I wanted to grow dreadlocks from a very young age. It may have something to do with seeing the father figure in my life growing them since I was a child, it may have something to do with acknowledging my black heritage, could be the fact that it makes bushy hair easy to manage, but is most probably because they look awesome when done correctly!
Anyone with decent dreads will know about the mental preparation required. Growing dreads is not something you will do for a long time or well if your not prepared, mostly because of most peoples ignorant views on dreads, creating false representations, such as not washing them, having to be black or Rasta, or have a rebellious nature or your against society. Honestly I couldn't care less about what people with that type of mind set think about me, but ignorance to ignorance is still ignorance. Its shocking just how many people out there genuinely believe that you leave your hair and don't wash it to locks up. Some of these people are intelligent and open minded, but due to an almost secret mysterious like air surrounding the topic there isn't allot of information out there about the hair style, and what information is available seems to lack consistency. Please know that all I write here is based 100% on my research into growing, growing my own, and helping others to grow their own dreadlocks.
First thing is first washing. YES you can wash your dreads, its heavily recommended. People who tend to not wash dreads are commonly known not do so for believes/faith or reasons along those lines, or are just lazy. It not essential to wash them but most dread heads do wash them, especially those with Caucasian or mixed type hair. If you don't wash your dreads or don't wash them properly they will smell, they will be nasty, and they may even rot. Those with Afro type hair do not TEND to wash there hair AS MUCH as it is not needed. People with Afro hair scalps do not produce as much grease as with other hair types, and this is what keeps your hair hydrated and healthy. Washing too much would wash what little there is there causing flakes, irritation, and very dry unhealthier hair. Washing dreads properly is no simple process, for starters you don't even want to think about washing them with anything you'll just pick up of a shelf at the supermarket. If you take a look at the label of, and I'm confident to say, ANY hair care product available from your super market you'll see chemical you cannot pronounce after chemical you cannot pronounce. These chemicals are commonly known as residues. These are what is left in your hair after you have rinsed out the shampoo or conditioner in question, and are what leaves hair smelling nice, feeling soft, and 'looking' healthy. Even commercial specialist dreadlock The problem is you don't want to leave ANYTHING in your dreads, especially if you really don't know what it is! These residues in the most extreme cases can start to mould and cause dread rot, literally when your dreadlocks rot away... not pleasant. I personally use a mixture of baking soda, various essential oils, sea salt, and sometimes lemon, orange and lime juices, to wash may hair. Baking soda is the best thing to use in your hair I found for washing out grease/wax and is not aggressive on the hair itself, essential oils as many people know, carry properties that are good for the skin and hair, such as tea tree oil for keeping away bacteria and is good for the scalp. Sea salt and lemon are used to help your hard dread up nice and tight and also a bit quicker too. Everything but the oils eventfully dry out of the hair if dried properly, this is why only small amount is usually used.
If dreads are not dried out properly the dreaded dread stink WILL happen. Imagine a towel still damp thrown down and not let to dry out evenly or fully, it gets that nasty dampish smell. Well its the same with dreads. Do you honestly think that anyone with dreads would want to walk about with this smell around them constantly?
Now, if I know exactly what it is I'm putting in my hair, surely I would know how clean my hair is better than someone who does not really know what's in their hair, no?
I am often displeased when I receive a compliment regarding the scent from my hair, the way people say 'oh your hair smells nice' or 'what shampoo do you use, it smells nice' or whatever along those lines, it's said with genuine shock. So as I have decided to grow locks you assumed I would have to let my hygiene slip? If anything any one who has dreads that cares for them properly is likely to have more hygienic hair than someone using commercial hair care products, it's just because we are lead to believe that the chemicals in their products are good for the hair and scalp. What needs to be realise is floral smelling, grease like shiny/shimmery hair is not hygienic, its nice, not hygienic. Surely what is natural and what has been used for century's and proven many times to be most effective would be better over man made, (sometimes)aggressive chemicals, that are apparently what you need for your hair, but are changed to be the 'best ever formula' almost monthly.
The fact of the matter is most people who believe dreads are made from having dirty hair will 9 times out of 10 have dirtier hair that people who do clean their dreads properly, and with this entry it will no longer annoy me when people make the assumption I'm not hygienic, now I know the knowledge is out there, it will make me chuckle with pity for their ignorance.
