Help Me!!

I've wanted dreadlocks for years! which considering I'm only 18 is a long time!

I'm moving away for uni in September and thought this would be the perfect time to take the leap and just do it.
But i don't even think i can wait that long to start them!

I'm scared though!
=[
I know everyone will hate it, but i can deal with that, after all it's quite the change!

I guess i just want a boost, plus how long do dreads have to be for them not to stick out?
And do they suit different people better?
(as in face shape/age e.t.c)

I love all the pictures!
Everyone is so beautiful!

I just wish i could go from "normal" hair, to full on massive dreads within a day!

 

Chill
You don't have to worry about a thing
Im guessing around about 8 inches for them to lie down as much as possible, although you can just wear a wooly hat to keep em' down
They suit everyone, they look great on everyone!
It's all about the journey

 

Quite a scary journey to start though!
I don't want to deal with everyone moaning at me for them!
¬¬
Idiots!

 

Haha you sound like me when I first came on here ^^

No one will hate it, everyone will get used to it

My hair was 5 inches when I backcombed it, and they stuck out looads for the first couple of weeks so I had to wear a band most of the time. I guess if you don't wanna have to wear a band I'm not sure how long your hair has to be before they are too heavy to not stick up. If you have short hair, you could always plait the roots for an inch and backcomb/ rip n tiwst (assuming you're going that way if you want them quickly) which should stop them sticking up Will stop them matting at the roots too. I figured this cus when you BC at the root it makes the hair stick up, and plaits are heavier so.. Yeh lol.

Wearing a band for the first weeks isn't too bad

Lol I remember thinking that when I did mine, I wanted them so badly and instantly, they are soo coool!!

And dreads suit everyone dude

You can start them asap!! Do you know what method are you going for?

 

I'd love to just let them grow naturally, but I'm just too impatient!!
Backcombing is the way I'll do it i think

I'm also quite stuck on the fact that my hair is different lengths from having layers in it. Does that create problems?
I'm also stuck on getting fat ones or not!

I wouldn't have a problem with a band or a hat or anything.
I just want them long so i can tie them up and do things with them!

 

haha i feel pretty close to the same way you do

i want dreads badly, im not too patient so the neglect method seems like it'd be frustrating as hell, but as long as my boss agree's to it, it'll be the way i choose hopefully help me learn a lil patience along the way

the great thing about neglecting is that as far as the size and everything of the dreads, well you dont really have to choose, they do the choosing for you

me too! im way jealous of all the people here...they can have all the dready fun they want, and im stuck with boring straight smooth hair until i get the go ahead from the boss-man

 

How long is your hair now????
Do your research and find the method you think will be better for you...you can never go wrong going with your gutt!

 

Oh my... This is so creepy!!! That's exactly how I felt at the beginning!!

I had layered hair, if you look on my pictures you can see the layers in the dreads... I love it I was told to grow them out but I think it gives them a little bit of an edge, something different about them : ) So go for it!!

I was soooo impatient, I BCed, but you can still choose to not do any maintenance or anything to them which is alot less hassle

I have both fat and thin. Fat ones at the bottom of my head and thinner as they go up my head. This was just accidental, but I think it gives good diversity Look on the inspiration sticky or dread pics on the net, see which ones you like best- do they have thick dreads or thin ones? You could always go medium, and have a couple thick and a couple thin And also, you can congo a few if you decide you want a beasty huge one ;D

 

me toooo me toooo...ahhhh the layers!!!!

 

My hair is a fair few inches, about 3/4 in short places, and 5/6 in long places.

i think I'll end up with fat ones, and the odd small one thrown in!
I just can't imagine myself with them, i just want them SOOOOO bad!

Who'd of thought people actually got 'dread envy'!

I've decided to leave it a month, then back comb it.
The month is me just kidding myself and making sure it's not impulsive (even though i know it's not!)- and to grab any extra millimeter i can!

I can't wait!
Screw everyone who doesn't like it, they have settled in nicely by September and then no one will know any different!
YAY!

 

why wait a month?/ stop combing today let things becgin you'll know its not an impulse when u go a month without combing
by then the longer hair may already be dreading you'll be used to the routine , washing lil less seperating clumps that truy to congo
you'll see how your hair wants to section itself
you then can choose to continue naturaly or backcomb (chances are u may decide to backcomb shorter spots that arent dreading naturaly)

mine i started naturaly at 2 inches..short for natural usualy but dreaded just fine and prettuy damn quick too. it stuchjk up lil at 1st just cause they were only 2 inches, not like the 6 inch sticking out look of backcombed..
by the time they were a minth they layed float. by 2 i could tie em up (in w funky pineaple hesd kinda way) by 6 months they greay enough to tie em back (guessing, i havent worn a watch or paid attention to time since io was 12) by 2 years they had a decent length
now thewyre a few months short of 19 years and never had a single day i regretted dreading

 

sounds a lil short to backcomb...maybe need a lil more time to grow love

 

How long we talking then?
Can you mix and match the two?

By that i mean just leave my hair now, let it start naturally but then after a certain amount of time whip the comb out.

 

iirc i've read of quite a few people on these forums doing that exact thing

 

Then i hate to be a pain in the arse, but i researched up on backcombing but not on much else

can someone comment on the finer points of the 'neglect' method?

 

can read this if you like...

http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=351755&f=209

 

Thanks a lot.
although it doesn't specify how much you should wash your hair if you do it naturally.
Do you just leave it?
Completely ?

 

every ones different...just wash it when its dirty.

 

eeek!
My hair gets dirty quickly!
and really greasy!

Plus i run in the evenings, so i shower every morning!

 

you can shower every two days or so.
if your hair is short and dries quickly, you can go everyday.
the idea is that it has to dry out completely between washings or you have more risk of growing mold.