Dreadlocks
So, you just got your new dreads and now you have to throw everything you knew about hair care out the window. What now?
First of all, dreads don't like to be washed too often. Once a week is plenty, but frankly even less will do. Washing your dreads too often can result in mildew (ew!) from them staying damp deep inside. Depending on the thickness of the dreads, they can stay damp after a wash for a long time ... up to two days if it is humid out.
As for the type of shampoo to use, my favorite (especially for new forming dreads!) is DreadHead HQ, which is unscented and completely non-residue. I usually have a few bottles in stock for $15 a pop. A bottle of shampoo will last you about 6 months, depending on how often you wash. I also carry another great dread shampoo by Knotty Boy, peppermint scented liquid dread shampoo! Great for those with itchy scalps. Knotty Boy Shampoo bars are also available, which smell and work fantastically!
Conditioner is NOT your friend when you have dreads. It can take all that hard work and just make it slip away.. leaving you with slightly tangly messy looking hair, instead of beautiful forming locks. If you have loose hair as well (bangs, for example) be careful when you are washing them not to get any conditioners on the dreads.
Dreads like to attach to each other if you arent paying attention. I find this usually happens when I wash 'em, or if i've been wearing hats a lot. If you keep an eye on them and separate them to the root when you notice it happening, it is much easier to deal with. If you leave it and you arent sure how to deal with it, I can help you out during some maintenance.
Sleeping on dreads is easy, but it might take a couple days to get used to. I personally just keep mine down when sleeping, as I find it the most comfortable, but you can find what works best for you, if you prefer to wrap, or tie it up, or whatever!
New dreads like to be naughty and get things like loops and loose areas. It will take time for these to mend themselves, but can be sped up with some maintenance work if you find it is really bothering you. Dreads can mature for a year or more before they start looking and feeling like solid happy dreads. Usually this takes about 6 months though. Palmrolling when they are damp really helps smooth the loops out over time. This is done by holding the dread between your two hands' flat palms and rolling it back and forth with pressure for a few minutes, working from root to tip.
As for the new growth and the loose hairs at the top, these can be mended with a few methods. My personal favorites are clockwise rubbing, which is done by holding the dread (assuming it is already matured) between your index finger and thumb about an inch from the root, and rotating it into your scalp clockwise for a few minutes until it is feeling more tangly.. I love to use a latch hook to suck the loose hairs through the dread several times until you cant see them anymore. The latchhook can be used for the entire length of the dread if you wish.
The ends of dreads can have a few different looks depending on age and hair texture. For straight hair, they start looking like little tapered paintbrushes at first. Over time they can round themselves out and lock up right to the end, but this can take years and is hard to force. For those of you with curly hair, the ends of your dreads will probably retain that curl for quite some time. Like the straight dreads, they will most likely mature and round out at the bottom over time.
There is lots more info about caring for dreads at http://www.knottyboy.com! those guys know what they're talking about and got way more in depth than I can here :)
Available Products
Knotty Boy Dread Wax (4oz light) - $12
Knotty Boy Dread Wax (4oz dark) - $12
Knotty Boy Shampoo Bar - $8
Knotty Boy Liquid Shampoo (8oz) - $10
Knotty Boy Liquid Shampoo (16oz) - $18
Knotty Boy Tropical Tightening Gel - $10
Knotty Boy Coconut Conditioning Spray - $16
Knotty Boy Peppermint Cooling Spray - $12
DreadHead HQ Liquid Shampoo (16oz) - $15
DREAD TAMS: come in 3 sizes, contact larysa.pachulski@hotmail.com for custom tams!
