A Couple Of Dreadlock Questions

1. How would you guys recommend I go about talking my parents into letting me get dreadlocks. They don't really get the point that I'm getting dreadlocks because I really like them, and also to be different. They think I'm doing it just to go against their wishes. It's really hard to convince them otherwise, cause they're both quite stubborn people. Neither are very supportive of the hippie culture, (despite the fact that they're also completely uninformed), and basically they dislike everything about it. Any ideas would be appreciated. (By the way, I'm 15, so I don't really have the do it anyways option)

2. Is it even possible for my hair to get dread locks in the current state? I have a bit of a bowl cut. My bangs right now are about down past my eyebrows. Am I going to have to let my hair grow out completely in order for it to be dreadable?

3. I've recently started looking in to some of the kits offered at DreadHeadHQ. The founder does a Video Blog thing on youtube, where he speaks about dreads. He himself has really nice dreads, and he seems to know what he's talking about. His videos are available at http://youtube.com/user/KnottyJonnyClean. The official site is http://dreadheadhq.com. If anyone knows anything about it, or has even ordered from DreadHeadHQ, could you let me know how things worked out.

4. If I just decide to try and let my hair dread naturally, about how long will it take for the hair to start showing signs that it's dreading? And also, I don't have any residue-free shampoo, and I don't think I can probably get any. How would you recommend I wash my hair?

5. I have a haircut which makes my hair so that my bangs are longer (about eyebrow length) and the back and side of my hair is fairly short (about an inch and a half or so). I was just curious, does all of my hair have to be like 4 or more inches in order for it to start dreading, or should I expect at least my bangs to start the process. (I haven't been combing at all).

6. My mom bought me a 24 ounce bottle of Dr. Bronners Shikaki Castile soap, along with an 8 ounce bottle of Dr. Bronners conditioner. I have been using the conditioner along with the soap on my hair quite frequently. I was wondering, is using the conditioner going to affect my hair as far as dreading goes?

Thanks ahead of time,
~Seth

 

i'd get a wooly hat and wear it all the time and rinse water through my hair for a while instead of washing. and don't brush. and try to find some mr. bronner's soap, because it's important that you keep your hair clean. try a whole foods or something.

as for dreadhead, i would stay away from it. the only thing i found useful from it is the "lockin accelorator" which is really just sea salt spray.

 

1] I don't know if I can answer allllll of your questions, but about the parents, I would say you start leaving little signs about really liking them around the house -- as well as things that show why they aren't so bad! You know, just for an inconspicuous kind of deal. But you can also be outright and tell them why they're not bad, and show them pictures of dreadlocks. Let them know how much you care about them. And if it helps tell them "It's just hair".

2] I think that you can, I'm pretty sure people have started their dreads at about 2 inches.

3] I started my first set with DreadHeadHQ and used sticky wax and stuff, and the second time around I went with no product except occasional salt&lemon mixes, which seems to be working very nicely so far! Of course the metal comb was very handy.

4] A very long time. VERY long. You just need the patience and have to really want it. It'll be messy. ^_^ I know some people wash with just water. I do mostly, but occasionally I use just whatever shampoo is in the shower and make sure I rinse really well.


How about that, I had an answer for it all.

 

Ha. Thanks, and I guess you did make it all the way through. Good work

Now, a couple questions about your answers,

3. So you wouldn't really recommend any of the stuff from Dreadhead? Other then the comb.

4. By a very long time, do you think you could give me like a time frame, such as 4-5 months or whatever?

Thanks for all the help,
Seth

 

The natural process of dreads locking take about a year to a year and a half. About that... I'm at a month and a half and I just got knoty hair I still got to wait for a year to get good dreads.

 

natural you may or may not seee your 1st dreads within 3 weeks to 3 months depending on your hair..humblebee i think hers locckeed up when she went out in the woods drunk a few weeks. ive seen others get 3 or 4 dreads in the 1st couple weeks while they were trying to find someone to help backcomb..
ofcourse some might take alot longer..months or a year till they start showimng well formed dreads
the natural process is alittle harder to predict

dreadheadhq i would avoiud everything there..the shampoo is probly harmless but u could do without it..theyre techniques they sell are 90% a waste of time and effort..most of theyre products are harmful..wax especialy is evil, the lock peppa is just gross and will just make for flaky dreads
you can blow 40$ for a kit and the only useful thing in iyt would be the comb which a pet store wpuld sell for under 3$

but..think about this, backcombing is applying a unnatural means to get a natural style..spiritualy dreads came from religios texts that commanded no metal wether scissors or comb should touch your hair, so right off the bat your going against at least part of tyhe purpose of dreading..
im not trying to sell ya on going natural as aposed to backcombinmg just giving you a lil info to make informed choices

if your set on forcing the start, perhaps the twist and rip methids a good compromise
as for length..mine started at just a couple inches, longer hair may lock quicker though if u go natural..
but if u go natural, theres no reason to not start right away and let it grow in as it locks
ive seen babies go natural from birth and the dreads form in really short ultra fine hair in just months
you should get a wool hat wear it alot and just be patient

