Yeah! Dreads are fonkay!!!

Lleena said:

You sort of divide your hair up like you were going to braid it, but then you backcomb the sections instead to sort of tangle them up, and then you roll them between your hands a lot to tighten them up. It takes months to get them to look decent, I understand. But one fine day, you have a head of beautiful dreads.

tackam said:

Maybe it's just me...but it doesn't look like hair.

Anyway, of all the dreads I’ve seen, one of the most beautiful crowns belonged to a lilly white, toe-headed male classmate of mine. His dreads looked like rays of golden-white light -- it was literally awe-inspiring!

Hello, people - warning: people will look at you differently if you're outside of the norm. That was the point I was making - to be prepared for that. I've had long hair with the sides and back of my head shaved, sometimes with a onytail sticking out of the top of the back of my head - people sometimes treat you differently if you look like you belong to a subculture. If you've had "normal hair" your whole life, you might not be prepared for those kinds of reactions. Also, having white dreads will either make people think you're a hippie or trying to be black. I'm not saying I agree, but that will be most people's first impression.

And in that context, I said my peace. And I think the answer you wanted everyone to give you is this:


Don't forget,

you wrote

I just thought you might want an actual opinion. If you don't want advice, don't ask.

Tackam, for six years I had dreads, as did many of my friends of various ethnicities in my undergraduate years. We loved our hair. It was more than just a hairstyle to us, and I say if your personality can support having dreads, by all means allow yourself the experience. A few things…

I happen to be Black, but I've got my Irish dad's very loosely curled hair, so my dreads took literally months to “take.” Unless you have the very kinky hair that some of my Italian or Jewish friends have, your hair is generally finer, straighter and, while it will easily become “ratty,” is less given to tightly curling around itself, which essentially is what dreading is. As a result, my white friends with dreads needed tons of commitment, patience and support, so make sure you have those things. One interesting thing: While kinky-haired people’s dreads tighten much faster, it takes longer to see length because their hair grows in spirals. You’ll encounter the opposite -- your dreads will get long rapidly, but tighten (and thereby look neater) considerably slower. You’re probably gonna look shitty in the interim (as I did), so buy a really cool -- and spacious -- hat! Anyway, of all the dreads I’ve seen, one of the most beautiful crowns belonged to a lilly white, toe-headed male classmate of mine. His dreads looked like rays of golden-white light -- it was literally awe-inspiring!

My advice is, as you said, braid it, backcomb it, perhaps add a light amount of bee’s wax to keep it clumped. Don’t listen to fools who tell you to add honey or some other bug-attracting crap! Also, contrary to popular belief, you can wash dreads regularly, but, again, if your hair is very straight, this may impede the dreading process. Here you might want to periodically run your hair under water, but not greatly disturb it by vigorously scrubbing. Also, as your hair begins to dread, it’s important to wash it regularly and keep it lent-free unless you want that bag lady look. I recommend a thin peppermint- or eucalyptus-scented soap (the Dr. Bronner’s brand is perfect) that rinses easily and can keep your hair smelling fresh. Because the interior of your dread “shafts” will dry more slowly as they gain mass, they can become stale or even mildew-smelling if you don’t take care of them. If you want HUGE planks of hair – like Marley – just let them grow without “pruning”; if you want a more manicured look, make sure you separate your roots periodically. You can add lemon juice to lighten some strands if you want to get funky later on. To keep them shiny, soft to the touch and healthy, olive oil or some other standard hair care product is a good conditioner. And it's fun to pick some essential oil for a great signature scent.

When/if you’re ready to cut them off, it’s going to be a sacrifice. As you said, you can grow your roots for some time, so you won’t be completely bald, but you will have considerably shorter hair, so be ready for it.

