How important is getting dreads tight when backcombing?

I got my mum to do the majority of the backcombing and I just realized that quite a few of them could be tightened considerably and then a few of them are considerably loose ( all the pain I went through apparently was not because she was getting them very tight, but rather she thought it was necessary to yank my hair EVERY brush stroke in order to get them more even ...)
I re-backcombed about 3 of them and they're WAY tighter than the others.. Some people say it's important to get them tight, but other people say it won't matter because they always just loosen before truly tightening anyway. So.. Long term, is it very important to get dreads very tight when you first backcomb them, or what? Is it worth me spending 5-8 hours of boredom and arm tired-ness to get a bunch of them tighter?

 

nah...

From what I've seen if you make them wicked tight to begin with.. later down the track they will have a bulbous end on the dread. Where they go from fat to thin.

besides they will loosen a shitload anyway

+tighter back combing = greater hair damage

 

Much obliged.

 

It's awesome your mom did it.... A lot of people on here seem to have to fight a freaking war with their parents over dreads. Luckily, while I don't think they'd help, my parents could give two shits what my hair looks like, given that it's me that hasto walk around with it on my head.

 

Well I don't think my parents liked the idea much but they new that it was gonna happen one way or another so my mom volunteered to help.

 

Hey! I have some of those 'bulbous ends' you're talking about! Jerk. I don't think they're from backcombing, cause mine was combed pretty loosely :S Although if it is that might explain them. They look like little clubs or something. Quite annoying, argh.

 

I backcombed a few of mine in the back.
Then they came out. The first one I did we back combed the fuck out of. I can honestly say I see no difference than the other 3 I backcombed. I also twist n ripped a few in the back, they have seemed to lock up in the same amount of time. Except they look really wierd.

I'd say a good rule of thumb is if your using apple butter, you should problaly backcomb as loose as you can. If not...., even looser.

 

I honestly think most of my weird loops and clumps come from my naturally curly hair trying to curl up and then getting stuck in a knot. So I ended up with very strange shaped dreads and bumps. Which is fine with me one of them is a shape of a zig-zag. It's my favorite. i'll have to post a pic someday....

 

I got a super hard zig zag dread. I tried putting a wrap on it but it seemed to do nothing. When you feel like posting yours il post mine. Zig zag to the death.

 

i had a zig-zag dread in my last set
heheh i called it ziggy... marley...
oh dreadlock humour

 

The dreads I rebackcombed were the only ones of mine that didn't fall out and reform. They didn't go bulbus. Infact they ended up maturing very nicely and very quickly.

The ones that were backcombed and mostly fell out except maybe half an inch of knots - those were the ones that went wacky.

Would I recommend double backcombing? Meh. It's your time to kill. Long term, it won't matter at all.

 

Questionable, I can't prove it, but I'd be wary.

 

Am I one of the only ones who didn't have their backcombing fall out??? Cause mine just sort of chilled there and then one day I woke up and they were tightening.... Although I still have one that's a little on the slow side and still looks freshly backcombed...

I take it that is weird?

 

I backcombed mine fairly loosely. They just consistently tightened up over time. I don't think I combed tightly enough for them to need to loosen up and get comfy before doing their naughty dread love thing again. I have one tiny chunk of hair that's got a few knots, but is mostly just straight loose hair. Don't know what's up with that.

 

Haha, glad to know we both have weird sections of hair that are just like 'eff you' to the rest of the dreads.

 

Every head of hair is so different from every other, and even the hair on the same head is different in some places than in others. Some of my backcombeds dreaded right up and matured; others have other ideas and some are stubborn and don't seem to want to join the dread parade until they're good and ready.

My point? Once again, there just isn't any one right way...or 2 right ways...or three....