NationStates Jolt Archive

My dreadlocks, that is. Preferably now, and without too much pain involved.

Short story: I used to have long, not too thick, straight hair of a rather nondescript brownish color. Terribly exciting,especially when you are a woman like me who isn't all too fond of the idea of getting up even a single damn minute earlier just in order to actually do something with your hair.

So one nice Christmas day, I made one of the best decisions in my life and had my hair dreaded. Wonderful. Not that I hadn't been incredibly pretty before, but for the next two years, me and my hair just looked stunning. Unfortunately, I underestimated the hassles, time, and effort involved with having and maintaining clean, well cared for dreadlocks. So once upon a nice couple of pre-Christmas days, two years later, I made one of the probably worst decisions in my life: I decided to get rid off my dreads again.

Getting the dreads done already involved quite some logistics, but this is a nightmare of unprecedented proportions. I've been washing and treating my hair with softening shampoo, conditioner of various sorts and other cool things, but they seem to refuse to soften up at all. I wanted to buy steel combs, or actually combs made of any metal whatsoever, but I was told they aren't manufactured anymore. I broke two regular combs (trying to) comb out one third of a single dread already. That, and it takes for fucking ever (we're talking about 2 hours for saif third here).

So, what am I doing wrong? I keep reading those 'success stories' where people talk about their 'dread nightmare' that had them use a full whopping twenty hours to comb them all out (if I keep up my current pace, I might even be at my third dread out of 37 then, yay), and similar very (un)encouraging things..

Anyone got any suggestions? Experiences? Smart-assery? Ridicule? Snobbish comments on how only smelly lowerclass people with an IQ below 79 and highly questionably beliefs born out of a weed haze have dreads in the first place? Any thing that could be helpful at all?

Fuck combing them out, cut them off. You might look like you're going for the butch lesbian look for a while, but I'm sure you can cope with the female attention.

I say you shave it off and pretend you’re a meth addict :D

I wanted to buy steel combs, or actually combs made of any metal whatsoever, but I was told they aren't manufactured anymore.

:eek: but they look so snazzy!

Fuck combing them out, cut them off. You might look like you're going for the butch lesbian look for a while, but I'm sure you can cope with the female attention.

and mine

and mine

Intarweb attention doesn't count http://209.85.12.227/html/emoticons/sleep.gif

Fuck combing them out, cut them off. You might look like you're going for the butch lesbian look for a while, but I'm sure you can cope with the female attention.

The thing is, me being a more femme-ish lesbian who's, umm, very much lacking fondness for butches, that is so very much not an option I can't even tell you how much it is not an option..

Shave your head and try to look sickly. People will assume you're in chemotherapy and be extra nice to you.

Intarweb attention doesn't count http://209.85.12.227/html/emoticons/sleep.gif

I'll remember that one in court :mad: :p

The thing is, me being a more femme-ish lesbian who's, umm, very much lacking fondness for butches, that is so very much not an option I can't even tell you how much it is not an option..

careful what you say the butches might be listening!

Perhaps you could have surgery and put another set of boobs on your head? Maybe a working liver?

Fuck combing them out, cut them off. You might look like you're going for the butch lesbian look for a while, but I'm sure you can cope with the female attention.

Yeah. This would be my advice too. Yr hair will be all fucked up and shit. There is no fixing it.

the first thing i recommend is STOP!

dont fuck with your hair again until you know exactly what to do to de-dread it.

your hair is going to require significant treatment of some sort in order to get it looking good after you comb it out anyway. its likely to look like crap unless you decide to cut it very short. is that really what you want?

now. if you really want to do this, go down to the closest black hairdresser and get some professional advice.

The thing is, me being a more femme-ish lesbian who's, umm, very much lacking fondness for butches, that is so very much not an option I can't even tell you how much it is not an option..

In that case, go for the "just had chemo" look. Everyone will be nice to you, you might even be able to get some "One last time before I die" sex.

Yeah. This would be my advice too. Yr hair will be all fucked up and shit. There is no fixing it.

the first thing i recommend is STOP!

dont fuck with your hair again until you know exactly what to do to de-dread it.

your hair is going to require significant treatment of some sort in order to get it looking good after you comb it out anyway. its likely to look like crap unless you decide to cut it very short. is that really what you want?

now. if you really want to do this, go down to the closest black hairdresser and get some professional advice.

Without actually knowing all that much about the subject, I tend to agree with this.

