Synth Dreads
You can tie the dreads up at the top of your head so you don't pull on them while you're sleeping. It will be hard to do this for the first few days as they will probably be a little sensitive, but long term it should help.
You can try wrapping up (like in a towel or a turban) your hair with a piece of fabric or tshirt. Whatever is handy. Or buy a silk night cap from a beauty supply store. It will reduce the friction from laying on your pillow.
Getting a silk pillowcase for your pillow will help combat the friction as well, and will feel really nice!
It can take a day or two for the dreads to loosen and relax a bit so they are comfortable to sleep on. Also depending on how poofy they are it can take a while to get used to the size, and you may need to adjust your pillow situation.
Try to never go to bed while your hair is wet. Not only will it soak your pillow, but it takes a lot longer to dry that way and could potentially cause mold. Just wash in the mornings!
First and foremost, DO NOT SCRATCH! it will just make it worse, not to mention it will loosen up the natural hair and make the extensions fuzz up much faster than they would normally. You also run the risk of damaging your scalp. This will test your self control... but there are other ways to help.
There are several shampoos that are helpful. Tea Tree Oil shampoo is supposed to be very soothing. Strong dandruff shampoos for itchy flaky skin can help as well unless you have a very sensitive scalp. minty shampoos have a cooling effect which can be temporarily helpful.
Staying away from heavily perfumed shampoos is probably a good idea as well, as they leave an itchy residue.
When washing your hair, be sure that you rinsed out ALL the shampoo, because residue will just irritate your scalp.
Braid spray can be helpful in small doses. You can pick it up at pretty much any beauty supply store. If for some reason you're going crazy, you can try taking an antihistimine tablet. They should stop the itching in about half an hour.
There are shampoo recommendations in the itches section, but I’ll repeat them here. Tea tree oil (if you have very oily hair), peppermint, non residue, and dandruff/itchy scalp shampoo. Always dilute your shampoo, so it is easier to get into the sections of hair. I sell some of that stuff here if you want it.
Make up a dilute shampoo solution in an empty (or half full) shampoo bottle. Mix up about 60% shampoo and 40% water. Pour that all over your scalp, massage your scalp gently with your finger tips, and just let the suds dribble through the dreads.
Try to shampoo just the scalp, rather than the dreads themselves. It is unnecessary to wash the dreads unless they smell really weird (like smoke, for example). Washing only the scalp helps reduce the fuzzies. Another way to get rid of funky smelling dreads if you aren’t ready to wash them is to take a walk outside on a windy and dry day.
Again, Rinse the shampoo out REALLY well.
Conditioner is unnecessary. It just makes your roots get greasy faster, and could potentially make the dreads slip.
Extensions get really heavy when wet. Pat and squeeze your hair dry with a towel (don’t rub!) and let them air dry. If they are long, it is helpful to support them by laying on a couch, for instance, and letting them hang over the arm. I don’t suggest using a hair dryer regularily, but if they need maintainance anyway you can twist them up and blast them for a bit, being sure not to dawdle in any one spot for too long. Just dont expect to get them completely dry this way. Going outside on a sunny/hot/windy day will dry them out pretty quickly as well.
Try to shampoo no more than once a week. Use one of the methods covered in the itches section if it gets itchy. For your other showers, put a bag or shower cap on your head so the extensions don’t get wet. Dread extentions can take up to two days to dry out completely, so over washing can result in your natural hair rotting (wrapped dreads only) or a funky smell. I don’t suggest washing on a humid or rainy day because it will take longer to dry.
I also forbid washing your hair right before you go to bed! Not only will you soak your pillow, but your hair wont dry as well.
Well, the method really depends on what type of extensions you have, so I'll be specific.
Double Ended Dreads: If you notice it getting really fuzzy after a few weeks, you can try rebraiding the front ones in yourself to keep it neat. If you have more serious problems, like one falls out for example, just give me a call and I'll put it back in for free. Double ended dreads can be reused several times, and it is possible to retighten them between uses so they stay looking fresh and new. If you notice your natural hair at the bottom of the braid is straying and looking weird, I suggest just using a tiny matching elastic to band that sucker down, or putting a bead or spring over it.
Wrapped Dreads: These can get tricky to maintain on your own, but again if you have serious issues with them, call me and I'll see what I can do. If you notice them getting really fluffy (a little fluff and fuzz is only natural, they are dreads after all), you can try twisting tight and blasting them with a good hairdryer (1800W and above) on high heat, being sure to keep moving. If you're brave and CAREFUL you can try twisting the lengths tight and dipping them into boiling water.
I suggest taking out your dreads after 2 months since installation, otherwise the hair at the roots will start to dread itself and you are left with a huge knotty mess. Signs that you should take the dreads out before the 3 months are noticing LOTS of little white “bulbs” on the fuzzy hairs at the top of your head. These are root bulbs and are caused by too much stress on the hair. Having a few is normal, but noticing large amounts probably means it is too heavy for your scalp or you are wearing it up too tight. Definately call me and let me know if you’re experiencing a rash or blisters or anything of that sort. It doesn’t happen often, but it is possible to have an allergy to the plastic or the product I use in your hair.
When you finally decide to take the dreads out, it can take a while so *be patient* (not so much for double ended dreads.. About an hour or two should be plenty.) Wrapped dreads you can have out within a couple movies or an evening (3 - 5 hours) depending on how long your natural hair is. It's nice to have a friend who is willing to help!
For wrapped dreads, clip the end of the dread off about 1” below where your real hair ends (you should be able to squish around and feel the elastic) and unravel the wrap. Then unbraid the inside with your fingers (don’t brush it out!). Unfortunately these can’t be reused and there is a lot of waste.
For double ended and single looped dreads, clip the tiny elastic(s) at the bottom of your natural hair and unbraid. The dread should still be in good condition and can be reused. You can always bring them back to me to be tightened for a fraction of the price. It is economic if you want the same hairstyle more than once.
BRUSH YOUR HAIR BEFORE WASHING IT. Don’t be alarmed when you notice a lot of your own hair going with the fake hair. Humans normally lose about 50-100 hairs per day, but when they’re in extensions they cant leave your head, so they build up in there. Everything should be back to normal after you take your first normal shower. If you notice you have little bald spots, however, that is bad, and you've likely been too rough with them.
Once you have taken out all the dreads, it will feel very light and almost naked since you’ll be used to having about 4x or more the weight. Don’t be alarmed! you’ll feel back to normal within a couple days.
I suggest getting a nice deep conditioner (like the stuff that comes with hair dye) to get your hair back to new. It may not be necessary depending on your hair type, however.
It is a good idea to let your hair rest for a few weeks to a month before attempting to get extensions again, especially if you experienced some weight/stress on your scalp. (at least give it a few days)
Fake hair can be addictive! Especially once you know how broad your options are. Have fun!
