The right basis for your dreads: good sectioning
To start off it is very important that your dreads are installed with the right sectioning. When sectioning, the thickness of your hair and what is possible is taken into account. It is for example very important that the sections are not made too big or too small, so your dreads will have a steady base and will not break so you will have a nice amount of dreads that are well suited for your hair thickness. Good sectioning will ensure that your dreads will stay nice longer.
Keeping your dreads clean is very important
One of the most important things in your dread journey is keeping your dreads clean. Unfortunately a lot of people still think that you can't wash real dreads, but that is nonsense! These days there are so many good dreadlock shampoos available, these will clean your dreads very well and have them smelling amazing. Of course it is nice to have clean, fresh smelling dreads, but did you know that it is also very important for the locking process/ making your dreads stronger? When your hair is oily it will feel slippery, and slippery hair can slow down/ stop the locking process. So it is important to wash your dreads regularly so they can develop nicely.
With this comes, that it is also very important to rinse out your shampoo very well to make sure no shampoo residue is left in your dreads. Apart from the fact that it does not feel and look clean, it will also not aid in the locking process. In addition, the residue can also cause your dreads to dry slower in the long term this can cause mold to grow in your dreads. Our advice is to wash your hair about one time a week. You can read more tips on washing your dreads in this blog.
Let your dreads dry thoroughly
It is important to let your dreads dry thoroughly after washing to prevent stale smelling dreads and in extreme cases mold in your dreads. In this blog you can read more tips on how to dry your dreads.
Use the right products for your dreadlocks
Another important thing is using the right care products. Nowadays there are more products developed especially for dreadlocks. These products are targeted to giving your dreads the care they need. You can read more about why a special dread shampoo is recommended.
So it is certainly recommended to use special dread care products to stimulate the dreadprocess and the dreads becoming more compact. At Dreadshop we offer two really nice brands in our assortment: Dollylocks and RAWROOTs.
Palmrolling for even dreads
Regularly palmrolling your dreads is important if you want to prevent your dreads from shrinking too much, getting loops and bumps. Palmrolling also helps to make your dreads more compact and keeps in loose hairs.
Palmrolling is especially helpful in the first year of your dreads, this is because they are very adaptable and not as firm yet. In this case the chances of your dreads shrinking are higher. In this blog you can find more information about palmrolling.
Have your dreads regularly maintained
In order to keep your scalp healthy and your dreads looking good it is important to get them maintained regularly. Apart from the obvious, making your dreads look nice again as part of the maintenance, there are other reasons why it is important to maintain your dreads regularly. Read more on why in this blog.
How often should I get maintenance done on my dreads?
Dreadsop advises to have your dreads maintained every 3-4 months. In this blog you can read more about it.
Do you have very thin and frizzy hair? Or do you have that stubborn gray hair? Then it could be nice to get your dreads maintained every 2/ 2,5 months. We do not recommend getting your dreads maintained more than once every 2 months as this can damage your hair and might make your dreads very stiff.
Choose a method that is suitable for your hair type/ structure
There are different types of techniques of dread maintenance. For example using a crochet hook or interlock/ root- flipping. It is important to choose the maintenance method that suits your hair structure best. At the Dreadshop salon we use our crochet hook method, this method is suitable for all hair types and structures. Maintaining with our crochet-hook method we ensure an even structure and the outgrowth will look nice and full.
Prevent your dreadlocks growing together
You might have noticed before that when it has been a while since you last got you dreads maintained that there are some loose hairs from one dread that grow into the dread next to it. When you get your dreads maintained every 3 to 4 months this isn't that big of a problem, your loctician can get them out easily and crochet it into the right dread. But if you don't have your dreads maintained for six months, for example, and don't even pull the dreads apart from each other, this will get worse and worse and your dreads may eventually dread together completely. Besides the fact that this does not feel nice to your scalp, it can also “suffocate” your scalp if all your dreads tangle together by the top of your head, making it harder for it to get oxygen. Moreover, you can't wash your dreads and scalp as good so there is more chance that sebum and shampoo residue will remain on your scalp but also in your dreads. Above you have already read why this is not good for your dreads.
In some cases when the dreads are very grown together they can still be detangled again. You can contact our Salon to know the options you have in this situation.
If you are maintaining your dreads yourself and/or you usually leave longer than 3 months between touch-ups, it is recommended that you gently pull your dreads apart on a regular basis to prevent your dreads from growing together very much.
Prevent weak spots in your dreads
You don't want to get weak spots in your dreads as they could eventually result in your dread breaking off at that weak point.
With fairly thin dreads the chance of weak spots is greater than with thicker dreads, because there is less hair in the dreads and so they are more vulnerable.
In this blog you will find more info on how to prevent weak spots:
Do you have a dread that has broken off? Don't panic, often the broken off piece of dread can just be hooked back on to the dread!
Thinning hair -> thin roots
Do you notice that your hair is thinning and the roots of your dreads are getting quite thin as a result? Read what you can do about that in this blog.
Be consistent with your Dreadcare
When you have found a good product/ shampoo that works for your scalp and dreads, keep using it. Sometimes this can be a bit of a search at first, as what one person likes may not work as well for your scalp / hair type.
It is also good to have a fixed routine with washing: a fixed day when you wash your dreads, a fixed time when you palm roll your dreadlocks, and fixed times when you use your dreadlock products.
Consistency helps your scalp get used to the new situation ;)