I mean, I have had to cut out little balls of hair that got hopelessly tangled during one measly day of wearing a woollen scarf and one night of unruly sleeping, so I can't for the life of me imagine

1) that it's even remotely possible to comb out dreads after two years

2) that, even *if* it can be done (which I can't imagine), your hair is going to be anything but completely fucked up. When you try to comb through extremely tangled hair, all you do is pull, which will break off many strands and overstretch all others, damaging the hair structure. They usually curl up all fizzily once they've been stretched almost to the breaking point, and that kind of structural damage can't really be "fixed".


But if cutting them off is really such a non-option then go with Ashmoria's advice and go to someone who knows what to do.

Hör' auf zu heulen: My hair is straight and I wish for it to be curly.

I remember someone told me that there was a "cure all" that could untangle dreads quickly, but I can't remember what it was. Meh.

This man has a pretty good idea (http://www.boredrigid.com/comments/445-Make-Your-Own-Flamethrower.html) for getting rid of your hair (and your house, and your clothes, and the skin covering 9/10ths of your body) without suffering from that whole "butch" thing.
As an added plus, you get a chance to meet some cute firefighters.

Yeah. This would be my advice too. Yr hair will be all fucked up and shit. There is no fixing it.
I assume you're speaking from experience here, and not just saying things you don't really know about just because it seems plausible to you.
I'm sorry if this sounds all too bitchy, but I'm fed up with people with 'normal' hair who keep talking about hair as if it were the most sensitive thing ever and OMG how can I do this or that. People who say things like that tend to have a very distorted image of what their hair can take.

the first thing i recommend is STOP!

dont fuck with your hair again until you know exactly what to do to de-dread it.

your hair is going to require significant treatment of some sort in order to get it looking good after you comb it out anyway. its likely to look like crap unless you decide to cut it very short. is that really what you want?

now. if you really want to do this, go down to the closest black hairdresser and get some professional advice.

Umm. I thank you for the concern, but I really don't think I'll go for professional help here. I know I'll have to pop in a 'cure' or 'treatment' or whatever the hell it is called in English or two, but it won't be the end of the world. As i said, I already de-dreaded a bit, and the first day it looked incredibly bad, and after a few conditionings and all soft and ncie and things.

I can't for the life of me imagine

1) that it's even remotely possible to comb out dreads after two years

2) that, even *if* it can be done (which I can't imagine), your hair is going to be anything but completely fucked up. When you try to comb through extremely tangled hair, all you do is pull, which will break off many strands and overstretch all others, damaging the hair structure. They usually curl up all fizzily once they've been stretched almost to the breaking point, and that kind of structural damage can't really be "fixed".

Well, what can I say- experience just says otherwise. I've lost a hair or two, of course, but apart from that the un-dreaded part so far looks okay- it's justthat ittakes for hours. I also know a friend of mine who combed hers out, and it looks fine, too, after,say, two weeks of conditioning it.
Hör' auf zu heulen: My hair is straight and I wish for it to be curly.
Sach ja nix, in a few weeks I'll yearn to have my dreads back because my straight hair will bore me justas it did before, so..;]
I remember someone told me that there was a "cure all" that could untangle dreads quickly, but I can't remember what it was. Meh.
You *are* aware that I'll teletransport myself over to Aussieland, find you, and lock you into a basement and torture you until you remember, right?

You *are* aware that I'll teletransport myself over to Aussieland, find you, and lock you into a basement and torture you until you remember, right?

Hmmm...

Nope. I really can't remember. ;)


:p

I know little of the subject, but I do know you can get metal combs for horses' manes. They may be too coarse for you, but they're cheap at least. A linky to demonstrate (http://www.barnstormers.co.uk/acatalog/Scissors__Mane_Combs_and_Knives.html); see two-thirds of the way down.

This man has a pretty good idea (http://www.boredrigid.com/comments/445-Make-Your-Own-Flamethrower.html) for getting rid of your hair (and your house, and your clothes, and the skin covering 9/10ths of your body) without suffering from that whole "butch" thing.
As an added plus, you get a chance to meet some cute firefighters.
Well, I like the idea to some extent; I could probably do with a clothes make-over with my new look and all, but it'd be heard to find new student housing in the middle of the semester.

That, and there's a serious shortage of female firefighters, plus I'm absolutely not into uniforms, so..

Well, what can I say- experience just says otherwise. I've lost a hair or two, of course, but apart from that the un-dreaded part so far looks okay- it's justthat ittakes for hours. I also know a friend of mine who combed hers out, and it looks fine, too, after,say, two weeks of conditioning it.
Huh, guess I stand corrected, then.

You know, it's rather hypocritical of you wanting all of your hair to be straight *kopfschüttel*

My dreadlocks, that is. Preferably now, and without too much pain involved.

