Removing Dreadlocks.
-
- Posts: 143
- Joined: Tue Sep 08, 2009 12:28 am
- Location: Alexandria, Virginia
- Contact:
Removing Dreadlocks.
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!
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!
- Elstaro
- Posts: 357
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2009 5:03 am
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
Re: Removing Dreadlocks.
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 let us know how it come out.
I poo rainbows ^_^
- vibrata
- Posts: 72
- Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:20 am
Re: Removing Dreadlocks.
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!
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!
-
- Posts: 143
- Joined: Tue Sep 08, 2009 12:28 am
- Location: Alexandria, Virginia
- Contact:
Re: Removing Dreadlocks.
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
-
- Posts: 275
- Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2008 5:51 pm
Re: Removing Dreadlocks.
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
- Nanou2
- Posts: 669
- Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:08 pm
Re: Removing Dreadlocks.
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!
:]
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!
:]
- VixenSingsBlack
- Posts: 3148
- Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2008 10:13 pm
- Location: NOLA
- Contact:
Re: Removing Dreadlocks.
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.
- PrincessBubblegum
- Posts: 61
- Joined: Sun May 02, 2010 3:13 am
- Location: San Diego, CA, USA
Re: Removing Dreadlocks.
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.
i washed my hair with conditioner a few times to try and de-tangle them but that only helped with the ends.
=]
- brandalynn
- Posts: 631
- Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:34 am
- Location: Kansas City, Missouri (USA)
Re: Removing Dreadlocks.
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---
- PrincessBubblegum
- Posts: 61
- Joined: Sun May 02, 2010 3:13 am
- Location: San Diego, CA, USA
Re: Removing Dreadlocks.
i agree with getting a deep conditioning treatment. i got that done and my hair felt like i never had dreads.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.
=]
- kaytedies
- Posts: 265
- Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 10:41 pm
- Location: Buffalo, NY
- Contact:
Re: Removing Dreadlocks.
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.
Lots of luck!
I ended up losing a good amount of hair, obviously, but it wasn't too bad.
Lots of luck!
VENA KAYTA
www.modelmayhem.com/epidemica
Please check out my DIY Line:
http://www.facebook.com/Monster.Tee.Party
http://www.etsy.com/people/MonsterTeeParty
www.modelmayhem.com/epidemica
Please check out my DIY Line:
http://www.facebook.com/Monster.Tee.Party
http://www.etsy.com/people/MonsterTeeParty
- AmberLilith
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2008 11:53 am
- Contact:
Re: Removing Dreadlocks.
Thanks everyone for all these tips -just reading up in case i need the info!
Indigo Thunder hair falls
Custom and pre-made wool yarn falls
LiveJournal:
http://indigo-thunder.livejournal.com/
now on FaceBook too:
http://www.facebook.com/indigothunder
Custom and pre-made wool yarn falls
LiveJournal:
http://indigo-thunder.livejournal.com/
now on FaceBook too:
http://www.facebook.com/indigothunder
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 22 guests