My Dreads...the how's and why's
I have been asked by several friends both online and in person about the process of having my dreads installed.
Here goes~~~~ : )
"Amy, why would you do thaaaaat to your beautiful hair?" says my Mom.....
For years I have been a fake hair wearer, experimenter and dreadmaker. I loved wearing huge explosive hair and going out dancing. So much so, that my own natural hair rarely saw the light of day. I work as a goldmith/jeweler and keep my natural hair tied up in a bun all day for safety reasons...looking flat and boring. My natural hair color is light brownish red which I have been dying black for many years now. It would grow so fast I couldn't keep up with it. It wasn't ever 'pretty' 'healthy' long hair though. I would go through a cycle of growing it long, then cutting it all off short into a high maintenence hairstyle...which I would regret and get lazy, then grow out again. I will admit, I tried dreading my own hair to start the process, but they failed and the dreads kept pulling out in loops or slipping out altogether. I have the whitest of white girl hair.
I was in need of change~
I wanted to have interesting hair all the time~
My natural hair was boob length when I made the decision~
The process:
I searched the HairPolice website for local HairPolice trained stylists. SEARCH LOCAL HAIRPOLICE
Found Evelyn of APOCALYPSE DREAMS
Made an appointment with her at her apartment. She is such an amazing girl~! Upon my approach she was waiting for me on her front steps looking like a beautiful pink cupcake 'come to life'. She has been wearing dreads for 7 years. They were various lengths from her chin to boobs and down to her waist. Her dreads ranged in color from blonde to baby pink to lavender pink to hot pink....which coincidentally matched the fantastic pink scooter parked in her living room.
Before she got started, she surveyed the terrain of my hair. Asking me what color processes I had done on my hair and how long I have been doing it. Once she decided I was a good candidate, she then asked, "Would you like an asprin before we get started?" I wasn't sure how to answer...blink blink blink...., "An asprin? why?" Smiling, she responded, "Installing dreads can get a little 'rough', I often offer people an asprin before I get started." I figured I had tortured my own head enough without a problem, so I refused her courteous offer.
She started at the base of my head, dividing the bottom row into small 1" sections of hair.
Pulling each section tight one at a time, then backcombed the everloving crap out of each section. OUCH~Well done~!
They were so densely backcombed, they stood straight off my head.
She got a little more than halfway done and we stopped for lunch.
Yes it hurt....but so does any initiatory process. LOL
After my whole head was dreaded, she twisted each dread, wrapped each dread end in paper and wound each one around a perm rod.
After this process, she applied the perm solution.
Let it process while checking from time to time.
Then it was time to rinse~!
All washed out, the dreads were instantly tight and a bit curly....cute cute!
She tied off all the dreads at their bases (except around the hairline)
She then did an hour worth of synthetic dreads to both 'fill in' and give the 'illusion of length' in the front and sides. This was done by attaching (sewing) synth hair to the base of several of my dreads....then backcombing and steaming while attached.
For the first time in years, I am IN LOVE WITH MY HAIR. She did such a fantastic job~!
I was asked to keep my dreads 'unwashed for 5 weeks' to allow them to mature and tighten further...I only lasted a week *Gah*.
But managed to wash them once a week for a month...*double Gah*
I bathe eveyday and was not used to 'not washing my hair'. Eww.
Now that I have had them for about 3 months, I wash them every 3 days with Knotty Boy Dread shampoo. They look amazing and keep getting better. I wax and twist them on occassion. I have sewn a few of them with black thread so they look more sleek. I have not experienced any wierd scalp things. Minor itching from time to time, but I experienced that before dreads too.
The whole installation process and synthetic extensions came to about $500.+
Well worth it~~~~!
I would highly recommend this to anyone interested.
Know first that the process is for the most part 'permanent' as your hair is 'permed' into a dreaded shape.