Dreadlocks are a hairstyle. They’re just hair. Saying dreadlocks are filthy and gross makes as much sense as saying medium lengths bobs are filthy and gross. Yes, if they’re not taken care of they will be nasty. However, that applies to everyone’s hair and not solely dreads.

Starting Dreads

The neglect method is where hair is left to do it’s own thing. Encouraging hair to dread by crocheting, backcombing, twisting or any other way is common as it allows hair to dread faster and look more maintained. Braiding hair is often tried, but never works as the hair has to escape the braid to actually dread. I am not familiar with the methods used to create dreadlocks in African hair although I know it is, unsurprisingly, much easier.

Shrinkage is generally not a word you want to hear in any situation, unless it’s referring to your waist (and have you lost weight you are looking great!) but it’s an unfortunately necessary thing for me to explain. Sometimes when dreading, hair shrinks. Stephanie, the dreadlock goddess, told me that sometimes her client’s hair shrinks while dreading. This is very rare she explained, and she hasn’t found any common denominator for it. Its seems completely random. Hair can also shrink when starting dreadlocks the backcombing way,but this is completely avoidable. Dreadlocks can end up much shorter than the original length of hair. This is because the hair is pushed up when teased. This isn’t necessary. When backcombing is done right, hair should only lose an inch or two of length.

Maintenance

Crocheting, palm-rolling, and clockwise rubbing. These are not techniques used by underwater basket-weavers! These are methods to keep your ’locks tight and tidy. Some dreadheads say less is more and some say palm-roll, palm-roll, palm-roll. I don’t plan on doing more maintenance other then separating my roots every few days to keep hair from growing together.

Washing and drying dreadlocks is (or at least is should be) an ordeal. Dreadlocks are like sponges, and when they are not dried properly they can suck up water and end up with smelly mildew. Hair should be washed in the morning, no more often than every two or three days. Dreadlocks should be towel dried gently by squeezing each individual dreadlock. Then, hair should be blow-dried thoroughly. If possible, you should continue to blow dry hair a few more times during the day. Never go to sleep with wet dreads. Don’t wash your hair, or let dreads get wet, if you don’t think you have time to let them dry. Thankfully, your scalp will get used to your new routine and won’t produce as much oil. Your scalp will start to absorb the oil and your dreads should not look, or be, dirty.

Maturing Dreads

If you use the neglect method it can take up to a year or more for hair to actually look like dreadlocks. At the beginning hair will just look a little messy, then tangley and then it will start to separate. You might look like a hobo for a few months which is great if you’re into that (I am) and if you’re not, then patience, my young padawan. Your rat tail hair will look like dreadlocks in time.

If you’ve used one of the many methods to get dreads fast, as I have, your hair will go through some similar stages as those using the neglect method. It definitely depends on how you started’em and your hair type but generally hair starts tight, you wash them for the first time, they get loose-ish, you do some maintenance, they’re super frizzy, most seem to get tight but some come apart, you push forward, they’re still frizzy but they seem to start looking more like dreadlocks, they get tighter and ”KACHOW!” you look in your mirror and you realize you have dreadlocks. Like real, mature dreads.

After 2-6 months your dreads will be mature. This doesn’t mean they’ll always be super perfect and you’ll never have to worry about them again, but it does mean you’ll probably be having good hair days every day. Dreadlocks will be done with any shrinking, they’ll be at their permanent size and be tight and a little hard. Hair can loosen and you’ll have to deal with your roots growing in but your dreads are pretty much set. Continue with any maintenance you’ve been doing, although less of it will be necessary.

Product

Product such as wax can be used to help create and maintain dreadlocks but it is generally thought to be more of a hinder than a help as it, obviously, leaves an uncomfortable, waxy feel to dreadlocks and can create nasty build up. Washing dreads with a residue free shampoo helps with the dreadlocking process as it removes oil and dirt which slow down the dreading, although some people prefer not to use any product at all. The woman who did my dreadlocks doesn’t do a thing to her hair and, Cheyenne will agree, it was gorgeous and wasn’t dirty in the slightest.

Conditioning is an obvious no go as it detangles hair and leaves residue in the dreadlock. However, as long as starting dreads is not traumatic (I’m looking at you, Sadee), the health of your hair should only improve with dreads.

Natural products are healthiest for dreads and provide a multitude of uses. Tea Tree Oil is popular directly applied to dreads or mixed with water and sprayed on for its ability to kill bacteria as well as providing hair with moisture. Apple Cider Vinegar cleans and pure Aloe Vera gel helps tighten dreads and smooths frizzies.

Getting Rid Of Dreadlocks

Is hard, and sometimes impossible without shaving them off. Depending on how they were started and how old they are it is sometimes possible to get away with cutting them short and detangling the hair left or even detangling the dreads in their entirety. However, it’s an extremely long process. From what I have heard, it can take up to ten hours to comb out medium-long length, Caucasian thickness hair.

Dreadlocks are awesome and I adore them. They vary as much as any other hairstyle and so do the people who have them. Leave any questions in the comments!