A TIME LAPSED VID OF 1 SINGLE DREAD FORMING NATURALY i bet its a beautufuly organic process

 

My advice would be to read and read and read and do it anywhere/everywhere people discuss dreadlocks. We all have different opinions and I think you have to decide for yourself what is best for you and your hair.

I did not backcomb. My hair texture is such that it knots very easily and I have spent most of my life putting in great effort to keep it from dreadlocks. I started shampooing with things that would not leave a residue, that would not condition and I was immediately in business. Other people have a slower going time with this method and for that and other reasons choose to backcomb or other methods.

Shampooing does not loosen my knots but makes them tighter.

 

does it really kawa? well, im very new with my journey but everytime i wash it with residue-rich-shampoos(common shampoos), my hair gets so untangled it feels like starting over again. haha. i think it may have to really mature before safely using one(though i stopped now).

 

Hey springheeleddah I have exactly the same problem as you man!!

 

a "regular" shampoo that i like a lot that doesn't unknot my hairs is avalon organics peppermint. it leaves it squeaky clean (literally) and makes my knots tighter, because it kinda dries my hair out.

 

Thanks NTH, I may look into that myself. Dr B's must not be right for me I guess.

 

I've kinda teased my hair up at parts, but I've been on this for like only a month and a half and I allready have 5 dreadlocks starting to felt.
And my hair is only four inches long, medium length is just above my ears.

 

I am glad you posted this thread. I was going to before I found it.

I am starting my journey of natural dreads. My hair comes right below the topes of my ears and some to the bottom of them. I haven't combed my hair for 4 days, only washed it with Kirks natural bar soap & wear tams when I go out during the day. The only results I have gotten is constent bedhead. i know it takes a while going the natural route, but ou think it is going right so far?

 

yea just u wont see a whole lotta results in 4 days

 

I notice people say to not use a residue shampoo. Would washing your dreads with a shower gel (One that isn't designed for hair) be fine, or is this a case of having to buy totally organic shampoo's?

 

I wondered the same at first, backcomb or not is a preference really, same result at the end (maybe you'll learn more with natural at first)

Wash like normal the couple first time and shake your hair too much when drying with the towel and dont run your finger trought your hair when washing, knots start to form and you still do the same, dont shake and run throught the hair and just wash like you feel like is alright so the knots stays there, with time you'll get comfortable when washing and you'll know exactly what to do (1 month or so) good luck! dont ask too many questions about it its the only things you gotta do, waiting.

 

Haha, I think there are quite a few of us walking around this world with some serious bed head just waiting for the knots to really take shape, me included! I personally would not like to get several months on in my dread journey and find absolutely nothing goin on, that would really suck. I'm good to wait it out though.

 

is it possible to wash your hair too often?

 

Sorry if im asking too many questions, i just like to be sure as so many websites state use of wax, and that's it. I really want to find the natural way and peoples own discoveries, rather than chucking wax in my hair, then having to scald it out a month later.

 

you've come to the right place mate, this is real people and real experiences. Dont give into consumerism