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Knotty Boy FAQs
.: Maintaining Dreadlocks
.: Maintenance of Mature Locks (6 months +)
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Maintenance of Mature Locks (6 months +)
Tips and tricks for older locks.
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How do I get sand out of my dreads?
Yikes. Well, we'd suggest washing it a few times to get out any wax that might be sticking around, since the sand will just stick to it. then get your hair really REALLY dry and shake your dreads out good. There’s no way you’ll get it all out in one go, but you’ll get the bulk out.
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How do I keep my dreads out of my face?
You're pretty lucky, dreadhead. If you don't have a hair tie you can tie your hair with your hair! Just take two locks from around your face and tie them together around the rest. Instant hairband. For short hair, check out our Hats and Wraps page. And that's just the beginning. Check out the Dread Styles page for all sorts of advice from other Knotty Kids!
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How do know when my dreads are 'mature'?
Mature locks will hold together without the aid of product, and are firm to the touch. You won't be able to pull them apart with your fingers, and you no longer need to backcomb and palmroll daily.
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How do you put shells/beads/accessories into dreads?
Just slide ‘em on up a dread of the appropriate size. If you have a shell or trinket you want to add, you can try tying it in with thread, or even sewing it in – run the needle through your dread and then tie it off.
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I wash my dreads every day, but they smell terrible! What am I doing wrong?
I think we can all agree that washing your hair is a really great idea - but you, my friend, have a case of "too much of a good thing"! Your dreads smell funky for a very simple reason: they aren't getting dry. YES, you should totally wash your locks BUT they must get 100% dry, all the way to the middle, before you wet them again. This is especially important if you are still applying wax, as it will trap present moisture inside the lock, leaving you with a mildewy smell. Yuck! To...
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I've got quite a bit of loose hair coming off my locks. How can I work it back in?
The easiest and most effective way to get stray loose hairs back into your lock is to palmroll while damp with Locksteady Tightening Gel. If you aren't into using product, go ahead and palmroll when wet anyways - you'll get the most bang for your buck. When hair is wet it's very elastic, which makes it easier for you to control the shape of your locks as time goes on - particularly useful in cases where locks are bunched up or kinked. For larger amounts of loose hair with free ends (as in,...
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My bleached-out locks are starting to feel brittle and break. What can I do?
A few preventative tips for the chemically inclined:1) If only your roots need colour, only colour your roots! Slopping the leftover colour onto the rest of your hair will only cause needless damage. Isolate the sections you don't wish to colour using some KB Dread Wax.2) Rinse thoroughly. VERY thoroughly. 3) Platinum (or white hair) is achieved by applying a toner to lightened hair - NOT by bleach alone. If you try to bleach your locks to white, you'll be kissing them goodbye pretty...
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My locks are starting to grow into each other. What's up with that?
Dreads will try to merge with the ones around them if you aren't careful! It can happen down the body of the dread with just a little loose hair, or at untended roots. In either case, you can separate them by pulling the individual locks apart, down to the scalp. This will totally hurt - so try to be as gentle as possible! If you are very VERY careful, and you can see exactly where the hair is joined, you can make a small cut to help get the separation going. To prevent them growing...
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My locks don't seem to grow. Is there anything I can do?
You probably won't see growth immediately, as your shedding hair and regrowth are busy tangling up around each other. Once your hair starts really dreading solid, the length comes pretty quick. If you are regular with your palmrolling, the length is more noticeable. If your locks are all kinked up, of course you won't see it as fast. There's nothing you can do to make it grow faster, but the Lock Shop has a couple of options for extending length. Click here for more info!
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My roots are much thinner than the rest of my locks now. What could be causing this?
Weakened roots can be caused by a few different things. Dreadlocks are created by capturing and knotting the hair that is naturally shed from your scalp into the dread you have created. Because of this, the lock grows in mass as well as length. If you have started with very small sections, it's possible that the weight of the lock is now too much for the small amount of hairs that anchor it, breaking them slowly. In this case, you may consider joining your weakened lock to its neighbor,...
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Now that my dreads are mature, how does my maintenance routine change?
If your dreads are mature, you no longer need to be backcombing and palmrolling them daily. Your new routine will look something like this:1) wash once weekly2) palmroll while still damp with Tightening Gel3) wait til 100% dry all the way through4) palmroll with a very small amount of wax, if desired.At this point, we recommend switching to the Tightening Gel for your main product, and use the wax sparingly for cosmetic reasons, like smoothing out any frizzies.
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Should I still be using wax on mature dreads?
The wax is meant to be used in the initial stages of the locking process, keeping your backcombing together and allowing you to wash your hair as normal. Once your locks are holding on their own (which with consistent palmrolling should be well before the one year mark), we recommend switching out the KB Dread Wax for the Tightening Gel as your main maintenance product. A small amount of KB Wax here and there is nice for keeping your locks soft and moisturized, as well as hiding any loose...
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What do I do about my tips that won't dread?
Take the undreaded end and “backcomb” it lightly with your fingers –
just push the loose hair back towards the dread (if you have a lot, you
can use a comb.) Scrub the backcombed tip around in the palm of your
hand until you’ve got a nice knot, and then you can wax and palmroll the
whole dread from the root as usual.
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What to do about undreaded roots!?
As long as your hair is growing, you will have roots. The best way to get them in line is to add a little 'root rubbing' to your palmrolling routine. Take each individual dreadlock by it's base, making sure you aren't crossing hairs over from other sections. Rub the sections gently against your scalp in all different directions (don't hurt yourself!) Palmroll as usual, from newly knotty roots to tips.
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What's the best way to combine two dreads into one?
In the case of mature locks, you need to focus on the root of your dread. (Chances are that nothing you do to the actual dreads themselves will stick.) It'll leave you with a bit of a forked lock until it grows out, but it'll mean a new larger lock growing in. Newer locks can be partially undone and backcombed together for a more uniform look. Take the roots of both dreads and bind them (we recommend using embroidery floss or yarn instead of elastics. Elastics will break down into a nasty goo...
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What's up with the bumps and loops?
Lumps and bumps will be a part of your locks for a long, long while; if not always. Tightly felted locks with no stray hairs or inconsistencies are only achieved with time. Palmrolling damp locks (with or without the Tightening Gel) is the best way to keep them in check, and prevent new ones from occurring. If you have a tiny little crochet hook you can try pulling the offending hairs back through from the opposite side.
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Will using the Locksteady Tightening Gel affect my colour-treated locks?
The gel could potentially have an impact on
the colour due to the pH level. Generally, hair care
products designed to not affect colour are Acidic, around pH 4. We have tried to keep our products pH neutral (around 6.5 for the Gel)
so they are non-irritating. Acidic products that are left on the hair can be irritating to the scalp if you already suffer
from any irritation or dryness.
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Knotty Boy Product Questions
Maintenance of Mature Locks (6 months +)