Lastly, this may sound hokey, but you’ll thank me for it: Whether you like it or not, your hair is going to become not only a style but a political statement – along racial, ethnic, generational, gender, perhaps even religious lines. Be ready for it. You can learn a lot about your own constitution and the attitudes of others while having dreads, but you have to be ready for those lessons. It’s a great growing experience, but it definitely is a commitment on various levels and you should think about why you want them before you try them. As an aside, there are several great websites and books on the history of dreads. I highly advise you check them out (and I'll try to post some later). NOT JUST AFRICAN-DESCENDED PEOPLE HAVE WORN THEM THROUGHOUT HISTORY, so don’t feel like you’re “not being yourself.” Live and grow.

Best of luck!!
[This message was edited Tue Mar 11 14:01:42 PST 2003 by Lammastide]

You rock, thanks so much. I'm looking forward to people's reactions, actually. I do think it will be a learning experience.

I LOVE the idea of the essential oil. Lilac dreads. . .mmm. . .

Now, you say to braid it. Eh? Braid it to make it sort of kinky first, and then un-braid it? Is that what you mean?

Out of curiosity, why did you cut yours off?

That is definately the part that gives me the most pause (cutting my hair someday). I hate how I look with short hair. But then again, with my current hair, it mostly just lives in a pony tail, so I'm not losing much. I think it will be worth it.

Thanks again.

My advice to U is to find an Afro-Amer hair stylist who has an open mind about your decision. That's the best way to understand how get the locks and well as how to maintain them as well. As far as not washing, please do wash them, you will stink and be miserable if you don't, but above all enjoy the locks!

tackam said:

there are plenty of websites that teach you how to start dreads. I would do some research first.

Tackam, for six years I had dreads...

trc said:

There are websites that specifically talk about locing fine straight hair. It is a different process.

I love dreads and they are sexy. I also like nappy headed, big ass afros...

I think I'm going to go ahead and get them started in the next couple of weeks sometime. I've never done it before, so any advice is appreciated.

Also, if there is any reason I SHOULDN'T get them, advise me now or forever hold your peace.

tackam said:

They take a LOT of work. You would need to continuously manipulate them so they will eventually dread. If your hair doesn't have any wave to it, I wouldn't suggest it. However, if you were to damage it a bit, say with a perm or color - so the cuticles on your hair stick out - it might work best.

If not properly taken care of, you will have dreads on the ends of your hair, and not throughout.If you do decide to do it, braids to start out would help a great deal.

dreads look quite bad on white people in my opinion

LaVisHh said:

I'm a little aprehensive about the maintinence, but I think it'll be ok. I don't mind spending some time on my hair, I just mind having to deal with it in the mornings when I'm late for school/work. If I can fiddle with it while I read or watch TV or whatnot I think I can keep it up. I know the roots have to be fussed with quite a bit.

My hair is pretty course and wavy, but I may still give the perm a try. I'm not sure about the braids. . .I don't want a scraggly-braids look. Especially 'cause as the roots grow out and I work on them, I would have scraggly-braids on the end of my hair and dreads at the roots.

Is there a name of the type of perm that would work best?

tackam said:


I've seen dreads started a bunch of ways. You could braid your hair, leave it like that, and just let it get natty. Or, as you mentioned, you could just section it as if you were going to braid it, then either "tease" the sections to make them shaggy, roll them in your hand with light beeswax or (probably the best bet) both. Also, you don't have to keep caking your hair with wax -- I'm suggesting add just enough in the beginning to keep the strands together. After a while, your hair will be "trained" to tangle... kind of like a bonsai tree!Basically, you'll get to know your hair after a short time, so you'll know what to do. Going to a professional wouldn't hurt, either.

As to why I cut my hair... It had been 6 years. I'd grown a lot politically, spiritually and culturally in that time, and I had gotten the grounding I needed out of dreading my hair. (Some Rastas refer to this affectionately as being "dreaded" on the inside"!) Also, from a practical standpoint, 6-years-worth of dreadlocks can be pretty heavy and cumbersome! I was ready to be more aerodynamic!

Who knows? One day I may grow them again. You definitely do become attached to your dreads on a sentimental level... and my ex-wife (my best friend) still keeps one of my locks among her most cherished possessions.

1 a : a tuft, tress, or ringlet of hair b plural : the hair of the head
2 : a cohering bunch (as of wool, cotton, or flax)