Work conditions and dreads

[bourbondreads]

Hey there.

I'm new to this site and I dont have dreads. I did start dreads when I was 18 and ended up brushing them out after a month. That was due to the fact I wasnt educated on how to keep them clean. The dandruff and itchiness drove me insane.
Now, the reason I am making this thread is because of where I work. Not because they wont allow me to have them but, of the conditions I work in. It gets extremely hot. No air and no circulating air. I sweat like crazy! there is mold and dust and other crazy things and creatures. So my question is, would it be safe for me to start dreads? How would I keep them clean after that type of work? Right now, my hair as is brushes up against stuff. I just dont want to stink and have things growing in my hair because of work. Looking for opinions. Thanks in advance guys... oh, I'm Brandy by the way.

[lipstic]

No one wants to stink or have dirty dreads. If you're able to cover them at work I would strongly suggest it. If not at least keep them tied back.

If you need to wash them more often make sure they dry completely before covering them, or confining them in any way or wetting them again. This may require a blow dryer. I find it helpful to use baking soda if I need to wash my scalp more than once a week. I put it on dry hair and let it soak up the oils then add a bit of water and scrub gently. Then I follow with a vinegar rinse. There are other ways of doing this you can check some of them out on this forum.

If you just need a quick pick me up I like to use a mix of witch hazel (alcohol free) and some essential oil. Spray a small amount in the air and shake my hair into the cloud; kind of like perfume. Don't do this often as everything you put into your dreads has a tendency to build up so make sure you wash your hair as soon as you can after doing this.

Good luck let us know what works for you.

[Dreadlocktruth]

Lipstic gave all the advice you need, really. But just to second, if you can cover your locks up then that would be a big plus.

[bourbondreads]

Thanks you all. I would definitely have to cover my hair up. I've been washing my hair less and refrained from using conditioner. Just trying to prepare my hair/scalp to produce less oil. I've seen some sea salt spray on here that's suppose to help with locking process and also smells nice. Might look into that. Sea salt spray actually help though??

[Dreadlocktruth]

If you don't live near the sea and can't dunk directly into it then sea salt spray is definitely a good way to hasten the locking process. It varies by hair type but I've seen some people have very fast results.

Apple Cider Vinegar is a good cleaning agent for hair as it will remove debris.

[james]

All this stuff, salt spray, ways of washing, eventually becomes irrelevant once your dreads are fully formed. I was like you in the early years and thinking all about it. Now 10 years on it just hair. It doesn’t get greasy but I wash it once a week to feel clean and I enjoy drowning in a bath, tufts of new hair stick out every few months so you poke them into a dread nearby to tidy it up and as they get longer you can tie them up in a bun or whatever to keep them out your face. You shouldn’t have any problems different from normal hair with mould or dirt if you just keep washing your hair and letting it dry. It’s really the easiest hair do once it’s set in.

[james]

So am I some freak that just gets by. Never had an issue washing my hair. I always water shampoo down in a bottle of water to its minimum so I guess I never have harsh chemicals on my head. You know I suffer from acne and skin issues but I’ve never had a problem on the top of my head. I’m late 30’s and have back acne like a teenager which horrifies me but my head is balanced. Shame the inside of my mind is all crazy.

[james]

Arg Paul you removed your comment. Now mine makes no sense. 😁

[Dreadlocktruth]

Haha sorry.... I actually went to delete it right after I posted because I thought "eh, it doesn't really add anything for my to say that" but my mouse needs replacing as the button doesn't always "click" and so I went away and didn't spot that it hadn't deleted until I came back. You must have been typing when I clicked it again. ;p

[Dreadlocktruth]

But yeah I mean the scalp issues are something that are a thing if you suffer from a condition, so if you don't, then you wouldn't realise the difference in experience. If you talk to people who suffer from it the worst, you'll hear that you touch your scalp and find scabs everywhere around the roots of your dreads. I haven't had that problem since I started using T/Gel all those years back, thankfully.

[james]

So I must be lucky that way. Considering I get outbreaks of spots on my face and body my head has always been fine. Not dry, not greasy, probably the most normal part of me.
Off topic but I’ve been on antibiotics for 6 months for this cystic acne. I no longer have lumps on my face, I look fine but my back started getting them which I never had before. I don’t think I should keep taking antibiotics, it’s not good. So I’ve stopped. I’ll just start again if I turn hideous. But yeah I’m not talking of spots, these were painful lumps scaring me. Ooh glad I don’t have them now. I forget how bad it feels.
But back to topic.
Yes dreads are best 😉

[bourbondreads]

James, as a teenager I had horrible acne on my face. I went to the doctors and got prescribed a medicine, I believe an antibiotic and it seemed like my acne went from my face to my back as well. Wonder if that's a thing? I no longer suffer from it anymore. I just stopped taking the meds. Hope that helps.
Thanks for the info guys. I cant wait to start!