Short story: I used to have long, not too thick, straight hair of a rather nondescript brownish color. Terribly exciting,especially when you are a woman like me who isn't all too fond of the idea of getting up even a single damn minute earlier just in order to actually do something with your hair.

So one nice Christmas day, I made one of the best decisions in my life and had my hair dreaded. Wonderful. Not that I hadn't been incredibly pretty before, but for the next two years, me and my hair just looked stunning. Unfortunately, I underestimated the hassles, time, and effort involved with having and maintaining clean, well cared for dreadlocks. So once upon a nice couple of pre-Christmas days, two years later, I made one of the probably worst decisions in my life: I decided to get rid off my dreads again.

Getting the dreads done already involved quite some logistics, but this is a nightmare of unprecedented proportions. I've been washing and treating my hair with softening shampoo, conditioner of various sorts and other cool things, but they seem to refuse to soften up at all. I wanted to buy steel combs, or actually combs made of any metal whatsoever, but I was told they aren't manufactured anymore. I broke two regular combs (trying to) comb out one third of a single dread already. That, and it takes for fucking ever (we're talking about 2 hours for saif third here).

So, what am I doing wrong? I keep reading those 'success stories' where people talk about their 'dread nightmare' that had them use a full whopping twenty hours to comb them all out (if I keep up my current pace, I might even be at my third dread out of 37 then, yay), and similar very (un)encouraging things..

Anyone got any suggestions? Experiences? Smart-assery? Ridicule? Snobbish comments on how only smelly lowerclass people with an IQ below 79 and highly questionably beliefs born out of a weed haze have dreads in the first place? Any thing that could be helpful at all?

I vote you shave them off, then get a bright blue wig.....(one like you would think the chick from Alias would wear)... Once upon a time, I worked in a call center with this smokin hot girl that wore a bullet belt, multi-colored leggings/liatard/whatever under fishnets, short skirts, and had bright neon pink hair......I always called her the pink haired girl, which eventually became blue.... You can re-create this goddess of a girl, and then post a pic of yourself just for my sake... please.........

Hmmm...

Nope. I really can't remember. ;)

When I say unpleasant, I mean unpleasant.

No, really, for the Elk's sake, do something! Google it, meditate on it, bang your head ritually on some piece of wood, I don't care- just remember! Now!

I know little of the subject, but I do know you can get metal combs for horses' manes. They may be too coarse for you, but they're cheap at least. A linky to demonstrate (http://www.barnstormers.co.uk/acatalog/Scissors__Mane_Combs_and_Knives.html); see two-thirds of the way down.

Thanks! I've been looking into those animal supply stores already (I used to have a dog and a cat, and their flea comb could have been useful), but I never thought of the bigger animals/horses directions, which is much better, because the ones for smaller animals are just too fine for my needs.. so thanks!

You know, it's rather hypocritical of you wanting all of your hair to be straight *kopfschüttel*


Oh the irony......she wants her hair to be straight, but she is anything but straight herself....... (I am so just teasing you, please don't be offended....just a play on words).

Huh, guess I stand corrected, then.
It's really funny how much one fusses with one's hair when it's so goddamn unharmed and pampered as regular hair is, you know, what with people going "OMG I shall not blow dry it more than twice a week because otherwise my hair's gonna be RUINED!" and things like that. I mean, I appreciate the boost to the economy that all those little products and things gave us, but seriously...

You know, it's rather hypocritical of you wanting all of your hair to be straight *kopfschüttel*

Well, *one* of us has to do the job, no?

plus I'm absolutely not into uniforms, so..
Madness and heresy!

When I say unpleasant, I mean unpleasant.

No, really, for the Elk's sake, do something! Google it, meditate on it, bang your head ritually on some piece of wood, I don't care- just remember! Now!


For some reason my brain is telling me "honey". That can't be right. Maybe that's for making dreadlocks.

Thanks! I've been looking into those animal supply stores already (I used to have a dog and a cat, and their flea comb could have been useful), but I never thought of the bigger animals/horses directions, which is much better, because the ones for smaller animals are just too fine for my needs.. so thanks!

Glad to be helpful :)

For some reason my brain is telling me "honey". That can't be right. Maybe that's for making dreadlocks.:p :rolleyes: :p

Oh the irony......she wants her hair to be straight, but she is anything but straight herself....... (I am so just teasing you, please don't be offended....just a play on words).

I very much hope that your post was meant as a "no shit" kinda critique to Laerod, because if not, I'll have to be offended at the implication that you must think I'm dense enough not to have chosen that thread title with that very thing in mind. Now, I know I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but ther's a limit to even my stupidity..

Madness and heresy!
only if it's said about schoolgirl and maid uniforms. :D

:p :rolleyes: :p

Hey! I did say I couldn't remember....


