How are dreads made?
First the hair is sectioned into sections roughly 0.5inches to 1inch wide and secured with rubber bands then the hair is back combed into dreadlocks. This can take around 15-20 minutes per section. Once back combed the dread is palm rolled, waxed then palm rolled again. Loose hairs are either crocheted or sewn in to make tidy looking dreads.. Wax, bands, lock accelerator etc are optional, but I prefer to discuss the pros and cons in person with customers so their dreads are made in a way they feel 100% comfortable.
There is more than one method to make dreadlocks but I use this method for a few reasons. 1) It’s the most universal method and generally works on all hair types. 2) Dreads made this way look like dreads straight away and well maintained dreads can reach maturity within 3-4months.
Can I wash my dreads?
Yes! Only dirty people have dirty dreads. Hair ideally needs to be clean to lock up nicely J When your hair is in dreads you need to wash your hair less because of reduced oil production on the scalp. Usually I’d recommend washing every 5-9 days. If you do a lot of physical activity or have a dirty job you may prefer to wash your dreadlocks twice a week.
You do need to use a residue free shampoo such as Dreadhead HQ or Knotty Boy shampoo. The shampoo needs to be soap free as soap and conditioners leave residue which causes your dreads to slide out and fall apart which is not such a good look. You also need to take great care in making sure you rinse your hair properly – rinsing all the dirt and residues out is more important than shampooing. Proper rinsing and drying of your dreads helps to prevent nasty moulds and bacteria forming in your hair.
What can I wash my dreads with?
Again, any residue free soap. I recommend dreadhead Hq dread shampoo. It’s residue free, helps tighten your dreads up and doesn’t have a scent. A lot of my friends use this product and it lasts for ages. Check out www.dreadheadhq.com for more information)
How do I maintain my dreads?
Regular maintainance in the first 3-4 months is crucial. Dreads can also mature faster with wool wrapping and lots of regular crochet hook action. Other than that it’s a bit of a waiting game. Regular maintainace, palm rolling and waxing can have them looking phat really fast and help push things along a bit. A lot of people advocate just letting nature take it’s course and leaving your dreads be but for more manicured looking dreads I recommend plenty love, care and maintainace. Also wearing a woollen tam and beanie can help dreads ‘settle’ as dreads are a bit springy when first done. Check the links section for some links to good dreadlock maintainence demos and tips.
Should this be happening and other maintainence questions.
Itchy Scalp:
If your dreads are mature check out dreadhead hq lock butta or a similar dread lock and sca;lp moisturiser. However I wouldn’t recommend use on dreadlocks less than 8 or 9 months old. Please email me any personal reviews of dreadlock moisturisers and how you got on with them J I’m always looking for new products that work to recommend to my clients.
Unfortunately while your dreads are maturing an itchy scalp is part and parcel of having dreads. This usually gets less once your scalp has gotten used to your hair being in dreads and the hair learning to sit in a different way. Usually scalp tightness will occur after dread installation or maintainence sessions. This should go away after 1-2 days. If the itching is unbearable or continues for longer than 3-4 days you should contact your loctician and (or) GP. I’m happy to say how ever that normal dread related scalp itching is bearable if slightly irritating but not painful!
What does wrapping your dreads do?
Wrapping your dreads can help push the air out and tighten them a bit faster. They also look pretty cool and can be used as decoration in mature dreads.
How do I maintain my dreads?
For the first few months I recommend having the roots of your dreads banded to help encourage the roots to dread. Some locticians say bands are bad and cause damage to the hair but in my experience using specialist braiding bands cause no damage to your hair. In some cases banding the ends can help the ends dread together faster in the first couple of months but it’s not essential to the maintainece of your dreadlocks.
When washing your dreads concentrate on rinsing all the residue from your dreads. Drying is also very important. Squeeze the excess water out of your dreads into a towel, you may need two towels to take all the water. You can use a hairdryer to make sure your dreads are completely dry.. While your dreads are drying palm roll them and separate your dreads at the roots to help prevent dreads matting together and help your dreads maintain their shape. Palm rolling is also recommended between washes to encourage fuzzies back in when waxing and again to help maintain your dreads shape.
Clockwise rubbing or root rubbing is a great technique for encouraging your roots to continue dreading and a way to tidy up minimal frizzy hairs with not too much effort. To use the clock wise rubbing technique you take your index and middle finger and grip the dread root between them so your fingertips are touching your scalp and rub the root clockwise. There is a good demo of this technique and others on the dreadhead hq website.
What fibre are the synthetic dreads are made from?
Most of our synthetic hair is made from 100% Kanekalon jumbo braid.
Other synthetic fibres that can be used are yarn, cyberlox, roving or felt and various other fabrics. Actually with a little creativity the options are (Almost) endless…
How are synthetic dreads made?
Synthetic dreads made from Kanekalon are made in a similar way to natural dreads, backcombed into shape then heat sealed with wet heat to keep their shape.
· Details on other methods of synth dread making available on request*
How are wool or roving dreads made?
Wool and roving dreads are made in a variety of ways from felting to twisting. I generally felt my dreads in hot water.
How do I wash my falls/dread kit?
You can wash your falls by putting them in a pillowcase and popping them in a 60 degree wash. Then hang them out to dry.
*please note cleaning instructions for the different fibres are available on request*
My kits looking a bit worn, what can I do?
You can either re-steam them your self or alternatively you can hand them back into us to be re-steamed and tightened up at the fraction of the cost of a new dread kit.
How long does it take to make a dread kit?
Our current turnover time is 3 days.
How long does it take to install a dread kit?
On average a full head of synthetic dreads takes 3-6 hours to install.
How do I install falls?
Step one: Put your hair into bunches or a bun
Step two: Put on your hair piece so it falls to the wrong side of your head (right bun falls to the left and vice versa)
Step three: Secure the elastic to the pony tail/bun
Step four: Arrange the hair so it falls to the right side. You can use scarves and other hair accessories to provide a bit character and stability for the hair piece.
Step five: Hit the town looking like a dreadie goddess ;)
How long can I wear my dread kit for?
Anything up to three months for on the scalp styles. Falls tend to be more temporary. Usually falls can be worn for a few hours.
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