Posts in Category: Dreadlocks Tips

Clockwise Rubbing Dreadlocks

Clockwise rubbing is the best way to tighten the roots of dreads.

How to do it:

  • grab the dread.
  • rub the dread in a clockwise motion against your scalp.
  • you can put a rubberband around the root after you are finished to hold the new knots together, make sure the rubberband isn’t to tight just snug.

If you would like to see a video tutorial on how to clockwise rub dreadlocks this page has great information.

Loose Hairs on Dreadlocks

The best way to take care of loose hairs at the roots is Dread Balling.

The best way to take care of loose hairs in the middle of dreads is with a Dread Tool.
How to do it:

  • gather the loose hairs.
  • thread the loose hairs through the Dread Tool.
  • weave the loose hair through the middle of the dread the dread.

The best way to take care of loose hairs at the tips is Tip Rounding.

 

Can I cut the loose hairs?

Cutting the loose hairs at the roots is not an good idea. It will make your dreadlocks thin and it only takes care of the problem for a short period of time, the hairs will grow back and they will still be loose hairs among your dreads. The best thing to do is just take care of the problem, dread ball those lil’ bastards and get on with your life.
Cutting loose hairs in the middle of the dread is a really bad idea. The effects are the same as cutting tips. The hair is no longer held together and the hair starts to move, sometimes it will fall out of the dread, this can cause the dread to fall apart. The best way to take care of loose hairs in the middle of dreads is to thread the loose hairs through the dread with a Dread Tool.

How to do it:

  • gather the loose hairs.
  • thread the loose hairs through the flosser.
  • weave the loose hair in and out through the dread.

The best way to take care of loose hairs at the tips is Tip Rounding.

 

Can I burn loose hairs?

There is no reason to burn loose hair at the roots, burning the loose hairs only takes care of the problem for a short period of time, the hairs will grow back and they will still be loose hairs among your dreads. The best thing to do is just take care of the problem, dread ball those lil’ bastards and get on with your life.

Burning loose hairs in the middle of the dread can go two ways:

  1. The hair burns into the dread and stays where it is.
  2. The hair burns and the hair is no longer held together and the hair starts to move, it falls out of the dread, and the dread falls apart.

Burning tips can give you a rounder finish to the tip, but he hair will eventually break off and the tip will become loose hairs again. The best thing to do is Tip Round the dreads, it doesn’t take long for the tips to lock up and the tips end up looking a lot better.
*WARNING* make sure there is no wax in your hair if you are going to burn your dreads, most waxes are flammable.

*CAUTION* burning hair results in the most awful smell, this smell can stay in dreads for up to three months.

 

What products can I use on loose hairs?

You can use the Dread Ball method to get rid of loose hair at the roots, then use a Dread Tool to pull the Dread Ball into the center of the dread.

 

How can I prevent getting loose hairs?

There’s no way to completely prevent loose hairs, they have a mind of their own, and just sort of show up. But there are good ways and bad ways to get rid of them and a few ways you can minimize how many loose hairs you have.

If you already have some loose hairs popping out of your dreads you can use the Dread Ball method to get rid of loose hairs, then use a Dread Tool to pull the Dread Ball into the center of the dread.

The best way to prevent loose hairs at the roots of your dreads is the clockwise rubbing technique

Rounding the tips of your dreads

Tip rounding makes the best looking tips. It is also great for locking up loose tips.

How to tip round:

  • grab the dread.
  • roll the tip of the dread against the palm of your hand in a clockwise motion until all the loose hairs knot up into a round tip.

Dread Balling Loose Hair on Dreadlocks

Dreadballing is a great way to take care of loose hairs at the roots.

How to Dread Ball:

  • make sure the hair is clean.
  • gather the loose hairs and start rolling them into a ball.
  • once the ball is knotted up push the ball into the dread using a Dread Tool.
  • then clockwise rub and twist the root for a couple minutes to attach the ball to the rest of the dread.
  • put a rubberband around the root where the dread ball is, make sure the rubberband isn’t to tight, just snug.

 

How can I use dread balling to tighten my roots?

You can use dread balling to get rid of loose hairs at the roots by balling the hair into a knot and then pulling the Dread Ball into the center of the dread using a Dread Tool

 

How can I use dread balling to keep my roots separated?

Dread balling will help you keep your roots separated by getting rid of loose hairs that would normally dread in with other dreads and cause dreads to grow together.

