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Knotty Boy FAQs
.: Starting Dreadlocks
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Starting Dreadlocks
Everything you need to know BEFORE you start locking.
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How much length will I lose when I get dreads?
Well, with the backcomb-and-wax method of creating locks, you should be comfortable losing anywhere from 1/3 to half of your length. The harder you have to backcomb your hair (say for fine fine hair) the more length you’ll lose. If you’re worried about keeping your length, or you want to add extra length, contact the KB Lock Shop – the methods used in the salon allow you to keep waaaaay more of it, and they can extend your new locks seamlessly.
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Should I get a hair cut before getting dreaded?
No way! The messier your ends are, the easier they’ll integrate into stubby tips eventually. Freshly cut hair doesn’t play well with others, and you’ll have a tougher time getting it to mat near the ends.
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Any tips for dreading super slippery hair?
You will definitely need to backcomb a little tighter if you
have super slippy hair, and I’ll share a little trick that we use to dread fine
hair in the shop: Before you start your locks, apply some tightening gel to
damp hair and blow dry. It adds a little extra grip to your hair, and makes it
easier to get a really tight backcomb. When you’re finished, wax as normal!
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Are my brand new dreads going to be presentable after just being done?
Right away, they will be pretty big and puffy. They'll look like new dreads! But if you’ve used the KB Wax they WILL be neat and presentable.
Generally, after the first wash (after the initial two week waiting period)
they will tighten up and lay flatter. You won’t need to take any time off work,
but you might want to use a bandanna or a dreadband to keep them in line
for the first little while.
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Are there any hygiene concerns with having dreads and doing things that cause you to sweat?
Absolutely not. We recommend once-weekly washing because
that seems to work best for most people. Twice a week is fine, too. Any more
than that and you run the risk of your dreads never fully drying out – and then
developing a funky mildew smell. To freshen up between washings and after rigorous activities the Knotty Boy Natural MISTic Lock Deodorizer Sprays are
definitely the way to go here, since they can be sprayed directly onto the scalp and hair
as often as you like. They are a...
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Can dreads cause balding?
A little internet research popped up the following info: Though seemingly
more associated with supertight cornrows and weaves, there is a condition
called ‘traction alopecia’ which is caused by massive tension on the hair
follicles of the scalp (and beards too, apparently. Weird!) it seems to
predominantly target young women, and it’s reversible in
initial stages. We can honestly say as stylists working in this field for many
years, we have never seen a case of traction alopecia...
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Can I lock up my hair myself? Time's no issue.
No, you don't need another person to dread up your hair. But it REALLY,
REALLY helps. It's super tiring to try and reach around to the back of your
head for long periods of time, you know? Your locks will also probably end up
looking a lot nicer if you have someone help you out because they can see where
the next one should be, how big they should be to fit your head properly etc.
Try and get someone to help if possible, you'll be glad you did.
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Can I make temporary dreads? I wanna rock the look on occasion.
There are tons of tutorials available online with
instructions for making your own dreads out of any number of materials
including synthetic hair, wool, jumbo braid, rexlace, crin.. you name it, someone’s probably
tried it! if you’d prefer to leave it to us, click here for information.
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Can I put in just one, or a few dreads?
Yep, you can – but keep in mind that single dreads get
lonely and will try to convince the rest of your hair to play its
knotty
reindeer games! Pay special attention to palm rolling ONLY the hair you
want
incorporated into that lock, especially at the root.
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Dreads, twists, locks, braids - 4 different hairstyles?
YES. Twists are effective as a starting method for
dreadlocks, but usually not for Caucasian or asian hair types. Many salons will
tell you that they are, but we end up fixing a lot of these cases, so know
before you go. This is different than backcomb-and-twist started locks, usually
because most twists aren’t backcombed, which is the necessary step for most
hair. Braids are pretty self explanatory. Again, braids can be used
as a starter method, but it’s a long process, and the...
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How can I get fat dreads?
You’ll get fat dreads by making larger sections to begin with. Keep in mind, your dreads will be thinner than your sections when you first get them, but will fatten up over time.
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How can I get skinny dreads?
The size of your finished lock depends on a few things: the size of your section, and the density of your hair. If you want skinny dreads, your best bet is to start with smaller sections. Keep in mind that you have to palmroll every single one of those dreads OFTEN – and that’s a lot of little locks to keep from joining up together at the root. Short story: it’s a lot of maintenance on your part. Make sure you’re up to it before you decide to give yourself a bazillion dreads.
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How long should my hair be to start locks?
We’ve had reports of people starting successful locks with as little as three inches of hair. You’ve got to work a little harder to keep those little guys together, but the bonus is that the true dread isn’t the hair you’ve tangled, but what’s growing out at your roots and knotting up – so you’re really getting a head start!However, if you want to get your locks started in the Lock Shop, you'll need at least 6 inches of hair.
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I have Asian hair. Is this going to work?
Of course it’ll work! Speaking of coarse, that may be your one stumbling block to starting out locks. Coarser hair tends to be a little more resistant to knotting up, so it’s going to require more palm rolling than usual to keep it cylindrical and locking neatly. It will dread up beautifully, so don’t get discouraged by pieces working their way out of your knots – patience is key, and with a little love, they’ll get going nice.
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I heard if you want dreadlocks you can't wash your hair for a month before hand, is this true?
Absolutely NOT. Natural oils that develop in your hair will hamper the dreading process, not to mention the buildup on your scalp can cause discomfort. Washing your hair immediately beforehand will make starting your dreads SO much easier, then once you get dreads, we recommend washing your hair once a week, after the initial 2 week waiting period. Your scalp will thank you.