Meh.

Just soak them in conditioner for a few hours.

Madness and heresy!
You say that as if those were bad things.

For some reason my brain is telling me "honey". That can't be right. Maybe that's for making dreadlocks.
Well.. yes, that's for maing them.. although it's only for those people who fancy mould and dreads rotting from the inside. To each their own, I guess.
Glad to be helpful :)

What are you doing on NSG?! ;]

What are you doing on NSG?! ;]
Making myself late for bed ;)

You think that's bad? My hair curls wherever the hell it wants to, and not always in the same place. On top of that, it's insanely thick, so there's no hope of getting it to stay down.

My advice is to just avoid certain hair styles if your hair is naturally wild. It's too much trouble to train your hair.

only if it's said about schoolgirl and maid uniforms. :D
Again, to each their own..but with that being said: Schoolgirl uniforms are disgusting, and maid uniforms just terribly non-attarctive. Sorry, I just don't go for the servant or pre-consent 'appeal'.

Just soak them in conditioner for a few hours.
It's what I've been doing these last days. I think I'm becoming addicted to the smell of conditioner. *sniffs hair*

Well.. yes, that's for maing them.. although it's only for those people who fancy mould and dreads rotting from the inside. To each their own, I guess.

Hmm.

I could grow mushrooms...on my scalp.

Hmm.

I vote you shave them off, then get a bright blue wig.....(one like you would think the chick from Alias would wear)... Once upon a time, I worked in a call center with this smokin hot girl that wore a bullet belt, multi-colored leggings/liatard/whatever under fishnets, short skirts, and had bright neon pink hair......I always called her the pink haired girl, which eventually became blue.... You can re-create this goddess of a girl, and then post a pic of yourself just for my sake... please.........

Hate to quote myself here, but is there any thought to the blue wig thing?? At least consider it for my sake, as I am picturing you as a hottie......

It's what I've been doing these last days. I think I'm becoming addicted to the smell of conditioner. *sniffs hair*

Hm.

Methylated spirits? Mineral turpentine? :p

Making myself late for bed ;)
Well, it *is* shortly past 3 am here..

You think that's bad? My hair curls wherever the hell it wants to, and not always in the same place. On top of that, it's insanely thick, so there's no hope of getting it to stay down.


Care for swapping once I got my plain, straight hair back?

Hmm.

I could grow mushrooms...on my scalp.

Hmm.
you can't survive on the mushrooms in your hair!

you can't survive on the mushrooms in your hair!

Why not? :(

Care for swapping once I got my plain, straight hair back?

Hey hey hey, I never said that I disliked how my hair is... ;)

Hmm.

I could grow mushrooms...on my scalp.

Hmm.

Don't even dare going there. I witnessed it once... both olfactoraly and visually. Let it suffice to say that I don't feel myself to be richer for the experience.

Hate to quote myself here, but is there any thought to the blue wig thing?? At least consider it for my sake, as I am picturing you as a hottie......
No, there isn't.
And while I appreciate the, uh, compliment, I think I don't see myself providing any pictures for you to beat it over anytime soon, so, uh, no.

Hm.

Methylated spirits? Mineral turpentine? :p

*exhales deeply*

Uh, sorry, what did you just say? I seem to have terrible problems with memory and attention span these days..

Why not? :(
you need to watch black books.
you were meant to reply: "i'll be fine <eats one>"

Hey hey hey, I never said that I disliked how my hair is... ;)

But I said I disliked mine, and this is all about me, no? ;]

No, there isn't.
And while I appreciate the, uh, compliment, I think I don't see myself providing any pictures for you to beat it over anytime soon, so, uh, no.



Hardly looking to work one off....Just at work, suffering of boredom, but thanks for shooting down ideas instead of playing along.......

*exhales deeply*

Uh, sorry, what did you just say? I seem to have terrible problems with memory and attention span these days..

Cheap vodka might work. *nod*

you need to watch black books.
you were meant to reply: "i'll be fine <eats one>"

What are these black books and where do I find one?

(no, seriously, I don't watch TV anymore :p)

What are these black books and where do I find one?

(no, seriously, I don't watch TV anymore :p)
it's a british comedy, it's a few years old. it's awesome.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_books

it's a british comedy, it's a few years old. it's awesome.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_books

Oh, wait, I think I have seen that. But I don't get the channel it was on anymore.

[...] but thanks for shooting down ideas instead of playing along.......
You're welcome, it's what I do.
Cheap vodka might work. *nod*

Remember, teetotaler here.

Oh, wait, I think I have seen that. But I don't get the channel it was on anymore.
you have just proven that victoria sucks. as if you can't get abc?

you have just proven that victoria sucks. as if you can't get abc?

