Chemical dread aftercare

Ok, so I've been searching the web, and can't find an answer to my quandary!

I recently got my dreads put in for me via a salon. (Yeah yeah, I know, but I couldn't find any other way to reliably do it!!)

Ok, so...

I got these chemical dreads... and what that means is- they basically sectioned my hair, and backcombed it. They took each of the dreads and rolled it up in a little curler. Finally did all the curlers with permanent solution (solution, rinse, dry, remove curlers).

So the dreads are in, and they look good, but now what??? I've read tons of care and maintenance articles and threads, and saw many advertisements. Nothing I have found online talks about people who got dreads the way I did. (That I could find anyway.)

The salon says I have to come back every 3-4 weeks for more work, but I don't know what that's all about. Honestly, I just love these things and am interested in taking good care of them. Please let me know how to take care of these things without paying the salon money every month, if it's even possible...

I'm a working professional, and will need to wash more often than every three weeks!! I've been told don't wash them until the first salon re-treatment, etc. I've also been told just to 'wash' my head in the ocean (I live near the beach), and thoroughly dry the dreads with a shammy. I have some shampoo from dreadheadHQ, but I was told by someone that it might be bad for these kind of dreads...

Please help if you know anything about proper (and inexpensive) aftercare for salon dreads. Is there anything I MUST do? Anything I must NOT do...?

Thanks in advance...

 

yeah. go to your back porch and spark up a joint.

 

Hahahaha

Yeah, I have got some serious compliments on them, from guys with much nicer dreads...

I'm reading through the FAQ's... Just trying to learn. Thanks for the tip, you're probably right, I shouldn't worry. :cheers2:

 

first off you got ripped off, take em wash em good and backcomb them with no wax chemicals or take em out wash your hair and take out all the crap and go natural all you need is shampoo and wash every 2-3 days.

you dont need to pay for dreads,

 

oh btw how much did you suckered in to buying the chemical dreads, and how much are they gonna charge you for maintenance

 

yea u got ripped offf and they wanna rip u off more and more u say u couldnt find any other way to reliably do it
well u took the worse route possoibly the 1 that results in the most disapointmeny and most likely will mean losing the dreads

to relyably dread u could do nothing at all and they will dread relyably
or u can backcomb and they'll dread just fine
you were ripped off sold a lie and the result will be a mess
when they grow in yje dreal dreads will look different from the chemicaly created mess
you may even decide to chop off the mess they made when the real dreads grow in

screw going back\
wash at least weekly with non residue soap

lets see the mess they made
oh and please tell me they at least dodnt use dreadwax

 

Everyone slow down a second. This salon came recommended by some people with some nice natural dreads (one guy had his for like 14 years). Upon doing some research, I found out that they're pretty reputable- with the exception of some customer service issues. This shop told me, not to add any wax. They told me not to add any wax or anything else.

So besides the added curl from the perm, they're pretty much just back combed. I don't see how this is so devastatingly horrible...?

And, even if it were so horrible, please help me out here. I came here to learn how to care for the hair that's on my head. I gather that everyone has their techniques, so, if you want to sit around and tell me how I got ripped- save it for someone who asked. It's not going to help me.

BUT! If you've got some tips for a newb, outside of "let them grow" please let me know.

If I'm in such a bad situation, couldn't I use some real advice?

 

the only real advice that anyone can give you is... let them grow. they will dread on their own. if you want to keep it a little neater you can root rub... that is, rub the dread on your scalp in a clockwise motion for a few minutes. you'll end up with a fuzzy ball of knotting hair. i always do mine the day after i wash, when it's all dry and clean. then it has a whole week to work on matting into dreads before i wash it again.

i agree... we need to see pictures. but yay for not having wax in! just as a word of advice... the chemical dreads will probably be much weaker than the new growth that will be dreading on its own. so don't bleach them, or really do too much processing/twisting/etc. to them, or they *might* get weaker yet and break off.

but yeah... maintenence = rip them apart when they try to combine (congo), and root rub if you want to/feel like it. wash weekly, and don't ever use wax (seems like you've got that one down).

oh, and if your friends want natty locks like yours, direct them to us to read up on a little info before making their decision on methods... cause salons really do rip you off, and some really mess up your hair. but if you're happy with what you got, and they didn't do any wax, shouldn't be too bad!!!

now... where are those pictures?

