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Dreadlocks are often associated with members of the Rastafari movement, but dreadlocks were worn by many ancient cultures. Dreadlocks can be created using only the hair of the head, but most people use wool or cotton to make locks more consistent and less likely to unravel. The word “dreadlock” comes from early English slang for “curly lock of hair,” and the word is believed to be a corruption of the original Hausa name for “thatch lock.”
How to Make your Dreadlocks Lock Faster
Method1
Twisting Your Dreadlocks
– It’s highly recommended that you wax your locks since wax provides a thick coating to protect them from moisture and also helps keep the knots together.
– Use a good shampoo and conditioner – dreadlocks need a real deep cleanse, so use a shampoo with sea salt or oatmeal in it. If you can try to avoid chemical shampoos and conditioners.
– If you want a longer lasting dread, use a non-drying clay shampoo to wash them with.
– Make sure you have the right kind of brush for your hair type – normal brushes or combs simply will not do, because dreadlocks need something that is more suited for them.
– Don’t touch your dreads, and try not to twist them.
– Every now and then try to take a break from using wax to give your scalp a chance to breathe.
Get yourself a metal comb. Back combing will be easier with one.
– You must also have a good pair of thinning shears.
– Comb your dreads down to the tips, then begin backcombing at the scalp until you hit a snag. At this point stop and comb backwards until you hit another snag. Then start backcombing from that point on out. Continue doing this all around your head.
– Once you have finished backcombing all the hair, go back through with your comb and redo any spots that need touching up.
– After you’re done go to sleep! It’s important to let it set over night so your locks can tighten up overnight.
Use a crochet hook to make the loops.
A crochet hook has a pointy tip which is ideal for getting at the roots without damaging your dreadlocks.
– If you have thin, loose hair or many loose hairs in general it’s recommended that you stuff each dread with wax-soaked cotton before you start backcombing. This will also help keep them together while they tighten up.
– Just like backcombing, start at the scalp and work your way out. When you hit a snag comb backwards until you find another one then continue on from there. Use your crochet hook to get in deep and pull hard at the base to tighten knots up.
– After all dreads are finished go to bed!
Comb your dreads and apply a demine for texture.
– Take a small amount of wax, about the size of 1/4 to 1/2 an inch. For longer lasting dreads use less wax and for short term, easily washable locks use more.
– Use your comb to backcomb all over your head until you can’t comb anymore then stop. The weight of the dreads will tighten them up as you sleep.
– Comb your dreads down to the tips and do it all over again. Repeat until they’re as tight as you want them (or as tight as you can get them).
– The more knots that are in each dread, the tighter they will be when finished.
– Over time your dreads will get tighter when you redo them.
Method2
How to Palm Rolling Your Dreads
– Once all the locks are formed, you’ll need to go through and check each one to see if any of them have come loose. If so use your fingers or a crochet hook and tighten them up.
– Use a metal dread comb and start backcombing at the scalp until you hit a snag. Then work backwards to another knot and continue to do this all around your head.
– Once you have finished backcombing all the hair, go back through with your comb and redo any spots that need touching up.
– After you’re done go to sleep! It’s important for them to set over night so they can tighten up overnight.
Grasp your dread at the source between your palms.
– Use your thumbs to control how tight you make them.
– Roll the dread around until it is about the size you want.
– Be careful not to tangle or mess up dreads while doing this. Do one or two at a time if necessary.
With your palms, roll away the dread.
– Use your thumbs to control how tight you make them.
– Roll the dread around until it is about the size you want.
– Be careful not to tangle or mess up dreads while doing this. Do one or two at a time if necessary.
Start working your way down the dread from its root.
– Roll your palm down the dread, pressing hard as you go.
– When you get to the end, flick it with your finger. This will cause a kink in the dread that helps them hold together better when they dry.
Once a day, palm roll your hair.
– Use your thumbs to control how tightly you roll the dread making sure not to tangle it.
– Roll them until they are about half an inch in diameter. It will take about one minute per dread.
– Be careful not to over palmroll, this can cause thin spots and breakage. If you’re having a hard time getting a tight dread try backcombing more.
– Palm roll your locks once a day to help them form and hold together better.
Method 3
Maintaining Your Dreads
Using the same shampoo you wash your dreads with regularly, mix up 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1/4 cup of baking soda in a container. You can put it into an old spray bottle if you want but just be sure to shake it well before each use. Spray this solution onto your locks after they have dried completely from shampooing. Then, using a dread comb or fingers work the solution into your locks making sure to completely coat all of your hair. Let the locks sit for about five minutes then rinse thoroughly with warm water.
On Dry Hair- Spray an ample amount of vinegar & soda mix onto dry dreadlocks focusing on problem areas. Work in with hands & allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. Rinse with warm water and follow up with a quality dreadlock shampoo.
On Wet Hair- Spray an ample amount of vinegar & soda mix onto wet dreadlocks focusing on problem areas. Work in with hands & allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. Rinse with warm water and follow up with a quality dreadlock shampoo.
Important Notes-
Keep the vinegar smell to a minimum by not over spraying and applying product on wet hair rather than dry. If the smell of vinegar is too strong for you, try using apple cider vinegar instead. Also, never use this method more than once per week as it can cause your locks to weaken.
If you have very sensitive skin, try using a baking soda based dreadlock shampoo in place of using the vinegar & baking soda solution directly on your scalp. The smell from the dreadlock shampoo is much more tolerable and it’s also much less pungent than the smell from vinegar & baking soda.
Follow a regular locking schedule.
Keep this routine strictly followed until your dreads are mature enough to maintain themselves. You can do this by keeping all of your hair in the same direction, by keeping them moisturized with oils, and by focusing on creating knots where there were none before. If your locks don’t already have any knottiness to them you will need to create these knots for your locks to hold themselves. The more knots you create when dreadlocking the faster they will mature.
To make new knots simply rub two sections of hair together in a twisting motion until you feel some resistance. You can also try twisting three or four strands of hair together while simultaneously rubbing them back and forth between your palms. When creating new knots try to position them in areas where your hair is thinnest so that your dreads will not be too bulky. You can also speed up the “maturing” process of you dreadlocks by simply pulling at the roots once new growth appears.
See a specialist hair dresser.
For those who may not feel comfortable creating knots, the only other way to speed up dreadlocks is by going to a professional hairdresser. The hairdresser will be able to mold your hair into the specific shape that creates the most mature looking locks as quickly as possible for you. However, this method does have a higher price tag than the other methods mentioned above, but it’s much faster!
Be Prepare to wait.
As you can see there are several different ways that one could choose to dread their hair. However, they all have varying speeds of maturing and some take longer than others so be prepared to wait whatever amount of time is necessary for your locks to mature.
If you would like to speed up the process of your locks, there are several options available to you, but all of them come at a price. The fastest way to dread is by getting your hair done professionally or through mechanical means where knots are formed or pulled into place. Other than that the only other way to speed up dreading is by using the vinegar, oil, and baking soda solution. However, this can damage your scalp if used for too long or often. So choose a method that is right for you and be prepared to wait it out!
Conclusion
As you can see there are several ways that one could choose to dread their hair. However, they all have varying speeds of maturing and some take longer than others so be prepared to wait whatever amount of time is necessary for your locks to mature.
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