Hi Stefan :)

I never recommend waxing, I believe it actually hinders the locking process...think about it...for hair to mat-up, hairs need to be able to move and interact, and this doesn't happen with wax. A small amount of aloe vera gel does the trick for taming frizzies initially, and I would only apply after washes (once air has dried).

LOL yah I have about that many too, but I'll tell ya this - it gives ya some great upper arm toning/definition in the long run ;-)

Time: It al depends on (1) thickness, and (2) what kind of hair you have...curly hair would lock up faster than straight hair. I have straight hair and it generally takes mine approx. 4-6 months to start behaving themselves lol

Tricks: Palm-roll, Palm-roll and Palm-roll. Use a non-residue shampoo. Use the Rip n Pull Method. Tams are GREAT.

:))

Hun, I'd toss that wax out the window if I were you...it just builds up on the hair and can make it's way into the center of your dreads and grow mould...and you don't want that, do you?

I'd recommend doing a good scrubbing with some diluted baking soda to remove as much wax as possible and a rinse with diluted vinegar...the vinegar will help rinse out the remnants of the wax...then rinse the immortal hell out of your dreads with plain water...if you want something to help tame the fuzzies, just use some pure aloe vera gel...you can get bottles of it, but just make sure it doesn't have additives to it...nothing but the gel...

And yep, the curls will help immensely...just keep at the palm rolling, root rubbing and keep 'em nice and clean...

Good luck!

I have to agree with the other posts here that wax hinders the locking process. At the same time though - I'm not completely against wax as others are. In the first few months we try so hard to dry our hair out completely and sometimes becomes very brittle and can cause hair breakage and damage.

I use wax - the tiniest amount - every 4 to 6 weeks just to throw a little bit of moisture back in them. I dont seem to have a problem with wax build up (could be because of my scalding hot showers). But that is as much wax as I use. I havent used any conditioners or conditioning sprays as my dreads are only 6 and 1/2 months old.

But, definately listen to Beksta - what she says makes complete sense.

Your knots need gaps so they can knot up even more - the wax blocks those gaps and stops the knots from getting any more complicated or tighter.

Yeah wax only makes your locks look tidy but the negative aspect outweighs the benefit. that being said, the road to maturity in your locks is a long one. Gotta stay on top of mine all the time it seems.. palm rolling. managing the roots and such.. but as time goes by if gets easier and is less to manage.. so good luck fighting frizz and happy locking,

Hello Stefan,

My view of things is a little different than what others have said so far, but I must also give my point of view. I used wax (dreadheadhq) regularly for my first year to year and a half, and my dreads turned out great thanx to it (I have naturally poker straight hair). I wouldn't have been able to keep my dreads without it. It helped 'em to look presentable, and I believe (as dreadheadhq sez), that it (as well as their shampoo) has helped in the locking process. I have cut a lot of dreads off at various lengths, and inside is nothing but knots, which is so nice to see.. as I was warned by some that I'd find otherwise.

The aloe gel that knotty boy sells is great at taming down frizzies, and the tool that dreadheadhq sells is also an option.. if you're willing to struggle a bit to learn how to use it.

I have somewhere over 100 dreads, and yeah, it was tedious at times.. but then the whole first year was a lot of work whatever I was doing with 'em.. palm rolling.. root rubbing, etc., but with patience and persistence, you will make it to where you want to be!

~All the best on your journey!~

Well im on my 4th day now and i gotta say i can totally see how someone would wanna use wax it is a pain in the ass to make the hair stay together tight in the process of them dreading and not to mention them trying to form together making congos i believe they are called but the good thing i see about not using it is my hair isnt stuck in just one place so it has the freedom to move around and start dreading i got like 3 already that are pretty tight....gonna dip my head in salt water on saturday

ok so Ive just started my 2nd set of dreads a week ago... I didnt use any product at all.. I washed it with some dandruf shampoo . It was non residue and resude removing cost only$4 ... also Ive heard dreadhead HQ is just a similar shampoo repackaged and sold twice as expensive... dont buy anything from those creeps... My dreadies are starting to lock up beautifully my profile pic was taken the same night of the dread start... I did them all by myself took me 3 days and my arms were so tired... I back combed , twisted and palm rolled and when I finished I sectioned off each one with a rubber band on the tip and another at root base as close to the scalp as possible .. aprox 50 dreads BTW... the rubber bands keep my dreadies from slipping out when washing especially in the first weeks..it also keeps frizzies down a bit and keeps the dreads from tangling in each other . I went to the black people hair store where they sell weaves and bought wax for the first time yesterday the brand is Rasta locks/twist mango, lime Locking creme wax and I admit it made my dreads look amazing and smelled great , but was a bit greasy due to the petroleum jelly base yuk. Im not going to use it anymore , I may look for a bees wax based one later just to try it. it did not how ever help make them any tighter and I have an idea that if used during the locking process it would actually hinder the progress. Ive heard great things about aloe,lime , rosemary and sea salt .Im going to try making a solution my self . Ill let you know how it goes..