as for parents

dreadlocks are the natural state of all hair, combing trimming brushing and cutting hair all dammage hair and require constant maintanance everytime the wind blows which means constantly dammaging hair
as a parent you may feel others may look down upon you as a bad parent or something for having a child with dreads, but the reality is by most people people with dreads are looked up to, not down upon as spiritual caring individuals and are treatted with great respect
more and more dreads are becomming accepted in mainstream society doctors police officers teachers you name it are finding acceptence with dreads in theyre chosen fields
as a parent initialy u may feel a lil embarrassment being seen in public with a son with dreads but that quickly fades when everywhere you go your bombarded with compliments
lastly, this is something i feel very strongly about, and feel its right for me and i wont feel like myself without it

(throw in a promice to raise your grades alittle or somethuing and bet ya they cave)

 

Ok. You are officially brilliant . I make the all B's or higher agreement with them. They're suckers for grades, so that may just work. Probably not though. They aren't very accepting of difference. It's worth a try though. I'd prefer going natural over backcombing.
Yeah, I'm just letting my hair do what it wants right now. We don't have any Bronners shampoo, but I asked my mom if she could pick me up some. She said she has some Suave crap or something. It says on the back it removes residue from the hair. Something tells me it's just gonna leave more. I'd love to just continue washing my hair with only water until I get some Bronners, but it's getting really oily. And I guess I'll steer away from the DreadHead kit. I'm thinking you guys know what you're talking about, judging from the sheer awesomeness that is your dreads.
I'm currently in the process of finding the verses that talk about how no metal should touch your hair. If anyone could let me know there location, I'd appreciate it.
Anyways, thanks for all the help everyone. And thanks for the brilliant idea SoaringEagle. Not sure why I didn't think of it. I try and bargain with them on about everything else.

 

About the verses, I would say check around here, Revelation 5:5, Ezekiel 28:25. Look up Rastafari culture and history - that's where I saw this. I think that it should have something about never cutting your hair, because I think that's why in the religion they always have long long dreadlocks. But I don't have a Bible to check. Hope that helped.

And I guess you got those questions answered pretty well. Good luck with the bribary. ^_^

 

Yup. I got the answers for the most part. Now, like you said, unto the bribery. And thanks for the luck, I'll most likely be needing it. And also, thanks for the information on the verses. I appreciate it.

 

Another question, could anyone let me know what signs I should look for that my hair is beginning to dread?

 

You will just know man, it will be obvious. First it usually sections itself off into the right size. Then it will actually start knotting up slowly. it's fun to watch it change slowly, day by day. The less you think about your hair, the faster time will go by.

 

hmm.. id skip those verse if i were you, its IN THE old testament man. haha. anyway,thats all cool verse all in all. haha.


it would probably form once the hair is all matte which protrudes in everyother ways. ahaha. not a brilliant answer but ananswer eh?. :cheers2:

 

*Updated*

New questions in bold

 

covered already and i supose the brobery worked?

u can dread from any length it just will dread slower till it gets longer

they are scammers pure and simple all theyre stiffs crap except the shampoo is probly harmless everuythung else will result in nasty gross dreads

impossible to say some dread in days or weeks others months some take up to a year
most though start seeing dreads in months

if u go natural theres never a too shoe=rt to start alrthough they may not form actual dreads till it grows pas 4 inches unless its fairly curly
you can just let em grow in and evolve as they grow
the front may dread faster then the back but thats ok

stop using the conditioner
havent seen the shkakiu (shitake as in mushrooms?) one if its sold as a hair product its not what you want you want any of the dr bronners 18 in 1 magic soaps then dilute the luiquid soap 12 parts water 1 part bronners
u dont want any conditioners which are just residues at all..once they are tight u can use natural conditioners rarely if needed like acv rinces aloe cocoa butter anything like that but u really want to limmit conditioners to only if desperately needed and not till theyre good n tight

 

These are the two things I've been using

http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/SD0603/OrganicShikakaiTeaTreeHandSoap.htm

http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/SD0701/CitrusConditioningHairRinse.htm

 

http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/LS.htm


those are whzaat u want to use

 

So is that other soap not gonna work?

 

http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/TEA.htm
is whast i use most as it helps itches and repellls lice (maybe ticks too i spend aloytyyta time in the deep wilferness and in 18 years only had 1 tick)
id get the 32 oz then when u dilute it it willmake 420+ ozes of shampoo

 

it might but its formilatred ass a hand soap the vitamin e and some other stuff may leave a lil greasy residue id dilute it till it barely suds at all if u use it and ytry to get the 19 in 1 magic soaps that i know are good
of u can get the good stiff save that for a handwash it is good stuff jusyt might mnot be best for your dreads..the conditioner give to your mom to use or save it for whenbever u really really need it (maybe 4 times a year max)

 

Yeah. I'm going to have to finish my bottle I have now, which could take a while. I'm just curious as to whether or not using the soap I have now will affect the dreading process.