Someone with more experience can provide better info than me, but my first guess is that you can - and probably should - wash them. At least enough to get rid of the wax. Wax doesn't help - actually slows the locking process. You might try some Knotty Boy Peppermint Cooling Spray. Good stuff.

Yes....patience.....

Ok, so here's an update...

Last night I gave my head a little rinse in a bath of hot water and rubbed some special dreads shampoo with tea tree etc, onto my scalp. Then I spent forever palmrolling them and trying to neaten them up a bit... took 4 hours of TLC!

A lot of wax came out in the bath but there's still a lot more in them; I can tell because the dreads were really gross and white and flaky as they were drying. They're not quite as bad as before but they're still really quite sticky and pretty stiff. Not very nice to touch or even to look at! Also, where the hairdresser crocheted each dread through itself in various places, it's left bumps that are easy to feel and create kinks especially at the ends. :(

I know I'm not meant to be washing them very often while they're so new but does anyone know if I can keep dunking them in hot water every day or 2 to try and get rid of the excess wax? Of course I'll keep palmrolling and rewaxing any little fuzzy bits or ends if they really need it... I just want to make sure that I'm not going to ruin my dreads trying to get the wax out!

Whoever did your dreads used WAY too much wax. Wax can help as the dreads are more formed or it can hinder the process big time. I'm with everyone that says that wax isn't going to help here. I know you said some of it is still in there after washing. I would just wash again after three or four days (maybe longer if the dreads are really delicate) and try to get that stuff outta there. If you are going to use wax in the future, use very VERY little... like half the size of a pea. In the beginning I would try to stay away from it as much as possible though. Good luck on your dready journey!

Hey! I just got my dreads maybe a week and a half ago. I didn't have much problems with the wax.. but I put it on myself and I used less than a dab on each one. What I wanted to tell you is that when I washed my dreads, I was told that if you put nylon on your head (yes it feels really dumb) and then wash your hair as you normally would with the nylon on it helps keep the dreads intact.
I have washed my hair once and it did work really really well. I am planning on washing them again tonight, and then tomorrow do some serious palm rolling and using a smidgen of wax on each one to keep the hair on the right dread. (I signed a friend up to help me.)
Here is alot of info..
www.dreadheadhq.com/make_dre...shing.php

I've only had my dreads for a little over three weeks, and let me assure you that the itching will get better! HANG IN THERE!
If you're only five days in... don't wash them. Don't get them wet.
Seriously. Please.
Just tough it out for a few more days... and then have at it.
I washed mine for the first time after my first eight days and they were a hot mess when they dried. I had to really work on them a lot just to get back what tightness and neatness they already had. I've been looking everywhere for some sort of solution to the itchy scalp (that won't destroy the locks) but I haven't had any luck thus far.
If you have the Knotty Boy bar shampoo... trust me, you'll feel SO much better after that first wash. It really helps a lot with the dryness and irritation. Mine still get to itching- badly- but it's not nearly as frequent now as it was just two weeks ago.
I know nothing at all about crocheting the roots, though...
If I find out anything legitimate, I'll tell you what I know.
Good luck!

WOW!!! It amazes me what some hairdressers do...I'm really starting to think you should be licensed or something, have some kinda proper qualifications to do dreadlocks...I mean, you go to a 'professional' assuming they know what they're doing lol!

As has already been stated by the other guys, yeah get rid of that wax! I used wax on my first set of dreads (now on set 3), and it really hindered the dreading process...for hair to dread, it needs to be able to move freely, and lock individual hairs together, but wax holds everything static. I have sucessfully dreaded my dead-straight hair twice now, without the need for it...it just requires a lot of patience and loving care to dread...

The itchies are something that will diminish over time, but whilst your dreads are still quite new, you scalp is really having a hard time adjusting to it all...but it will adjust! Whomever came up with the idea that newbie dreads shouldn't be washed, really should be shot...newbie dreads are the ones that actually require regular washing...your hair needs to be clean to dread! However, unlike with older locks, you do have to be careful...like these guys have said, over a bathtub is great for that...gentle rinsing...I used to use Dreadhead Shampoo in these early stages too...I'd make a watery solution with the stuff in a bottle and just pour it over my scalp and rinse with the shower head on low. I did have to do some hardcore maintenence afterwards, but having them clean hastened their maturation.

I too am a little concerned about your hairdresser's on-off crocheting method...I mean, if ya gonna crochet dreads (an I'm not a fan of the method, to be honest, they're not actually "dreading" the hair), you do them the whole length, not 'here and there"...Can I ask, what kind of hair do you have? straight? wavy? curly?

Mannnn I so need to open-up a dreading salon...have heard so many horror stories about people getting their dreads done by "professionals" who have no idea what they're doing....ugghhhh

But you came to the right place Ashley lol....and it's lovely to meet another dreadhead :)) xx