Dreads are like a newborn- 3 week update

Getting dreadlocks is a decision you want to discuss with your family, roommates, boyfriend, spouse or significant other. It takes hours to put them in (it took us over 40 hours) and it will take hours a few times a week to maintain them during the first month or so.  You want to make sure your cohabitants are okay with you standing - or sitting - in front of the mirror or on the couch playing with your dreads all evening long, or spending long minutes hair-drying them after you wash them for yet more long minutes. Now, I am talking from my own experience. I am a perfectionist and like the dreads smooth and put together, but I understand there are others who spend much less time attending to their dreads and are completely fine with the result. It’s really a matter of personal preference ;)

My hubby has been a champion at staying patient and supportive during these past three weeks (maybe because I agree to watch movies with him while working on my hair, and because I still cook for him). Here are the most time-consuming maintenance practices so far:

Crocheting & dread-balling: Tightening up the existing dreads and fixing up loose hair on their surface with a crochet hook. I don’t fix them dread-by-dread (holy guacamole, that would take way too much time) but I try to treat the fuzziest strands.

Waxing: I have about 40 dreads and making sure I wax, then melt the wax in, and afterwards remove excess surface wax on each of them can take hours if I do it properly. And it’s sticky!

Palm rolling: This is especially after waxing but also a good habit to acquire on a day-to-day basis for the first one or two months to help the dreads lock up and stay circular. Again, rolling 40 dreads for a minute each works out my biceps but takes a toll on evening reading time and other fun stuff you can’t do when both your hands are busy.

No dreading of work with dreads!

Drying wet dreads: I wash my hair every 2-3 days (i.e. about 2-3 times a week) because my scalp can’t stand the itching for too long. There is nothing wrong with washing my hair often because the dread soap helps them lock up and cleans up the dead skin cells, but the drying time is 4-5 hours in a non-air-conditioned, non-humid place (try to find that in Florida!) without using a hairdryer. With hair drying it’s about 20 minutes if I don’t care about having a few of them still damp. I would prefer not using any hot air on my hair but since I have longer dreads (about 15 inches/40 cm) and I have a job where I can’t come in with a wet head, blow drying them at least briefly is my only option. Fortunately, they are thinner so they dry faster than those phat conga dreads.

So yes, as my husband said, young dreadlocks are like a newborn. They require LOTS of special care and love. Love is important. I don’t want to yank them and be mean to them just because they take so much time to maintain. I put them in- now they are my responsibility. Just like with a baby! In the end all that care pays off. Just like with a child (or we would hope so).