Re: The Story of My Dreadlocks

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Posted by Nick on August 2, 2001 at 23:38:31:

In reply to: The Story of My Dreadlocks posted by Darlahood on August 2, 2001 at 22:46:58:

The story of my dreads is quite similar...
I dreaded about a month after Darlahood did, during the spring
vacances... It took six hours of gridding and teasing and waxing and
blow drying (and me yelling every so often when one of my assistants
teased too hard!) but it was entirely worth it. We finished at 10:00
PM, tired and ready to crash. Sleeping my first few nights was
definately a problem, cuz i had over-waxed 'dreadlets' sticking out
all over the place! I had to put my hair in a bandana so it wouldn't
impale me.

The first week was hell. My scalp was so itchy, but i didn't want to
wash it yet, just to give them a chance to really lock up. I had to
resort to putting ice cubes in a bandana on my head just to numb it a
little and cure the itchies some. But one night i just couldn't take
it, so i washed them. Voila, my head felt clean and fresh and lovely!
The shampoo that comes with the dread kit is super, and i have grown
to love the rare occasion when i wash my dreads. Yes, i *do* wash
them, just not extremely often... they really don't get nasty at all
like it would if you didn't wash normal hair. I do swim a lot in
chlorine pools though, so that helps too.

By now my dreads are doing alright. I feel like a mother who neglects
her kids though, because i don't tease them any more. The middles are
all matted, but the ends are still loose. And like Darla says, i
don't recomend the wax ever again after the first use. It does stick
around, and i would never add any more to my hair than what is
already there! I too have lots of fun things in my dreads-- chunky
beads, little cobalt glass rings, beaded sleeves, hair wraps, and
occasionally tanfouk (aka Kourb, little Tuareg glass pendants). In
the future i hope to add some permanent tanfouk; i never could get
them to stay in long enough to get stuck.

That's the story of my dreads, as told by ME! :)
~Nick

BTW, has anybody else noticed a rise in the number of these lovely
yet off topic discussions? I really like it, i think it keeps us as a
close knit community.

: Nick is right, go to Knotty Boy and get yerself a dreadlock kit!
He
: and I dreaded up about the same time, I would say that we both have
: white people hair. I've had dreads now for about 8 months, started
: them out last winter during the school break. I would definitely
: wait until the weather is a little cooler to begin dreading your
: hair. This hot weather is murdering my scalp.
:
: I thought about all the possibilities and responsibilities before I
: dreaded my hair. You cant brush it, bye bye scalp. You dont wash
it
: as frequently (I wash my hair 'bout once a week with a natural,
: organic, homemade soap.) And when you grow tired of the dreads,
you
: have to practically shave your head. Dreadlocks are not for folks
: who change their hair style (or hair color) frequently. I had my
: hair long and straight for the past ten years. I was ready for a
: change, but didn't want a short lil' bob like so many other trendy
: yuppies. I love my hair long, but since getting dreads, the length
: of my hair has shrunk in half. My hair that once reached my butt
now
: falls only a little past my shoulders, the hair is wound and
knotted
: in the dreadlocks. That's okay, I know in a few years my knotted
: hair will be a bit longer, then I'll be able to do crazy Princess
: Leia type hairstyles (hooray!). Incindentally, my hair is kinda
: thin, very fine, like cornsilk. I was never really able to handle
: hair sticks or any number or cool accessories. But now I've got
all
: this hair and can put all kinds of toys in there.
:
: A word about knotting your hair with a beeswax product like knotty
: boy stuff: whatever you put into your dreads, stays in your
dreads.
: K-boy is fine for your initial knotting up, but other than that,
: leave it alone, that stuff just gunks up into your hair, it doesnt
: wash out!
:
: Dreadlocks require a different hair treatment than white people
: hair. I normally apply a little jojoba or hemp oil to my scalp
after
: I wash my hair and it is (air and sunshine) dry. If I get an itchy
: or dandruffy scalp, which is happening this summer because it's so
: hot and humid, I will make a hair wash which I spray on my scalp.
: Sometimes I use chamomile water or a rinse made with distilled
water
: and lavendar, rosemary, recently experimented with cajeput and
found
: it made my scalp really dry. When in smelly or smoky environments,
: wear a scarf or hat over your hair. Being in Paris this summer
: taught me a lesson about that. I would go home to the dorm after a
: hard day of trekking around the city to find my hair reeked of the
: metro, and the metro dont smell good!
:
: Dreadlocks are not just for rastafarians. Dreads have been around
: for a long, long time and have been present in every culture at
some
: point. Something I just found out recently is that in England,
after
: the Conqueror did his thing in 1066, it became fashionable for men
to
: wear their hair really long, their tresses, moustaches, and beards
: became all dreaded! Finally some king dude, William II or
somebody,
: had to issue an edict (the church was riding his ass about it) to
get
: everybody to cut their hair a little shorter! Let's not even get
: started about how long the medieval chicas wore their hair, they
had
: braids tho, not dreads.
:
: I'm sure I left something out, let me know if you have questions!
:
: ~Darlahood