 

yeah, what nakey hugger of trees said!

time is all theyll need, wax is bad, dont use rubber band, seperate any congos..

i personally dont know what type of dreads youve been given, i dont know anything about chemical perms/dreads/whatever, but the lack of wax sounds good, and if theyre just backcombed then they should be good to go!

wash when you feel like it, just be prepared for them getting looser (theyll tighten as they dry) and always make sure theyre dry proper!

 

rip unwanted congos
stay away from the wax
to dry them throw them up in a towel or let air dry
if you keep them damp for to long mold will start to form... and that shit nassssty

other than that... leeet them be freeeee

peace dude best of luck

 

well i'll give em credit for at least stearring ya away from wax..
still though the new growth will probly have a different techture then the chemicaly treatted dreads..ya probly cant avoid that
umm naked id not suggest root rubbing who knows how weak the roots are from the chemical ..and root rubbings not nesacary at all..
just leave em be keep em clean and seperate congos
other then thAt do nothing
and dont waste more money going back to the salon for maintanance

 

ummm Wat race are you an wat racewre the people that reccomended them cause most black people go to salons normally people with a straighter hair go natural.

 

dude there isnt much we can help you with. reason why we said you got ripped off is because almost all of use didnt go to a salon, because you dont need to. so we probably cant answer your questions. like every one said just start washing when ever you want get the gunk out, dreads dont tighten when they are dirty.

 

hey dude, everyone means well on here, they are just passionate about the natural way thats all. I took a similar path, but got mine crocheted instead of a dread perm thingy...My advice is to wash your hair with some dr bronners once every 1-2 weeks, and maybe every once in a while doing a deep cleanse mix. The deep cleanse mix is: 3/4 cup of baking soda (12ish table spoons), 2 table spoons of sea salt, 2 table spoons of lemon juice, and you can add a few drops of some essential oils, i like to mix it up with patchouli, teatree and citronella, but yeah add all that to a bowl full of warm water, mix it all up, and either pour it on your head a bit at a time, or kind of dunk your head in. make sure your dreads are nice and soaked, then wrap your head in a towel for 30mins, then rinse it off.

to dry your dreads I would just squeeze out the excess water, then let them air dry.

Maintenance wise just leave them be for the most part....

thats my kind of long say in it all, hope this helps

 

I was also told to come back every four weeks for "maintenance" at £50 ($100?) a pop. Realised my husband did a much better job and never went back. Can totally relate to you being apprehensive about the advice you'll get. I think I was too. But I haven't done anything to my hair since July apart from wash and dye and its been fine.

I think you'll be okay because lets face it you want it to lock up so just go with the flow

 

for some reason i think it might take a little crack this guy from the salon. but hey if he doesnt want to take advice thats his prob, just dont come crying to the board when you get could and other nasty stuff and in your dreads and dont whine about how much money your wastin on em to.

 

i dont think he needs to be "cracked" hes just looking for a bit of guidance thats all

 

I would say to just take care of them well like the others said, don't expect your dreads to keep looking straight and "perfect" or anything, they may just naturally start to do crazy things, like mine...that's normal...it's a part of the process. It will work itself out.
Good luck and have fun, don't stress, I don't suggest chemicals, keep reading on the board.

 

well, if you're not completely frustrated and tired of hearing the same ole thing, how about this:

If you would like them to always be neat and clean-looking, you may always have to return to the salon to get them maintained. Perm chems can't be good for your hair, but I know women who used to get their hair done with perms all of the time, and they never lost their hair, if they went to a decent place that didn't screw things up.

But, if you would like to have natural-looking dreadlocks, like many have here, then you're probably going to have to just excercise patience and go through what everyone else has gone/is going through. Dreadlocks, for most of us, are not only a hairstyle, (and I know to some people this sounds ridiculous) but a lesson in life and a unique form of expression.

I work in a hospital, where personal hygiene/professional image is important, and not one person has ever questioned me about the cleanliness/neatness of my hair. I keep it down all the time, and only tie it up when it's too hot to bear.

It really depends on your reasoning for getting them in the first place. If it's merely a fashion statement, then you may have to pay the fashion statement price.

Good luck with your situation, either way it goes.

-J

 

well yes, SE, i know, you suggest doing NOTHING at all, except rip apart and wash. we ALL know that.

not that there's anything wrong with all natural all the time, do nothing to your hair. i was merely suggesting that it COULD be done, and some people do root rub, as a way to get the new hair to lock up if it's having a hard time doing so (mine does). i'm not advocating rubbing so hard you rip your roots up or cause breakage... just a little rubbing now and then, doesn't hurt it at all, unless the hair is REALLY fragile, which a chemical perm might do, for sure.

honestly, i think it all depends on hair type.