How To Make Dreadlocks

There are lots different types of ways to get dreads but i used the backcombing method...

The time it takes really depends on how long and thick your hair is. The first time i got dreads i had hair a little more then halfway down my back and it took about 8 hours with 2 people working on it at the same time.
the second time when my hair was right above my shoulders it took about 4 hours with one person working on it and taking breaks every now and then.
once you have made all your dreads just sit back, relax and never brush your hair again!
they are going to unravel in the beginning but they will knot back up in time. Make sure you remember to use residue-free shampoo and NO CONDITIONER.
A lot of people think you have to use wax to have good looking dreads but this is NOT TRUE. Wax gets all built up inside the dread and will most likely never come out. plus, it makes your dreads look oily and gross.
If you want to keep your dreads tidy looking and round you can roll aloe into them and palm roll them alot.
apple cider vinegar is a really great thing to use to deep clean your dreads everynow and then.

so, i think thats about all you need to know when you have dreads...hopefully it helps!

Sorry...

You need to Sign Up and log in to leave comments

Georgie L.

21 Jan 17:31

Is it true that when you don't want them any more you have to shave your head?

Shannon A.

21 Jan 18:15

You don't have to shave your head if your hair is healthy and strong enough to comb out...this also depends on how loose the dreads are. When I had to get rid of mine, they were loose enough at the roots that I just cut my hair into a cute pixie cut. Another good way is braiding! I'm surprised at how awesome my braided dreads are turning out this time!

Knittin' Kitten

21 Jan 19:47

I loooove dreads <3

Mia

22 Jan 04:18

Dreads aren't my style, but those are really cool!

Kizzle

22 Jan 05:31

Thanks Mia, all the pictures are of me :)

April

22 Jan 05:39

i always wanted to know how to do this! thanks!

PJ F.

22 Jan 13:08

Dreads aren't my style either. How many days do you go without washing you hair? I don't have enough hair. In one way I think it's cool because you don't have to worry what your do looks like! Bed Head rocks!!

chealz

22 Jan 14:08

Awesome tute, lots of handy little hints.

But those are the ugliest dreads I have ever seen.

22 Jan 17:08

PJ F., you can wash your dreads however often you feel like it. it really doesnt matter unless you have really long or really think dreads, because then it will take them longer to dry and if you wash too much and your dreads never dry they are going to grow mold...hahah
my dreads used to take about a day and a half to dry after washing them.

and chealz, how old are you? 5?
that was a really hurtful thing to say to me.

Carli

22 Jan 21:18

Nice! I've wanted dreads so many times, they are definately my style, you can wear them dressy and pretty anyways! I just get bored with my hair too quickly to commit to dreads.. my man used to have them before we met, would love him to start again. Good info Kizzle :)

23 Jan 16:20

how the hell does that not look like dreads?
what dreads have you seen???

23 Jan 16:23

and Lemony, do you even know what dreadlocks are?
they are knotted matted hair. thats the whole point of them.
if they weren't matted they wouldn't be dreads. they would be straight combed out hair.

Ariel Grimm

23 Jan 22:36

beautiful dreads! i miss mine...
:(

23 Jan 22:38

don't worry about all the idiots who say they're ugly, the only "dreads" they've probably seen in their life are those stupid synthetic ones

24 Jan 04:44

bahaha! how ignorant! have you ever seen real dreads before?
im sure you have only seen synthetic ones like queercat suggested.
just to let you know, synthetic ones dont look anything like real knotted hair....

what a stupid fuck.

24 Jan 22:43

calm down lemony, jeezus stop acting like a ridiculous prick, we aren't 12 here

Rockin'Reptile

27 Jan 12:43

This is a good tutorial!
and screw those idiots who says your dreads are ugly. they are just childish, if you don't have something useful to say, then shut your mouth

Dolly

09 Feb 18:12

I think that looks so cool on you, but if I had them, i would chop them off after, lets say, a week. I can't commit, but thats good if you like em'! All the power to ya!

xrenax

13 Jun 22:41

i love these! wish my mum would let me do my hair... haha

elli

14 Jul 09:09

ummmmmmmm this is really bad for your hair i wouldnt do it!!!! ever!!!!!!EVER EVER EVERRRRRRRRRR NO WAY HOZAY

HannahMarii

20 Jul 00:39

I really think dreads are adorable. I am really considering doing this. Thank you so much.