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: The story of my dreads is quite similar... : I dreaded about a month after Darlahood did, during the spring : vacances... It took six hours of gridding and teasing and waxing and : blow drying (and me yelling every so often when one of my assistants : teased too hard!) but it was entirely worth it. We finished at 10:00 : PM, tired and ready to crash. Sleeping my first few nights was : definately a problem, cuz i had over-waxed 'dreadlets' sticking out : all over the place! I had to put my hair in a bandana so it wouldn't : impale me. : : The first week was hell. My scalp was so itchy, but i didn't want to : wash it yet, just to give them a chance to really lock up. I had to : resort to putting ice cubes in a bandana on my head just to numb it a : little and cure the itchies some. But one night i just couldn't take : it, so i washed them. Voila, my head felt clean and fresh and lovely! : The shampoo that comes with the dread kit is super, and i have grown : to love the rare occasion when i wash my dreads. Yes, i do wash : them, just not extremely often... they really don't get nasty at all : like it would if you didn't wash normal hair. I do swim a lot in : chlorine pools though, so that helps too. : : By now my dreads are doing alright. I feel like a mother who neglects : her kids though, because i don't tease them any more. The middles are : all matted, but the ends are still loose. And like Darla says, i : don't recomend the wax ever again after the first use. It does stick : around, and i would never add any more to my hair than what is : already there! I too have lots of fun things in my dreads-- chunky : beads, little cobalt glass rings, beaded sleeves, hair wraps, and : occasionally tanfouk (aka Kourb, little Tuareg glass pendants). In : the future i hope to add some permanent tanfouk; i never could get : them to stay in long enough to get stuck. : : That's the story of my dreads, as told by ME! :) : ~Nick : : BTW, has anybody else noticed a rise in the number of these lovely : yet off topic discussions? I really like it, i think it keeps us as a : close knit community. : : : : Nick is right, go to Knotty Boy and get yerself a dreadlock kit! : He : : and I dreaded up about the same time, I would say that we both have : : white people hair. I've had dreads now for about 8 months, started : : them out last winter during the school break. I would definitely : : wait until the weather is a little cooler to begin dreading your : : hair. This hot weather is murdering my scalp. : : : : I thought about all the possibilities and responsibilities before I : : dreaded my hair. You cant brush it, bye bye scalp. You dont wash : it : : as frequently (I wash my hair 'bout once a week with a natural, : : organic, homemade soap.) And when you grow tired of the dreads, : you : : have to practically shave your head. Dreadlocks are not for folks : : who change their hair style (or hair color) frequently. I had my : : hair long and straight for the past ten years. I was ready for a : : change, but didn't want a short lil' bob like so many other trendy : : yuppies. I love my hair long, but since getting dreads, the length : : of my hair has shrunk in half. My hair that once reached my butt : now : : falls only a little past my shoulders, the hair is wound and : knotted : : in the dreadlocks. That's okay, I know in a few years my knotted : : hair will be a bit longer, then I'll be able to do crazy Princess : : Leia type hairstyles (hooray!). Incindentally, my hair is kinda : : thin, very fine, like cornsilk. I was never really able to handle : : hair sticks or any number or cool accessories. But now I've got : all : : this hair and can put all kinds of toys in there. : : : : A word about knotting your hair with a beeswax product like knotty : : boy stuff: whatever you put into your dreads, stays in your : dreads. : : K-boy is fine for your initial knotting up, but other than that, : : leave it alone, that stuff just gunks up into your hair, it doesnt : : wash out! : : : : Dreadlocks require a different hair treatment than white people : : hair. I normally apply a little jojoba or hemp oil to my scalp : after : : I wash my hair and it is (air and sunshine) dry. If I get an itchy : : or dandruffy scalp, which is happening this summer because it's so : : hot and humid, I will make a hair wash which I spray on my scalp. : : Sometimes I use chamomile water or a rinse made with distilled : water : : and lavendar, rosemary, recently experimented with cajeput and : found : : it made my scalp really dry. When in smelly or smoky environments, : : wear a scarf or hat over your hair. Being in Paris this summer : : taught me a lesson about that. I would go home to the dorm after a : : hard day of trekking around the city to find my hair reeked of the : : metro, and the metro dont smell good! : : : : Dreadlocks are not just for rastafarians. Dreads have been around : : for a long, long time and have been present in every culture at : some : : point. Something I just found out recently is that in England, : after : : the Conqueror did his thing in 1066, it became fashionable for men : to : : wear their hair really long, their tresses, moustaches, and beards : : became all dreaded! Finally some king dude, William II or : somebody, : : had to issue an edict (the church was riding his ass about it) to : get : : everybody to cut their hair a little shorter! Let's not even get : : started about how long the medieval chicas wore their hair, they : had : : braids tho, not dreads. : : : : I'm sure I left something out, let me know if you have questions! : : : : ~Darlahood
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