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Hey, I have short-ish hair, I have never busted out the ruler and actually measured but I would say my hair is about 3 or 4 inches long, usually my hair is about 6 inches but I just got it cut. I really would like to have dreads, my question is do short dreads look good? I can't find any examples of a guy with short dreads, I would prefer thin locks. I figured I would do the dreads myself, get my sister or mother to help make them, but I do not want to go to a salon to get them. Any recommendations on products that are good for someone who plans on doing it themself? Also, what is the best way to do it? I do not think I want freeform because I was told that freeform takes a year or more and during that time looks terrible. So anyone got anything I can go on?
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Re: Would like dreads.
Sun, May 17, 2009 - 6:47 AMHi Ian :)
I would really recommend letting your hair grow out a little...maybe get it back to about 6" before you dread, will be much easier that way. And I think, for shorter dreads, the thinner locks look best :)
OK whenever I've dreaded my hair, or another persons, I've used the backcombing method, with rubber bands on the tips for the first few weeks, to help keep the knotting in while they're 'setting.' Make sure you wash you hair prior to actually dreading, with a non-residue shampoo like Dreadhead HQ, and blow dry it thoroughly...this will get it all frizzy, which is great for creating knots. You don't need wax or sprays or anything...I haven't, and my hair is dead-straight, so really really hard to dread...aloe vera gel is great for taming wild frizzies after a wash.
I dunno if I answered your question LOL dreads do not actually need lotsa specialty products...you can create beautiful locks with next to nothing..just patience :P -
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Re: Would like dreads.
Sun, May 17, 2009 - 6:55 PMYa I was reading something the yesterday about wax, I think I will backcomb it. It actually works out that I ought to grow it out, I decided I need a new job before I get dreads, my current job frowned upon 6" hair and I had to get it shortened, don;t think they would like dreads... Does it matter that I have extremely thick hair? I have a trouble combing it not because of tangles but because I have to much hair. And with dreads will my hair stick up at first or will it keep its flip, because I have a flip in my hair because I wear hats to much.
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Re: Would like dreads.
Mon, May 18, 2009 - 4:30 AMI've got about 3 inch long, thin dreads and they are a lot of work. Lots of loose hair, some have had to be re-backcombed and they take a long time to mature. Thick, short dreads will just look like puff balls to start so I think thin is probably best. You can always combine them later.
I suggest waiting if you can and yes they will stick up like mad, but they should settle down with time and maybe a little persuasion. I use Dreadhead HQ shampoo and the accelerator. Once it's finished I'll just use a sea salt and water spray. I also use Knotty Boy Tightening Gel after I've washed to keep the frizzes down, especially if I'm going out. I used DreadheadHQ wax for about the first week and then decided against using wax. Not because I had a bad experience but because it was then that I heard about how damaging it can be. I've been considering using a tiny amount on the ones that are coming out but can't decide if it's worth it.
Good luck. -
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Re: Would like dreads.
Thu, May 21, 2009 - 3:50 AMElliot: Thick hair is NO PROBLEM for dreads, it's a great thing! more hair = easier to mat-up! :D Like Alexa said, they will stick up for a while at first...but beanies or tams are great to tame them in the early stages, get the roots sitting back down again :)) Thicker dreads mat-up faster than thin ones, too. I have thin dreads, almost halfway down my back, about 50-60 in total, and one thing you gotta remember...the more dreads you have, the more you gotta regularly maintain! Go for mid-seize and you should be fine cos sometimes some dreads just dun wanna combine...best to start-off with it right :)
Alexa: I will never, ever recommend wax...not only because it's unnecessary, but because it actually goes AGAINST your hair's natural tendency to mat-up. It's a complete farce that dreadlocks require all these specialty products lol a great marketing ploy, but a farce nonetheless lol (even with naturally dead-straight hair, I have managed to develop great dreads with just Dreadead shampoo and aloe vera gel, in contrast with trying all these other things in the past...accelerators, waxes, etc etc)
But yes, wax... For your individual hairs to mat, there needs to be movement of all the separate strands...wax prevents this, holding all your hairs 'static'...it may control frizzies in the short-term, but does not help the overall problem at all. The hairs that are loose....how long are they? are they at the root, or right down the length of your dreads? What are your dreads like in general? The condition, I mean...describe your dreads.
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Re: Would like dreads.
Thu, May 21, 2009 - 11:16 AMI would also recommend letting your hair grow out a little more, simply because if you knot them up right they're going to stick out everywhere at first.. and I think the longer they are the easier it will be to tame them. The best non-residue shampoos I've discovered are Dr. Bronner's liquid soap (just dilute it a little, but its smells great), and some people even use dish soap! You really don't need ANY product, except for washing it. Also, this is a great resource. www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml -
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Re: Would like dreads.
Fri, May 22, 2009 - 7:05 AMHowever the problem with dish soap, is that it still contains residues (less than most shampoos, granted)...they contain fragrances and colours that stay behind after rinsing...ok for short-term, but long-term use would def necessitate spending a few bucks and getting proper non-residue shampoo :))
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