 

Why cant I just cut the loose hair?

Cutting the loose hairs only takes care of the problem for a short period of time, the hairs will grow back and they will still be loose hairs among your dreads. The best thing to do is just take care of the problem, dread ball those lil’ bastards and get on with your life.

Crocheting Dreadlocks

Crocheting is the best way to get rid of loops.

Some people use crocheting to tighten roots but it will actually hurt your dreads in the end. Roots that are tightened by crocheting turn into dreads that look like braids and never lock up. They look like braids and never lock up because the hair is twisted so tightly that it can’t form knots, therefore it can’t dread and lock up. The best way to tighten roots is clockwise rubbing.

Palm Rolling Dreadlocks

Palm rolling is probably the most effective way to tighten dreads.

Palm rolling can be used to:

  • tighten the middle of dreads
  • push in frizzy hairs
  • smooth out lumps and bumps in dreads
  • make dreads round

 

How often should I palm roll?

You should palm roll as often as you can, the more you palm roll, the faster your dreads will lock up, the less loose hairs you will have, and the better your dreads will look.

 

Can I palm roll when wax is in my dreads?

Yes, you can palm roll when there is wax in your dreads. Palm rolling can also be used to remove excess wax in your dreads

 

Can I palm roll when my dreads are wet?

Yes, you can palm roll when your dreads are wet. Palm rolling isn’t very effective for tightening dreads when they are wet. Sometimes palm rolling when dreads are wet can cause loose hairs to come out.

Palm rolling can be used to get water out of dreads, if you palm roll really fast.

 

How can I use palm rolling to get round dreads?

The more you palm roll the rounder your dreads will be. Palm rolling helps form round dreads by, pushing the knots around until they are in a round position.

 

Can I use palm rolling to get rid of lumps?

Yes, you can use palm rolling to get rid of lumps. Palm rolling encourages dreads to be round because it, pushes the knots around until they are in a round position.

Loops on dreadlocks

Taking care of loops is essential to having nice dreads.

Loops at the Roots Fixing loops at the roots is easy. The best thing to do is crochet the dread through the loop then clockwise rub the dread. Click here for video.

Loops is the Middle of the Dread Fixing loops in the middle of the dread is also very easy. All you have to do is crochet the dread through the loop and palm roll.

 

How can I prevent loops?

The only methods you can prevent loops with are the backcombing and brush rubbing methods.

You can prevent loops with the backcombing method by making smaller stokes when you backcomb. Only backcomb about a inch of hair at a time.

You can prevent loops with brush rubbing by twisting the dreads as much as you can.

 

What products can I use to get rid of loops?

There are a few different ways you can get rid of loops on your dreadlocks.

  1. The most effective way to get rid of loops on dreadlocks is the Lock Docta Dread Tool.
  2. You can use rubberbands or hemp to get rid of loops. Just put a rubberband around the loop and palm roll it as much as you can. Leave the rubberband on for about a month.
  3. You can use hemp to get rid of loops, just wrap the hemp around the loop and palm roll as much as you can. Leave the hemp on for about a month.
    *CAUTION ABOUT USING HEMP* hemp can hold water in dreads, causing them to mildew. The hemp itself can also hold water an mildew, and the mildew will pass onto the dreads. Use rubberbands if you can.

 

How can I use hemp to get rid of loops?

You can use hemp to get rid of loops, just wrap the hemp around the loop and palm roll as much as you can. Leave the hemp on for about a month.
*CAUTION ABOUT USING HEMP* hemp can hold water in dreads, causing them to mildew. The hemp itself can also hold water an mildew, and the mildew will pass onto the dreads. Use rubberbands if you can.

 

Can I cut the loops?

Cutting loops is a really bad idea. The effects are the same as cutting tips. The hair is no longer held together and the hair starts to move, sometimes it will fall out of the dread, this can cause the dread to fall apart.

 

Can I burn the loops?

Burning loops can go two ways:

  1. The hair burns into the dread and stays where it is.
  2. The hair burns and the hair is no longer held together and the hair starts to move, it falls out of the dread, and the dread falls apart.

*WARNING* make sure there is no wax in your hair if you are going to burn your dreads, most waxes are flammable.

*CAUTION* burning hair results in the most awful smell, this smell can stay in dreads for up to three months.

 

Why do braids cause loops?

Braids hold the hair in sections where the hair can’t dread. Some parts of the braid dread, and others don’t, this will result in loops.