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I want to colour my hair. Should I do this before or after I start locking?
It’s best to colour your hair before you dread for a few
reasons. 1) It’s almost impossible to fully penetrate the lock with colour, and
you’ll never get as even a result as you did before. 2) Most people start their
new locks with wax, and you’ll never get through it all with colour. 3) Lightening colours tend to dry out your hair a touch, giving you an easier time
of backcombing. Remember not to use
conditioner if you’re putting your locks in right away.
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I was wondering if there were other methods of dreading hair without using your wax?
Totally! There are a bazillion different ways of starting locks, and everyone that does them has their own special combo of tricks up their sleeve. There are a ton of testimonials online praising the necessity of starting your locks with everything from toothpaste to honey to pureed fruit. We got an email once from a guy who started his dreads using grease! GREASE! Bet I don’t have to tell you that he was asking for help. I can tell you right now, that there aren’t a ton of “rules”...
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Is it a good idea to use elastics or rubber bands on my dread tips and roots to keep them more together?
Well, no. To get nice blunted ends, you need to be able to
backcomb, and by binding them you’ve created a barrier to that backcombing. The
best method we’ve found to get the ends going adds an extra step to your
regular routine, but it’s worth it: backcomb the loose ends lightly, then scrub
them around your palm to get them nice and knotty. Palm roll as usual. The ends are very frustrating, because no
matter how hard you work them, they take their own sweet time. Don’t be
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My hair is about 6 inches long. Will my new dreads stick up or lay flat?
98% of them will probably stick up, the other 2% will stick out. Yeah, it's kind of a bummer, but the shorter the hair, the more likely it is they’ll be reaching for the sky. Usually after the first wash they tighten up quite a bit and start laying flat. When you palm roll (because you are palm rolling, right? RIGHT?) you can try gently directing your new locks in the direction you want. You can also try taming them with a bandanna or scarf. They’ll get the point eventually.
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So what if I don't like them? Do I have to shave my head?
Don't judge your dreads by the first weeks! They need a little time to
chill out and get with the new program. Usually, after the first wash they
tighten up considerably and stop sticking straight out. So if we can convince
you to give it a couple weeks after all that work, I think you’ll thank us! But hey, if you’ve rocked them for
a while and it’s time for a change, or you want to start over, you can use our
Knotty Boy Emergency Removal Kit. Full instructions and tips here.
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What am I getting myself into, maintenance-wise?
Initially, you have a lot of work to do to keep the locking process going. You'll be backcombing the ends of your dreads and palm rolling as often as possible - daily, if you can manage it. Most people will have to coax their dreads a little & this process takes a lot of time and patience. We suggest waiting two weeks from starting your locks for your first wash, then washing once a week after that.
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What can I do about my bangs when getting dreaded?
Lots of folks opt to keep their bangs out of the dreading altogether. It’s kind of nice to have a little “hair” hair left over to play with, and it lends a softer look to a full head of locks. If you really want all-over dreads and are missing a little length at the front, we can add some human hair extensions in the salon.
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What can you tell me about the history of dreadlocks?
In the many years of Knotty Boy, we have learned that it is nearly impossible to nail down any semblance of an exact account of the history of dreadlocks. Because of this extreme variance in the many different accounts, Knotty Boy has chosen to include documentation written by a variety of authors to give an overview of dreadlock origin and history. The views expressed in the following articles are not necessarily those of Knotty Boy DreadStuff. Please contact the authors directly with your...
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What colour wax should I use?
If you have blond, red or light brown hair you’ll probably want to use the colourless formula. The dark wax is best for people with brown to black hair. The lighter wax is clear, not “light coloured”. It will be a little cloudy at first on darker hair, but once it’s absorbed you won’t see it.
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What's a dread perm?
A dread perm can be one of two things: 1) a very kinky perm given to straight or non-afro hair to make it more frizzy - hence, easier to dread, or 2) perm solution that is applied to hair that has just been dreaded to fry the hair into the dread and keep them from coming apart. Dread perms are a tricky thing. If done correctly, they can give you instantaneous, good looking dreads, but if done incorrectly…well, a lot of damage can be done, often irreversible.
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What's the best way for me to part my hair when starting dreads?
In our humble opinion, the best part is NO part. The thing is,
if you install a serious part line when you put your dreads in, you are married
to that line as long as you both shall live! Well, as long as you have your
dreads, anyways. What if a center part becomes SUPER uncool next year? (as if,
but go with me here.) Installing your fresh dreads in a bricklay pattern is easy
to do and gives you a more natural fall. But hey – if you love the way your
hair hangs in a side part, it’s...
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Why does Knotty Boy Dread Wax have clumps in it? Also how long does it take to dry?
You just have to smooth the clumps out with your fingers. There's a high
beeswax content in the ingredients so it's quite stiff and waxy, but it's better
that way than too greasy. And don't use too much! Your new dreads will dry out
in a few days, takes a little while for the wax to sink in. As your dreads
develop and get more spongy, it will take less time for the wax to absorb.
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Will my hair still grow in locks?
Yep, your bod’s gonna keep pumping it out as long as you’re eating right and
treating yourself right. However, it’s not unusual for it to take a little
longer than normal to SHOW the length, especially with brand new locks. For the
first little while, your hair is probably going to be winding around and back
on itself. But you’ll notice the roots growing out. Oh, you’ll notice…
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Knotty Boy Product Questions
Starting Dreadlocks