Mollie.

13 Oct 12:05

I lovedlovedloved this tutorial. I have a hlf shaved head so I can't do all dreads yet. But I put a few in, in varies places on my head. I'm lovin ittt.
Awesome tut <3

nicky

16 Oct 05:38

i know a girl at my school whos dreads are all the way down her back & they are thinner then yours... just wondering if you would do those the same way as you said in the how-to. i thought about doing these once, but like like Carli said, i get bored with my hair too often and change it! lol.... these look pretty good though!! :)

16 Oct 05:39

and also... are those beads in your dreads?

Ben Jammin

19 Nov 17:33

hey whatsup sweet dreads dude! i have some questions for you. k,first how many dreads do you have? i have thick hair, and i don't want my dreads to be as thick as yours, (they are still awesome) but also not pencil thin. i like the sound of 40 to sixty. i'm not sure tho ive never done it.

k second. i don't want a part. i don't like the way middle parts look on white dudes. so should i just do them random? should i even section off my hair? i kinda want to, to get all the hair, but i don't like that wierd, squares everywhere hair salon look, know what i mean? people say those squares kinda go a way after a while. idk this is a lot of words. i want a lot of dreads basically. at least pinky thin, at most, like a quarter or a fat bic lighter. anyways i'm rambling, it would be cool to hear back from someone.

27 Nov 02:14

elli, you are wrong. Dreads aren't bad for you hair at all...all it is is knotted hair and its hair in its most natural form.
HannahMarii and Mollie, if you end up giving yourself dreads you should put pictures up for us to see :)
nicky, if you want thinner dreads all you do is when your backcombing, just grab smaller sections of hair to comb. When you first backcomb dreads they are real puffy and huge looking, but when they start tightening they shrink quite a bit. And yes, i have lots of beads and decorations stuck in my hair ^.^
Ben Jammin, in the pictures...im not sure how many dreads i had, i think i had 30-something...or maybe just thirty.
I would suggest not doing sections, i think they look really lame when you section off your hair. You should just grab pieces and backcomb the shit out of 'em. If you want pretty small dreads just grab smaller pieces of hair, and remember that your dreads are going to shink quit a bit so when you backcomb, make them a little bigger then what you are looking for.

Samantha B.

18 Mar 12:18

hmmm, you should add that buying yourself a crotchet hook and taking time out to thread the loose strands of hair back into your dreads each month is a good thing to do if you want them to look good. Over wain is bad, it makes them come lose. the crotchet hook comes in handy if you need to itch your scalp..... and back combing hurts, but its worth it

Sarah S.

06 May 18:02

I wish I had enough cohoonas to do dreads!

Stephanie H.

22 May 16:12

Those look good! I remember a teacher that i worked with when i was teaching High school had had some and they rocked! I would but it's not that i couldn't commit, unfortunately i work for the gov't and they would probably tell me to get rid of them :(! I'm still surprised they didn't tell me to take out my industrial rod! You so rock!!!

Sammy K.

11 Jun 03:10

I'd just like to kive you kudos for being the only person that i've seen on this website to commit to real dreadlocks. not that there's anything with fake ones (they're good for those of us who have jobs or parents that don't approve)
But your dreadlocks are beautiful, and show that you're the type of person that can stick to a commitment!
i would LOVE to have dreads, in fact sometimes if i don't brush my hair for two days i get baby ones underneath (i have THICK curly hair that knots easily) unfortunately i'm on a job hunt...and living in the midwest with closed minded people makes it hard enough!

The Twins

19 Jun 14:34

how interesting
to the comment of chealz i would say, that you can defitly wear them, and you dont look bad.
but i think you would look nice, or even nicer, with normal hair....
but i have to say i dont like dreads, although you look nice with them

thanks for the how to

You Will Need

Sorry...