Hair Extensions Forum

I don't post often but I really wanted to say thanks to everyone on here who is so patient in answering questions and providing links. Having worn synth dreads for over 5 years with very little down time and braids for years before that, I decided it was time to bite the bullet and just dread my waist length hair. I have spent a lot of time hanging out in this section, finding that others have asked the same questions before me and always been provided with really good advice.
Thanks to you I have been able to start my own real dreads, without product and without damaging my hair. I'm pretty handy with hair and been installing my own synth dreads and braids for many years, so armed with the combined knowledge of real dreads all of you provide it's been pretty easy so far.
I had installed some synths a few weeks ago, so I washed my own hair thoroughly and dried it, before taking them out leaving lots of frizz, then I tidied up the sections that were already there and backcombed everything. I've spent the last two days doing an hour of crochet here and there and am about half way through. The dreads that have been crocheted are awesome and I love them. I can't wait to finish the rest.
I haven't needed to use any product, I just had to buy a metal comb and considering how fine my hair is I'm really happy with how thick they're coming out.
Now if I could just find a way to protect my thumb from the evil crochet hook (I'm already wearing a thimble on my middle finger because I kept stabbing myself!) I'd be really happy.
I hope one day, when they've grown in a bit and I have the cash, to be able to pop up the road to woolhairhabit for some pro maintenance, but until then I'm happy to have been able to get started on my own with your help. Hopefully I'll be able to get some pics once they're finished.

Taraiha wrote:Now if I could just find a way to protect my thumb from the evil crochet hook (I'm already wearing a thimble on my middle finger because I kept stabbing myself!) I'd be really happy.

Haha if you find the technique please let me know I do a couple of full dreadfixes per average week and have a permanent gouge mark on my right thumb and left forefinger. It hurts more than it looks like it would and, if I have to do another the day after, it absolutely kills I have expected a nice grisly working callous to appear and solve the problem but it hasn't as yet, so I just wrap tape around them, grit my teeth and go

Thanks also for the compliment Its great to know that this section has given you the confidence to go ahead. Happy new dreadlocks, I wish you many happy years together

yay thats so exciting... welcome to the dreaded journey and i hope you enjoy the hell out of them

Thanks Miss Chaotic. I am enjoying the heck out of them so far even though only the top ones are crocheted.

woolhairhabit wrote:Haha if you find the technique please let me know I do a couple of full dreadfixes per average week and have a permanent gouge mark on my right thumb and left forefinger. It hurts more than it looks like it would and, if I have to do another the day after, it absolutely kills I have expected a nice grisly working callous to appear and solve the problem but it hasn't as yet, so I just wrap tape around them, grit my teeth and go

Electrical tape is indeed a godsend. The worst bit was when I accidentally stuck the head in my thumb. Didn't hurt til I tried to pull it out It was like a harpoon. I had to work out which way the head was and rotate it out.

I do have a question though. I know dreads shrink overtime, but girth wise, do they fluff out or get thinner as they lock up? Mine are pretty thin (thin pencil width) because although I have a lot of hair the strands very fine (with a heavy wave), so I'd have to backcomb them to an inch long for them to be bigger than a pencil. I'm just wondering whether to be expecting skinnies or for them to buff up a bit as they knot up.

If dreads are backcombed then just palm rolled, they lose a lot of girth in the first few months. However, if they are well crocheted, you can expect to lose only a small amount of girth. Your natural hair sounds like mine! If they are that skinny fresh, you can expect them to end up pretty skinny. You must have loads of them! Would love to see pictures

35 and a couple of half-arsed balls of fluff at the nape of my neck which may or may not turn out to be 3 extra ones. I've tried to combine a few together but it pulls the sections funny in places, so I'll just have to deal with them being skinny minnies for now. I presume in time, with additional hair faill out they'll thicken a bit eventually.
They're not tightly crocheted because I simply can't do it on my own, but I do bits here and there when they feel thinner in places and it seems to help. I can't wait til I can save up enough to come up to Manchester and get them crochected in properly, I think that would make a huge difference. They look a lot like Jaclyn Michele's on GUDU. Excepot she has 91 and I have 38. My head's damned cold after wearing synths for so long I can tell you! Now I see why everyone wears tams
Will try and get pics as soon as I can. It's hard to photograph the back of your own head!