Anyone with decent dreads will know about the mental preparation required. Growing dreads is not something you will do for a long time or well if your not prepared, mostly because of most peoples ignorant views on dreads, creating false representations, such as not washing them, having to be black or Rasta, or have a rebellious nature or your against society. Honestly I couldn't care less about what people with that type of mind set think about me, but ignorance to ignorance is still ignorance. Its shocking just how many people out there genuinely believe that you leave your hair and don't wash it to locks up. Some of these people are intelligent and open minded, but due to an almost secret mysterious like air surrounding the topic there isn't allot of information out there about the hair style, and what information is available seems to lack consistency. Please know that all I write here is based 100% on my research into growing, growing my own, and helping others to grow their own dreadlocks.
First thing is first washing. YES you can wash your dreads, its heavily recommended. People who tend to not wash dreads are commonly known not do so for believes/faith or reasons along those lines, or are just lazy. It not essential to wash them but most dread heads do wash them, especially those with Caucasian or mixed type hair. If you don't wash your dreads or don't wash them properly they will smell, they will be nasty, and they may even rot. Those with Afro type hair do not TEND to wash there hair AS MUCH as it is not needed. People with Afro hair scalps do not produce as much grease as with other hair types, and this is what keeps your hair hydrated and healthy. Washing too much would wash what little there is there causing flakes, irritation, and very dry unhealthier hair. Washing dreads properly is no simple process, for starters you don't even want to think about washing them with anything you'll just pick up of a shelf at the supermarket. If you take a look at the label of, and I'm confident to say, ANY hair care product available from your super market you'll see chemical you cannot pronounce after chemical you cannot pronounce. These chemicals are commonly known as residues. These are what is left in your hair after you have rinsed out the shampoo or conditioner in question, and are what leaves hair smelling nice, feeling soft, and 'looking' healthy. Even commercial specialist dreadlock The problem is you don't want to leave ANYTHING in your dreads, especially if you really don't know what it is! These residues in the most extreme cases can start to mould and cause dread rot, literally when your dreadlocks rot away... not pleasant. I personally use a mixture of baking soda, various essential oils, sea salt, and sometimes lemon, orange and lime juices, to wash may hair. Baking soda is the best thing to use in your hair I found for washing out grease/wax and is not aggressive on the hair itself, essential oils as many people know, carry properties that are good for the skin and hair, such as tea tree oil for keeping away bacteria and is good for the scalp. Sea salt and lemon are used to help your hard dread up nice and tight and also a bit quicker too. Everything but the oils eventfully dry out of the hair if dried properly, this is why only small amount is usually used.
If dreads are not dried out properly the dreaded dread stink WILL happen. Imagine a towel still damp thrown down and not let to dry out evenly or fully, it gets that nasty dampish smell. Well its the same with dreads. Do you honestly think that anyone with dreads would want to walk about with this smell around them constantly?
Now, if I know exactly what it is I'm putting in my hair, surely I would know how clean my hair is better than someone who does not really know what's in their hair, no?
I am often displeased when I receive a compliment regarding the scent from my hair, the way people say 'oh your hair smells nice' or 'what shampoo do you use, it smells nice' or whatever along those lines, it's said with genuine shock. So as I have decided to grow locks you assumed I would have to let my hygiene slip? If anything any one who has dreads that cares for them properly is likely to have more hygienic hair than someone using commercial hair care products, it's just because we are lead to believe that the chemicals in their products are good for the hair and scalp. What needs to be realise is floral smelling, grease like shiny/shimmery hair is not hygienic, its nice, not hygienic. Surely what is natural and what has been used for century's and proven many times to be most effective would be better over man made, (sometimes)aggressive chemicals, that are apparently what you need for your hair, but are changed to be the 'best ever formula' almost monthly.
The fact of the matter is most people who believe dreads are made from having dirty hair will 9 times out of 10 have dirtier hair that people who do clean their dreads properly, and with this entry it will no longer annoy me when people make the assumption I'm not hygienic, now I know the knowledge is out there, it will make me chuckle with pity for their ignorance.
No comments:
Post a Comment