Removing Dreadlocks.

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BloodHoney
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Removing Dreadlocks.

Post by BloodHoney » Wed Dec 23, 2009 2:18 am

After more than three years of watching my hair transform into tight ropes, I have decided to make a radical change. Time to get rid of them!

So far I have just been slowly unknotting each dreadlock. I have already gone through three, but there are so many more left! I have read the entries in this community and found them to be informative, but I could use more help. Is it easier to untangle each dread while damp or totally dry? It seems to me that combing through the hair while damp would cause the individual hairs to stretch and snap, but the moisture could also help lubricate (for lack of a better word) each hair?

What about aftercare? As expected, the loose hair is very damaged and and prone to tangling.

Any advice or experiences you can offer would be of great help. This is certainly a test of my patience, but I'm determined!

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Elstaro
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Re: Removing Dreadlocks.

Post by Elstaro » Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:53 am

after going through this once myself the best advice I can give you is conditioner lots and lots of conditioner. leave it in while combing out your dreads to that will help it along if your hairs just damp its going to sang and break and if its dry its going to take alot more work. as for after care your problably going to want to get your hair trimed a bit (getting rid of the majority of the dead ends will help with keeping it from matting up a little) I also used a hot oil treatment every few weeks for a while that helped alot with getting my hair back to healthy. and this goes without saying but stick to shampoos for damaged hair for a while. Good luck I know its alot of hard work but you can do it :D let us know how it come out.
I poo rainbows ^_^

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vibrata
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Re: Removing Dreadlocks.

Post by vibrata » Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:04 pm

I've combed out TONS of dreads and have never found conditioner to work as well as people say. Try a dimethicone-based serum, some kind of product that claims to de-tangle your hair and make it shiny. Work it into dry dreads with your fingers until the knots start to loosen. Then carefully start working them out just a few hairs at a time.

Afterwards your hair will probably be a mess. try using protein treatments, go easy on the heat syling, and definitely go for a professional trim.

Good luck!

BloodHoney
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Re: Removing Dreadlocks.

Post by BloodHoney » Thu Dec 24, 2009 12:55 am

Great stuff! I'll try both techniques. And I will certainly post pictures once I'm finished!
Website? Yup, I have one of those! www.bloodhoney.net

kaned_ferret
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Re: Removing Dreadlocks.

Post by kaned_ferret » Thu Dec 24, 2009 8:15 am

on the conditioner front, after my very first set of extensions i was left with some fantastic dread-roots (yup left them in waaay too long hehe!) and thought that it would be an awesome idea to use conditioner.. took hours upon hours to get it all out! Then i did it dry the next time, and waaay easier - I never use conditioner now until the dreads are gone and i am ready to make my hair feel better about itself :D

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Nanou2
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Re: Removing Dreadlocks.

Post by Nanou2 » Sun Dec 27, 2009 3:00 am

I had to remove some big knows in the back of my hair once.

I used fabric softner (yes that you put in the washing machine) as you would conditioner. It made my hair super lubed and the knots came out much easier!


:]

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VixenSingsBlack
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Re: Removing Dreadlocks.

Post by VixenSingsBlack » Sun Dec 27, 2009 3:30 am

Fabric Softener for washing clothes is dangerously slippery! I spilled some all over my hands once--it's SUPER slick. Sounds like it might be a good idea for untangling those knots, just rinse well afterward.

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PrincessBubblegum
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Re: Removing Dreadlocks.

Post by PrincessBubblegum » Tue May 04, 2010 6:07 am

i used olive oil and combed them out.
i washed my hair with conditioner a few times to try and de-tangle them but that only helped with the ends.
=]

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brandalynn
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Re: Removing Dreadlocks.

Post by brandalynn » Tue May 04, 2010 7:51 pm

I used fabric softener and that worked sooo much better than conditioner. After you get them untangled and the softener residue out of your hair, do some protein treatments. I'd say it would be worth going to a salon for a deep conditioning, but make sure they know you don't want them cutting anything.
"Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes" --- bumper sticker---

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PrincessBubblegum
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Re: Removing Dreadlocks.

Post by PrincessBubblegum » Wed May 05, 2010 12:07 am

brandalynn wrote:I used fabric softener and that worked sooo much better than conditioner. After you get them untangled and the softener residue out of your hair, do some protein treatments. I'd say it would be worth going to a salon for a deep conditioning, but make sure they know you don't want them cutting anything.
i agree with getting a deep conditioning treatment. i got that done and my hair felt like i never had dreads.
=]

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kaytedies
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Re: Removing Dreadlocks.

Post by kaytedies » Sat May 15, 2010 6:47 pm

Mine were a year old. Took me about 4 days to get them all out (I had maybe 40?). I used a spray conditioner (Dede conditioner by Davines) and another spray (Bumble & Bumble Tonic Spray) and a comb to get them all out. My hair still tangles really easily now, but I brush it as often as I think of it and take good good care when using heat on it.
I ended up losing a good amount of hair, obviously, but it wasn't too bad. :D
Lots of luck!

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AmberLilith
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Re: Removing Dreadlocks.

Post by AmberLilith » Sun Jun 20, 2010 2:15 am

Thanks everyone for all these tips -just reading up in case i need the info!
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