Basic Dreadlock Care
Basic methods used in starting
dreadlocks
Help with deciding if dreadlocks are for you
Basic Dreadlock Care
Washing (after
hair is locked)
There’s an
awful myth that people who wear their hair in dreadlocks, don’t wash it.
Everybody washes their hair, we hope. We know some people with dreadlocks who wash
their hair every day! I opt for once a
week, as dreadlocks take a long time to dry.
Regular washing
is necessary. Sweat build-up causes bacteria to grow and the scalp to
itch. Excessive scratching causes hair breakage and scalp irritation.
You
should use a residue-free shampoo. Its important that your shampoo does not
leave residue on your hair. Residue clogs the pores and attracts dirt. If
you’ve
applied gels or oils to your hair it is good to give it a good soak in
soapy water first. There are many shampoos made
specifically for dreadlocks on the market that you can try.
Lather twice. Once, focusing
only on the scalp
and roots. Next, focusing on the rest of the hair. Be generous with
the soap and rinse extra well. To dry, wring hair out and
wrap with a towel to draw out extra moisture.
Immediately
apply some type of moisturizer to the scalp. Apply it while the hair
is still wet-damp. Again, there are many different hair and scalp
oils designed for use with dreadlocks that you can try, just remember, not
too much! Too much grease will
attract dirt and lint. If your scalp isn’t clean, grease contributes to
dandruff which is very tough to get out of locked hair.
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In
Between Washing
Frequent washing isn't
always possible. Anyone with dreadlocks knows that they take a
long time to dry after being fully saturated with water. Sometimes a
quick refresher for the scalp is sufficient. You may blot the scalp
with a mild astringent like Sea Breeze. It will help to remove trapped
oil and dirt and keep your head smelling fresh and clean, without over-drying the scalp.
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Twisting
Twisting shouldn't be done more than every 1-3 weeks and it is
okay to do it
while
the hair is damp. Dreadlocks can
be twisted in either direction.
Start at the base of
the locked portion of the hair (NOT at the root near the scalp) and twist
downward to the scalp. Sometimes twisting upward from the
scalp causes the root sections to thin over time.
Use
small portions of whatever product you use. (Please
note that beeswax use
should be minimized after your hair has actually locked). Clamp a few
newly twisted dreadlocks with a clip in the spot where the locked hair ends and the new growth begins
to hold the newly twisted section (if you clamp one lock at a time it will
just unwind...its best to clamp in small groups).
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Drying
Thorough drying is necessary, otherwise hair will smell damp and musty. You
can either air dry or sit under a hood dryer depending on how much extra time you
have.
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Styling
Your dreadlocks can be styled in a variety of ways. It
could be braided in cornrows, curled, put into knots or buns...there are
so many options! When small curls or spirals are desired, styling is best done when
hair is damp, this way the hair will dry into the
curls, spirals...etc. Straight dreadlocks that will be shaped into larger
knots or buns should be completely dry before styling.
Braiding
the hair while wet will give you a lovely crinkled do when it is taken
out. It can last for a week if you take time to secure it every night
(try our Knotty SocTM ). Like
twisting, it is not recommended that you braid the hair too tightly to the scalp. You can
either cornrow it or put it in box braids. The larger the braid, the larger
and more pronounced the crinkles will be. If you go to a salon, opt for the braided style. This way you get
two styles for the price of one!
For curling the hair at home, we've
found that
sponge rollers are best. I know...a lot of us
learned as little girls that sponge rollers caused hair breakage... but
dreadlocks are much stronger than single strands of hair and sponge
rollers allow better airflow to the hair. They can accommodate quite a few locs after you get the hang of it. Our model has used them for years
and has experienced no breakage.
The foam bendable
rollers are good also, however you will need more drying time as they don't
allow good airflow to the hair.
If you have very long
dreadlocks, curls won't hold for more than a day or two.
Try
our
Knotty SocTM
to hold rollers or braids in
place while sleeping. Cotton bandanas can be very drying to the hair and
they rarely stay on correctly all night.
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About Thinning and Hair Loss
The reason
dreadlocked hair flourishes is because the hair is left alone
the majority of the time and hair that is usually shed remains twisted
into each lock. This is the same way braided hair always seemed to
grow
more. The reality is, everyone’s hair, of every race grows. But,
the hair growth can’t be noticed if we constantly pull the hair out and cause breakage
with extreme processes.
Hair loss
and thinning is natural and should be expected. Some hair loss
patterns are hereditary or simply because of an inadequate
diet. However,
some hair
loss occurs when we handle the hair too much (excessive brushing, combing, permanents…and
now with dreadlocks, excessive twisting). Too much twisting (outside of the
starting stage) causes thinning at the root
section. A loc with a thin root section is going to break. You can
temporarily solve the problem by twisting another loc in with the thinning
one, but you’ll just have more hair relying on two thin root sections.
Finally, sometimes thinning occurs because the locs have grown so long that
the sheer weight of them puts stress on the root section. The
everlasting 'ponytail' falls into this category. Remember that
dreadlocks hold all the hair that would have normally been shed. They
are heavy (and even heavier when
wet). Constant ponytail wearers are placing this entire weight on
their front hairline (those hiding new growth add even more stress by
pulling or binding them down extra tightly). You can alleviate
this stress by wearing the hair up most of the time and not pulling the hair
so tight.
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Help
For Thinning Hair
We
recommend a vitamin specific to hair and nails, not
twisting the hair and not wearing your locs pulled up or back too tightly,
at all, for a while.
It is good to loosely tie the weak sections in a nice dressy knot (try our
eBooks for knot ideas), leave it alone for a
week or two (refreshing the knot daily, of course) while allowing the new
growth to fuzz up underneath. Use the
Knotty SocTM to conceal, what some might deem, unsightly new growth. The
Knotty SocTM
is smooth all around and wont cause rubbed out areas of hair.
How
often you twist your locs is up to you, but beware...sometimes there are
negative consequences
from over twisting.
Remember, it takes TIME, PATIENCE AND DEDICATION to reach the point where
you'll have a natural, long, flowing mane of dreadlocks...several years
actually. All the more reason to start NOW!!
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