Self installs ??

[LorLor]

Hello everybody!

Right...Im having a bit of a nightmare with installing my roving dreads. Im fine doing it but after literally 2 weeks all the hair by my scalp has started matting itself together!! Am i making the sections too big?? Does anybody else have this problem. Unfortunately i have no one to install for me which would be amazing if i did and i doubt i'd be lucky enough to get my boyfriend to put his laptop down and leave the poker for long enough to learn how to install for me. any input would be brilliant thanks guys, cheers, laura xxx

[VixenSingsBlack]

First: Remove the dreads NOW. If your hair is matting, and you don't want natural dreads, you need to get them out, condition the crap out of your hair and comb your hair back to normal.

Usually hair matting is a result of an install that's not tight enough, because there's loose hair at the root which rubs and gets matted. Now looseness can be caused by an unskilled install, but it's really aggravated by sections that are too large. If your boy is not willing to actually install for you, maybe he could simply help you make sections. My mum is no good at braiding, but she does help me split my hair into neat and small sections. Also, I've found it to be a great help during installing to use a bit of leave in conditioner on my hair, especially near the roots. It keeps the hair stuck together and kind of tacky, then I can braid really tight because it's not slipping all the time. Just be careful and be sure the leave in conditioner does not aggravate your scalp! Also, I think Aloe Vera gel could help.

Until you've had more practice, plan to re-do your install once a week.

[LorLor]

thankyou for your reply...

yep i know this all too well. lots and lots and lots of conditioner and brushing out knots not a pleasant experience. the first time i installed myself i left the dreads in for around 5 weeks and when it came time for me to take them out it was horrible!! literally had one big dread on top of my scalp. i took my dreads out a few days ago and luckily it wasn't as bad but still very knotty.

I thought it must be my sectioning as there is more hair there to rub about and mat itself together to. I think i really need to practice my technique, its mostly at the back though as the dreads round the side come out nicely and dont knot. More patience is needed i think as i get to the end and usually end up rushing it to get finished.

i will try the conditioner too.

thankyou very much for your help

[VixenSingsBlack]

I'll often do installs over two days, to help me deal with the stress and aggravation it brings. I'll schedule like 3 hours for the first day, starting at the underneath sections. I'll do the bottom half of my head, then stop. If I need to go anywhere, I put on a bandana to cover the top part of my head, letting the dreads hang out the back. Then the next day I'll do another 3 hours and finish up the front. It's much more relaxing that way! Plus, when doing the bottom half first, you get practice, then the next day you'll do the top very neatly because you just practiced.

[jennyswool]

i think that explains the problem i've been having, too. the person i had install my dreads didn't know how to section at all, and i am hopeless with parts of my head that i cannot see. do you have a suggestion for the size each section should be? is there a detailed installation tutorial that might help me?

thanks

[lillystitches]

jennyswool - i have found two useful sectioning videos.

http://www.youtube.com/user/tabithakm#p/u/0/USr0Ti0GOk4

http://www.youtube.com/user/doctoredloc ... gPp3YrkMoA

doctored locks have a whole bunch of good videos on different types of sectioning.

hope this helps