Dreadhead Mamas

[mamahawk]

Hi everyone-

Seriously considering dreading my hair-  There is a salon here in Portland that does it with rave reviews.  I've gone to all the dreadlock FAQ sites, etc, but want to talk with some 'real' mamas who can share their experiences.

I have very, very thick, frizzy hair (just past shoulders) that I can't do anything with.  Right now, I wear it in a messy bun on top of my head like every day because I just do not have the time to sit in my bathroom with a flat iron to make it smooth (although it does look nice when I do this, but it is so very time consuming).

Cutting it short is not an option-  Been there, done that.  Because of it's thickness and frizziness it just looks fricking terrible when it is short.  No amount of product helps.

Now I am getting headaches from wearing it up all day, and my scalp often hurts and itches too.  (I have very dry hair).  Right now I wash my hair once or twice a week ( I seriously make no oil, so my hair actually feels best like 4 days after washing, but then my scalp starts to itch and so I wash it just when it starts to get manageable, and the vicious cycle perpetuates itself..)

I am concerned about the itchiness of the dreads when they first start doing their thing-  Is it enough to drive me insane?  Do the products (tea tree oil, cooling peppermint spray, etc) really offer relief that I can look forward to?  As someone who already deals with itchy scalp, I must say that this causes some hesitation... sometimes the itchiness I experience now is enough to make me really miserable!  Other times, I think that it can't possibly be worse than it is now.

I have also heard that dreads can cause your scalp to hurt. Again, my scalp often hurts now, so is dreading setting me up for even more discomfort, or will that too go away after time?  What are your experiences with this?

When I get to the point where I HAVE to wash my hair because of the itchiness and soreness of my scalp, it feels so FRICKING GOOD.  It's like Aaahhhh... when I'm massaging the shampoo into my scalp.  I know dreads are washed a little differently, and I know it sounds silly but I fear not getting that soothing relief and scalp stimulation that I get from vigorously scrubbing my scalp (which, if I understand correctly, I can't do if I have dreads-?)

Sorry this is so long.  I did look at previous threads on the subject, but they seemed to more address the 'how to' process, and the identity thing... I'm looking more for what is it really, really like living with dreadlocks- the good and the bad. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[CrunchyMama19]

If you go to the Mindful Home section, there is a dready mama tribe under Natural Body Care.

Here is my experience with dreads. I did mine with no salon, I just backcombed sections once and left it alone. Personally, I hear from other dreadies that salons are a waste of money. They will crochet the heck out of it and it will look like dreads more quickly, but all the products and stuff they use in the end hinder the locking process over the long haul Unless you keep up with there expensive maintaining sessions they will go through the messy stage like when you use any other method. I would talk to them and find out exactly what they use and what their methods are. You do NOT want wax. No matter what they say it will not wash out, will trap dirt, and your dreads will end up smelling.

Keep in mind that your dreads will look very messy and not like "real" dreads for a long time (we're talking months to a year). You need a lot of patience. As far as washing is concerned, simply use a residue free shampoo (I like diluted Dr. Bonners but there is lots of stuff out there). Clean dreads dread faster so don't be afraid to wash your hair as often as you need too. Just don't use conditioners of any kind. Tea tree oil works well for any itchiness as does an ACV rinse. I have never heard of dreads hurting the scalp. I think as long as your sections are reasonable and not too huge, you should be find.

There WAS a great website called www.dreadlocktruth.com   that had tons of great information, timelines, and tutorials. Unfortunately the website has been down although I know they are working on getting it back up. They have a facebook page too. I hope all this helps!