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Post by Stratocaster777 on Jun 21, 2016 2:35:05 GMT
Hey there, I just signed in this forum after months of reading your posts  I will keep it short: my dreadlocks just look ugly! They've got flat roots (I wanted them more puffy and voluminous!), sections are too visible for me expecially on top, right where I wanted some fullness  , they aren't thick as I wanted them to be (some of them are luckily congoing). I've always had straight hair on top and wavy/curly on the sides and and the back (don't ask me why eheh), I haven't so many hair but they are thick as well... I wash my locks every 2-3 days with thyme oil and I do hot and then cold water rinses, drying them roots with just 10-15 minutes of airdryer on cold air setup and dry the dreads at the sun, or near my fireplace if it's late or it's raining. I've got about 40 dreadlocks, and they are not very long, only some of them goes behind my shoulders and they are 15 months now! I did them with backcombing and twist and rip methods and crochet, stopped maintenance like a year ago and some tiny dreadlocks formed alone. There are some loose hair here and there but maybe is the only thing I appreciate of them now along with the new dreadlocks spontaneous forming. So after all this... Have you got any tips to make them more full? And how to make sections "go away from my eyes"? I liked the lion mane I had when stopped combing my hair and with the help of a bit of backcombing... But I will settle with just some fullness and the hiding of the sections |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2016 2:46:12 GMT
Flat roots? I think that's normal? Ugh, I am hating my roots right now! But not really them, just how they look compared to the straight or undreaded hair I left in. Bleh!
you can try root rubbing for fullness, but it is temporary...or will take time? I'm not too far in the journey (6months with crochet early on) to say for certain about root fullness. The flatness might be from rectangular shaped sections...I am wondering thatmyself today.
"Go away from your eyes"...umean the lose hairs? Not really done this much yet personally, but you can wrap them around a closedread and they will eventually get sucked into thatdread.
Welcome! Hope we can help!
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Post by Stratocaster777 on Jun 21, 2016 3:04:08 GMT
Hey there haircare! Thank you for your reply I tried root rubbing in these days but, unluckily, I don't see any improvement at all.. I also tried wool rubbing, it helped a little bit (expecially in congoing some dreads) but I it make my hair feel dirty and I hate that feeling! With "sections 'go away from my eyes'" I mean to make sections less visible (or hopefully totally invisible)... Another strange thing about my roots is that where my hair is normally wavy/curly they are fine and it seems that the dreadlocks there are just big as the roots, but where my hair is straight they are totally stucked to my head, flat, and the roots are bigger than the lock itself and than it makes my top head look like a chessboard... |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2016 3:13:23 GMT
A little out of my expertise, because I didn't like really section or do my full head. checkerboard thing sounds typical. I forget what others have said...I think they wiLl growout to hideit some??? Actually, really re reading this. If I am making sense of it... well, ok I just don't want to say anything out of my expertise. Someone will be along sooner or later to help! best wishes! oh sorry, the root rubbing...well yeah, just temporary. Takes time. The wool, I think I know what you mean...like a bit of a hair smell? Idk, I wouldnt say dirty though. Its Iike friction smell no? Awe, i love it! But you could also just use your hands too! |
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Post by Stratocaster777 on Jun 21, 2016 3:26:07 GMT
Thank you very much for your reply again, really! Alright, I'll wait for someone other to reply too .. Thank you I've never smelled something like friction smell, or any other smell out of my hair (exception for thyme), I meant the dirt feeling, it's not that it makes my hair dirty, just the feeling.. brr I can't stand it D: |
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Post by willowbranches on Jun 21, 2016 3:50:00 GMT
Time is the best answer for both your flat root and visible section problems.
My roots have gained volume over time, but on the other hand if your new growth dreading doesn't happen until a couple inches from your scalp then it might not gain much other than from its own diameter taking up space as they thicken. It's also possible that the thyme oil is weighing them down if you're not also using a soap or detergent to wash.
My sections are also still very distinct, at least on top, but I know this will gradually change as hair at the seams falls into the dread and the new growth finds its way into a different dread, over and over.
It could take a very long time--dreads are not a brief adventure! But once they've been through most of the initial process (which takes a different amount of time for everyone) and settle in to themselves they'll be awesome ^_^
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Post by Stratocaster777 on Jun 21, 2016 4:45:52 GMT
Hello willowbranches, thanks for your reply You think that only time will tell? It's been 15 months now, I read somewhere that over 12 months there will not be big changes anymore, so is this fake? I noticed that my roots are pretty dreaded I think, most of them (expecially behind and on the sides) are tough to the touch... Hope something will change... Fast! I've waited so much and I still don't like them as I would! Is recommended to use a soap or detergent? I've never used anything except thyme oil (exception for when I go in the sea ) on them. If yes is there something I should know or some products better than others? |
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Post by Dreadlocktruth on Jun 21, 2016 7:07:46 GMT
Honestly, this isn't the answer you want, I'm sure, but there's only a certain amount you can do to determine how your dreads will look and, for the rest, your hair type etc will determine it. I also dreamed of having locks with big, full roots but my hair just won't do that.... I also used to hate having curly ends and would relentlessly try to knot them up but it's a losing battle and, now, the curls are one of the unique features of my set.
So I guess what I'm saying is you have to learn to love your dreads for what they ARE and not try to force them into something else. Your hair will do what it wants and precisely nothing else and, once you come to accept that, you'll find a new appreciation for how they look. And I know how bad that prospect sounds when you first hear it - just letting go of what you WANT them to look like - but once you get on the other side, it's a great place to be.
I'm also positive that your dreads don't look like crap, either. If you're comfortable sharing a photo then perhaps that would help (and might also lead to a few more accurate suggestions and tips)? You can upload to sites like imgur.com and then post the link here.
