1.    How long does my hair have to be?

At least 3 inches (6cm)

2.    How much shorter will my hair be when I dread it?

It really does depend on the thickness of the hair from the root to the ends. If the consistency of your hair is the same all the way down you should lose around 30% If your hair tapers off dramatically toward the end you could lose half

3.    How long will it take for my dreads to dread "all the way"?

This will depend entirely which technique you decide to use.

Day one ? They will possibly be standing straight up and a little uncomfortable but Don't worry, this will calm down in a day or two.

Week 1 ? Any discomfort will have subsided completely and the should be sitting normally now.

You may notice them looking flat or squished where you sleep on them. This is not a problem, you can palm roll them to make them round. Being flat doesn't hurt them.

Week 2 - They are looking a bit ruff, a bit frazzled. Some hairs that seemed tight initially are now obviously looser. This is normal and shouldn't worry you. Dread ball these loose hairs and find homes for them. Wash the hair, spray it with the accelerator, dry it, and then dread ball for the best results. A small amount of wax smoothes frizz out.

Week 3 - The bodies or middles of the dread are tightening ever so gradually but it's hard to tell. Keep palm rolling them, it will pay off. Seems like every loose hair that could pop out is popping out. Just dread ball them and work them into the nearest dread. Wash the hair, spray it with the accelerator, dry it, and then dread ball for the best results.

Week 4 - Your dreads have good days and bad days but they are noticeably tighter. The roots are looking long, clockwise rubbing will help. Stay on top of loose hairs.

Week 6 - The bodies of the dreads are starting to smooth out and if you've had the rubberbands on the tips they are getting tighter too. Looking good.

Week 8 - As the dreads tighten they shrink a lot. They might get lumpy and crooked if one side shrinks faster than they other. That's ok, they will even out, have faith. Your dreads are going through dread puberty.

3 Months - They are smoothing out and feel tighter everyday. Even Mom thinks they look pretty cool. Less wax is needed. Using clockwise rubbing and keeping them clean and free of residues will help the roots dread themselves instead of growing out straight.

6 Months - Yea, you know they look phat. The shrinking is over, now you'll start to get some length. They feel tight, like little ropes, but they are still tightening and smoothing out. They can hold a lot of water, make sure you squeeze them dry.

1 Year - After a year the only thing that isn't tight is the new growth that's always growing. You may have a retarded tip or two but other than that it's all good. You'll want to continue your washing routine and stay away from other soaps with residues. If it has residues it can kill your dreads by loosening them from the inside and preventing them from drying properly thus beginning to grow mildew. Keep rubbing the roots clockwise to help the new growth dread and wax them once in a while to prevent drying and breaking.

4. For your parents

I would highly recommend reading the history section of this website and possibly researching this hairstyle for yourself. Dreadlocks are a symbol of individuality and creativity generally, and if your child is wishing to wear this hairstyle I would say they are wanting to express this. Maybe they are embarking on a spiritual journey or maybe they just like the look and its purely a fashion related dicision. Whatever their reasoning may be, sit down and talk to them about it.

If they are determined, having your support it will make the expereience so much more enjoyable. Dreads should be washed frequently the same as any other style and although there may be the few that do nothing to care for their hair, well maintained dreadlocks look amazing.

Don?t worry  Dreads are not permanent and can be removed easily by cutting them when they grow out of the phase ? unlike tattoos!!

4.    Can you dye or bleach dreads?

Yes, No Problem, blonde dreads look great! However I would suggest dying or bleaching the hair before its dreaded as all the hair will be easy to cover and it will not leave dreads damaged and porous after. If your hair is already dreaded go for it, just exercise a little more caution. You shouldn?t have any problems going darker (just remember that if you hair is blonde and you want to go dark or black you MUST use a dye that has a red base eg. auburn, mahagony, burgundy or you will end up with green hair!! You can always put a darker dye in after if its too red but its incredibly difficult to correct green hair.  If you want to go lighter I would suggest doing it in stages. Wrap each dread individually half way down with aluminium foil or leave only the very tips exposed and apply bleach only to this area ? follow the packet instructions and see how it goes. Bleaching very dark hair is extremely time consuming it takes a few applications and you must be careful not to damage the hair by trying to get from dark brown to platinum blonde in 1 application ? its not gunna happen! So take your time. Do NOT ever apply bleach directly to the roots unless the rest of your dreads are almost at the desired colour and towards the end of the suggested application time. Heat activates the bleach and speeds up the process. So with the heat you have on your scalp it fastens the process and you will end up with white roots and yellow dreads. I would highly recommend a product called Sun-In for bleaching dreads its in a spray form and very easy to use, select the super strength one and again starting at the ends spray as desired and use a hairdryer to help activate it or sit in the sun for an hour or so. Its an awesome product!

5.    What about swimming with dreads?

Salt water helps the hair dread faster and chlorine wont do them any harm so don?t worry. If they are super fresh the may seem loser each time they are wet but its ok it doesn't mean your doing anything wrong or that they are never going to lock up, it just means they are not real tight yet. Always squeeze the excess water from your dreads straight away and aim to get them as dry as soon as possible. Dreads can get smelly if the are left wet ? not cool!

7. Can I dread my hair by myself?

Yes you can! It's more difficult though! ? See the different techniques section.

8. Will sports or sweating effect my dreadlocks?

The only thing excessive sweating will do is make them smell. You still need to wash your dreads and scalp well  once a week or fortnight but if you just stand under the shower for a minute or so (without disturbing them with your hands) it will get rid of the salt from the sweat and leave them fresh. Again, just make sure you dry them thoroughly.

9. Are dreads hard to take out after you do them?

If they are still fresh you can try to brush them out, although it may be a little painful you should be able to salvage most of it. If you dreads are more than a year old you will have to cut them, not shaved, but short, probably around 6cm or 8cm and then use lots of conditioner and a wide toothed comb to free the hair.