Smooth, clean dreadlocks are ideal, but sometimes those with dreads can fall short on maintenance. As a mother who created and maintained smooth, clean dreadlocks on her then 3 year old daughter, I have discovered how to keep them properly maintained. There are many different spellings for dreads, so when cultivating information, you may see them referred to as dreds, dreads, dreadlocks, dredlocks, dredlocs, dreadlocs, locks, and locs. To avoid confusion, I’ll only refer to one of the spellings.
Supplies:
spray bottle filled with vinegar
24 ounce spray bottle filled with water and two tablespoons of sea salt
beeswax
clarifying shampoo
baking soda
Cleansing
Keeping your dreads nice and clean is essential to maintaining the smooth and shiny locks most dread wearers aspire for. However, what many people don’t realize is that many shampoos will leave residue, making the hair look dull and dirty. They also do not thoroughly clean buildup of beeswax, dirt, and other residue. Since locks are thick, dirt and grime can build up easily.
For a proper cleanse, a combination of vinegar and baking soda should be used. First, pour the baking soda into the palm of your hand. It should be enough to cover your palm. Then, place both palms together and then release them over and into wet hair. Rub the baking soda around and into your dreadlocks. Get your vinegar spray bottle and spray it all over the head. This will cause the baking soda to bubble up, which causes a deep cleansing. If no bubbling up occurs, add more baking soda and spray the vinegar again. Now, rinse out the vinegar and baking soda thoroughly with water. Purified water works best, but many people would rather not buy water for each time they wash their hair.
Once the dreads are rinsed, shampoo following the instructions on your clarifying shampoo. The clarifying shampoo will clean away any residue left from the baking soda, as well as bring the hair to the consistency needed to keep the dreads locked and healthy. Do NOT use any conditioners. Conditioners can not only unravel parts of your existing dreads, but if you have just put the dreads in, it can completely undo them, losing all that hard work.
If you are concerned about moisture, remember that dreadlocks require a different form of moisture than other hairstyles, no matter the type or texture of hair a person has. The sea salt, beeswax, and baking soda that will be used in your maintenance regimen will provide plenty of moisture, but it will be the proper moisture required for dreadlocks.
Twisting
Your dreads will need to be twisted often when they are new. If you are sitting down watching television, you can twist your loose dreads. If you are reading something, twist them with your free hand. Twisting is very important, especially in the beginning stages of forming your dreadlocks. Before twisting, your locks should be sprayed thoroughly with a solution of 2 tablespoons of sea salt in 24 ounces of water. Twist them in the exact same direction and method used when creating them for best results.
Be sure to allow them to dry most of the way before applying the beeswax. If there is too much dampness, the dreadlocks could become moldy inside. However, if regular washing is done exactly as described above, this shouldn’t be a problem. The vinegar fights against mold and mildew. It also will kill any insects that have or may have been in the dreadlocks. While it’s possible for insects to infest your locks, it is not actually very common, especially if your regular regimen includes vinegar.
The beeswax should be applied during twisting. If this is too much work, there are also hairstylists that will twist your locks for you on a regular basis. If you get it done this way, you can expect to have them do it every three days or twice a week. The price range for this is about $30 to upwards of $100, depending on your location, as well as the stylist’s personal pricing. The lowest I have seen it for is $20, but that was very rare and is no longer offered at that particular salon. This was in Denver, Colorado. The best thing to do is call and ask around until you find someone with a price in your range that also has good experience. The last thing you want is someone who cannot twist the dreads correctly.
Keep in mind that once the dreads have formed and locked properly, twisting may actually break off some of your dreads. Therefore, it should be avoided after that. But you can still apply the sea salt and vinegar solution, as well as the beeswax to keep them healthy.
Wrapping
From time to time, your hair will naturally grow. When this happens, there can be loose flyaway strands sticking out of your dreads. They can also be in between dreads or just coming from somewhere on your scalp. These need to be tucked into the top of the dread and pulled through. There is a great tool for this offered by Dread Head HQ. This tool, called the loose hair tool, makes it much easier to tuck the loose hairs inside the dreadlocks properly. However, it is still possible without the tool. It just takes a few minutes per dread, whereas with the tool, it may only take around 30 seconds or less. Without the tool, you can take a comb that has a long skinny end on it without teeth and use that end to push the loose hairs inside of the lock. If you want the parts in your hair to still show evenly, be sure to split the loose pieces of hair evenly.
If there are any short hairs sticking out of the outside of the dread that cannot be raised up to tuck into the dread, these can be molded down onto and around the dread with the beeswax. When they get long enough, they can then be raised up and tucked inside the lock. They may naturally lock to the dread before they get long enough to tuck in and that’s fine, too.
Locking Roots
Sometimes the top (or root) of the dread comes somewhat loose from the scalp, or maybe yours just never tightened to the scalp completely. You will need to lock this area to scalp for the smoothest look. To do this, take the root of the dread in your hands, holding on to the area that comes directly after the loose part. You should be holding the rod-shaped area. Now, rub the root around the outside of the loose area of the scalp in a counter-clockwise motion. Keep doing it until you have created a knot. Then, twist the lock as you would normally twist it, being sure to twist tightly at the root. Always twist from root to tip.
Please be advised that the author is neither a hairstylist, nor a medical professional. Please contact your physician as well as your hair stylist for advice and information that will be safe for you. Each person’s results may vary. Neither the author, nor the venue this appears on, is responsible for any damage, injury, or circumstance that happens resulting from the advice contained herein. It is best to contact the appropriate professionals before starting a new hair care regimen.
Related:
Create Smooth, Clean Dreadlocks, No Matter the Texture of Your Hair
Dreadlock Care: What If I No Longer Want My Dreadlocks?