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chad
Junior Dreads
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Post by chad on Jun 21, 2016 14:09:05 GMT
Honestly, this isn't the answer you want, I'm sure, but there's only a certain amount you can do to determine how your dreads will look and, for the rest, your hair type etc will determine it. I also dreamed of having locks with big, full roots but my hair just won't do that.... I also used to hate having curly ends and would relentlessly try to knot them up but it's a losing battle and, now, the curls are one of the unique features of my set. So I guess what I'm saying is you have to learn to love your dreads for what they ARE and not try to force them into something else. Your hair will do what it wants and precisely nothing else and, once you come to accept that, you'll find a new appreciation for how they look. And I know how bad that prospect sounds when you first hear it - just letting go of what you WANT them to look like - but once you get on the other side, it's a great place to be. I'm also positive that your dreads don't look like crap, either. If you're comfortable sharing a photo then perhaps that would help (and might also lead to a few more accurate suggestions and tips)? You can upload to sites like imgur.com and then post the link here. What he said! The absolute MOMENT I stopped trying to get my dreads to do... Well... Anything I wanted them to do.. I became a thousand times happier with them AND the process (this being my 3rd set and my first basically just saying eff it!). You're over a year into it so I understand your concern and frustration but my advice would be to stick it out and forget about em (minus washing of course) , checking in to see how they're don't every month or so... You may also try being a little more aggressive with them during washes as my actions initially were VERY visible until I spent a few washes ravaging them.. Just a thought. Good luck! PS... Pictures!!! |
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Post by willowbranches on Jun 21, 2016 15:53:39 GMT
When it comes down to it, MacabreMagpie and chad are right, they'll best do what they want if left to do what they want, but 12 months is definitely not a span in which to expect them to be 'done'--it can take significantly longer than that, it all depends on a variety of factors that add up to a different situation for everyone. Mine were still far from finished at 15 months, and now at 22 months they're established and distinctly dreads but definitely still developing and changing, if very slowly at this point. If you can let go of any expectations and just hang in there for the ride it's a very rewarding experience  Soap or detergent is not strictly necessary, many people use baking soda instead, but you do want to remove any oil residue (whether that's from oil application or just your natural scalp secretions) as oils tend to be conditioning and therefore the process could be impaired. You won't really know unless you try an actual cleanser and see if it makes a difference, detergent is recommended if you have hard water. |
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Post by dave on Jun 21, 2016 16:48:24 GMT
They certainly keep changing after 12 months.. Mine continue to evolve after years! They will gain volume over time (from hair that would have fallen out being trapped and adding to it) but the roots will always be thinner as that is purely new growth with no added 'fallen out hair'
The best way to cover obvious sectioning is just to leave them be. The loose hair will spider-web across the scalp covering it up (mine was very obvious at the beginning but now my scalp is nowhere to be seen)
As for keeping them out your face, one way that got rid of mine was to crochet the front one to the next one along, pulling it back a bit out of my face, but this will result in a chunkier dread.
And for length.. Good luck xD only time will change that.. A LOT of time. I watched a vid update if mine from a year ago and mine haven't grown at all, aside from thickening!
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Post by Stratocaster777 on Jun 21, 2016 17:22:04 GMT
Thank you guys all for your replies! You all are very kind and friendly... So I think I'm going to sit and watch them doing what they want. Today is locks-washing-day, I'll be more aggressive with washing as chad said, and I think I'll try baking soda if I've still got some at home... By the way, is there something to do to quicken the hiding of sections? A good thing is that, as dave and willowbranches said, they will keep changing after years! (For MacabreMagpie and chad: I'll take some pictures later when I'll be home, let me know what you think if you want) |
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Post by missyannie on Jun 21, 2016 19:52:56 GMT
I have two year old neglect dreads. I can also attest that with neglect dreads you just let your hair do it's thing because there isn't anything to be done about it anyway.
For the first six months of my neglect dreads I obsessed over them quite a bit and drove myself crazy. Then just said fuck it and totally stopped caring except to rip apart knots. I have three mega dreads and some that are really really thin. Lots that are normal sized. The sectioning is crazy. But I've had little problems with pulling and I think they look great. The neglect method isn't for you if you want perfect dreads with great sectioning. ButThey will look awesome.
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Post by Stratocaster777 on Jun 21, 2016 21:12:13 GMT
Hey there missyannie! Thanks for your reply... I thought about cut all my locks and start it again with freeforming them, but I don't want to waste all now... I hate how they look on top but I still love them hahah contrasting relationship on the road with my dreadlocks... Also I'm not aiming at perfect dreadlocks or well sectioned ones, I'm aiming to the opposite so: messy, big ones, thin ones, lion mane volume, and no visible sections... But now the damage is done, I've made them with backcombing and twist and rip + crochet, and I have to wait to hope to see what I'm looking for
Is there something I can do to hide this flatty-chessboard on the top of my head?
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Post by Stratocaster777 on Jun 25, 2016 17:03:30 GMT
Nothing?
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, they aren't thick as I wanted them to be (some of them are luckily congoing). I've always had straight hair on top and wavy/curly on the sides and and the back (don't ask me why eheh), I haven't so many hair but they are thick as well... I wash my locks every 2-3 days with thyme oil and I do hot and then cold water rinses, drying them roots with just 10-15 minutes of airdryer on cold air setup and dry the dreads at the sun, or near my fireplace if it's late or it's raining. I've got about 40 dreadlocks, and they are not very long, only some of them goes behind my shoulders and they are 15 months now! I did them with backcombing and twist and rip methods and crochet, stopped maintenance like a year ago and some tiny dreadlocks formed alone. There are some loose hair here and there but maybe is the only thing I appreciate of them now along with the new dreadlocks spontaneous forming.
