Question about elastics

[james]

Yeah, so the elastic bands will stop your hair loosening and keep them as they are.
Unfortunately you actually want your hair to loosen and move about, this is how those dreads are going to continue knotting, with all that movement. They will come half undone before knotting up again months and months later.
No harm in leaving them at the ends for a bit but it will delay what's going to eventually happen. Just never leave them at the roots as the tightness can cause week spots and dread breakages. It's generally pointless leaving them in but you might want to hold on to that look before they go bonkers. And never leave elastic bands in for months as besides creating weak breakages they can start dissolve with heat and turn icky. But you won't do any harm if left just for the short term.
The sections are going to naturally dread from the root over months, so in a few months ( even if then that back combing come completely loose it would be knotted in by your scalp) If you want that back combing to evolve into dreads then the elastic a will hinder it as it can't move and tangle more.
Long answer.
Usually we'd say take them out but you can leave it for a bit, because it will come undone before locking up again when you just let it go do its thing.

[Deleted]

here's my two cents (two pence? )

um...ok, I htink I have or had the same thing going on. My ends were knotting up quicker than my roots...and we have similar hair it seems. A few things to note, although it wasn't consistent with all of my dread potentials...I DID have bands at the roots, but only on some and only for a few days, weeks. (i was slowly taking them out or they would just fall out)

So, the bands could have been part of why the knotting was slowed, but i did have one knot up regardless. This band I cut out because it was getting knotted up. Anyway

I hope i didn't miss anything...

what I came to realize is that you don't have to do anything really. Like complete neglect you don't even section (although I do need some sections because I have only partials and i have sensitive areas on my scalp so i have to be very careful what hairs go where blah blah blah) but like there are some great timelines on here that proove you don't have to do anything...thinking Wells's right now because we started about the same time but he did NOT use bands (i think) and his looked better than mine did...until I learned better.

oh, one last thing I forgot, if your sections are too small...they might take longer to dread...yes, I didn't even think it was normal that i wasn't getting dreads by month one...but really, it could just take that long and like I said, for me...for us maybe...i go to Wells's timeline to see if I'm on the right track. hey wells!

and naturally, James has a great neglect story too...he just is one of the fortunate ones with curls (haha j/p. i mean I really like curls, but I really like straight hair too. )

best on your journey Kevin!

[Deleted]

May 22, 2016 19:02:40 GMT james said:

The sections are going to naturally dread from the root over months, so in a few months ( even if then that back combing come completely loose it would be knotted in by your scalp) If you want that back combing to evolve into dreads then the elastic a will hinder it as it can't move and tangle more.

yes, see maybe this is why my backcombing didn't stay at first by my scalp (the bands)! I didn't really do extensive backcombing, but I later realized the importance of doing at the roots and I just focused on that section. Lots of root rubbing/towel rubbing these days...I can't leave well enough alone. It will knot, but I get restless.

this message is for you both or anyone interested in this topic.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the replies so far. Pretty much confirming what I have read about bands. The person who suggested I leave them on for a while had such nice locs that I felt like I should consider her advice.

Regarding my section size, I am thinking going any bigger will result in too few young dreads. I would prefer them to be thin enough to dry quickly (I live in a very humid climate). Hoping for around sharpie size if they fatten up later, with the understanding I can't control that too much given my hair.

[Deleted]

Sorry sorry! I forgot to answer...yes, the dreads will thicken...or maybe a little. I wanted largish sections, but when they are short, they do not look so good on my head...(little background, I have a first set of partials with a crocheted method...so they are pretty mature for 5 months and I had to split two of them, well one I redid early on, the other I split...do not do as I did tho)
Anyway, yea I am starting smaller this time (or naturally)...and I know they get a little bigger (wider and then longer)

Yeah, so to respond to what you said (and sorry I keep jumping in, but I can relate here I agree, starting smaller for quick drying and also they will get bigger(fatter). Yes, had been frustratingly waiting for them to grow LONGER for two months, but whatthey weredoing was getting more thick. Eventually they are growing out (I think...although I split the one and undid the ends of others so I can't really accurately measure, but one centimeter one my two earliest was enough encouragement)

Yeah, if your hair is as short as your profile pic, be aware that they might shrink alot...although, I believe the perk with a more neglect approach is that they will grow as they shrink so you might not get the noticable shrinkage??? I am hoping for this anyway but I personally wouldnt want fat short dreads so...the fact thatthey get bigger as time goes makes me prefer thinner dreads to start and let them mature all over in proper time.

I am really terrible these days at condensing my thoughts. Hope this wasnt too terrible and made sense.

[Deleted]

Thanks, I appreciate your thoughts very much!