Oh, I was thinking UKTV on foxtel. I didn't know it was on the ABC. Maybe I was thinking of a different show.

(Did I not mention that I don't watch TV?)


Remember, teetotaler here.

I'm not talking about drinking it...

And I have no idea what alcohol does to one's hair anyway. It probably would break down whatever is holding it together, but meh...

And I have no idea what alcohol does to one's hair anyway. It probably would break down whatever is holding it together, but meh...
It dries it out.

On that note: Goodnight.

I'm not talking about drinking it...
My hair is abstinent, too. I prefer the 'whole body, whole spirit' approach. ;]

Oh, I was thinking UKTV on foxtel. I didn't know it was on the ABC. Maybe I was thinking of a different show.
it's probably been on foxtel, but i don't watch foxtel. it's been on abc several times.
the question is: do you adsl? enough said.

It dries it out.
Tried it, didn't like it? ;P

On that note: Goodnight.
Oh God, yes.

It dries it out.

On that note: Goodnight.

Well, duh. But if followed by conditioner...meh. I don't know.

Goodnight.

it's probably been on foxtel, but i don't watch foxtel. it's been on abc several times.
the question is: do you adsl? enough said.

Fine, i'll download an episode. Maybe.



My hair is abstinent, too. I prefer the 'whole body, whole spirit' approach. ;]

Pfeh. Have fun with your combs then. ;)

Oh God, yes. I didn't even get into the bed yet! Somebody sure is easily aroused tonight. *lecherous wink* :p

I didn't even get into the bed yet! Somebody sure is easily aroused tonight. *lecherous wink* :p

*pretends to go about his business, but watches out of the corner of an eye*

Getting your hair dreaded is a contridiction. The beauty of dreadlocks is that you dont make them happen they just come naturally by not messying with your hair.
I had loose dreads for about a month and I cut my own hair to sholder length and then combed out those tangles. Use Conditioner and comb when its dry.

I didn't even get into the bed yet! Somebody sure is easily aroused tonight. *lecherous wink* :p
don't mind me... <sets up the video camera>

My dreadlocks, that is. Preferably now, and without too much pain involved.

Short story: I used to have long, not too thick, straight hair of a rather nondescript brownish color. Terribly exciting,especially when you are a woman like me who isn't all too fond of the idea of getting up even a single damn minute earlier just in order to actually do something with your hair.

So one nice Christmas day, I made one of the best decisions in my life and had my hair dreaded. Wonderful. Not that I hadn't been incredibly pretty before, but for the next two years, me and my hair just looked stunning. Unfortunately, I underestimated the hassles, time, and effort involved with having and maintaining clean, well cared for dreadlocks. So once upon a nice couple of pre-Christmas days, two years later, I made one of the probably worst decisions in my life: I decided to get rid off my dreads again.

Getting the dreads done already involved quite some logistics, but this is a nightmare of unprecedented proportions. I've been washing and treating my hair with softening shampoo, conditioner of various sorts and other cool things, but they seem to refuse to soften up at all. I wanted to buy steel combs, or actually combs made of any metal whatsoever, but I was told they aren't manufactured anymore. I broke two regular combs (trying to) comb out one third of a single dread already. That, and it takes for fucking ever (we're talking about 2 hours for saif third here).

So, what am I doing wrong? I keep reading those 'success stories' where people talk about their 'dread nightmare' that had them use a full whopping twenty hours to comb them all out (if I keep up my current pace, I might even be at my third dread out of 37 then, yay), and similar very (un)encouraging things..

Anyone got any suggestions? Experiences? Smart-assery? Ridicule? Snobbish comments on how only smelly lowerclass people with an IQ below 79 and highly questionably beliefs born out of a weed haze have dreads in the first place? Any thing that could be helpful at all?


have you tried cooking oil? I know it's gross but really, just get a lot of it in your hair and the comb will glide smoother.

don't mind me... <sets up the video camera>

Shoo! Shoo! I'm in here!

Shoo! Shoo! I'm in here!
but that way we can share the footage. and the profits from putting it up on the internet

but that way we can share the footage. and the profits from putting it up on the internet

No deal. *throws cranial mushrooms at youi*

No deal. *throws cranial mushrooms at youi*
damn you! you've found out one of my 2 weaknesses. the other's death. damn, i wasn't meant to say that.

I didn't even get into the bed yet! Somebody sure is easily aroused tonight. *lecherous wink* :p
Umm. The fact that I didn't even think of that shows how tired I am.

Getting your hair dreaded is a contridiction. The beauty of dreadlocks is that you dont make them happen they just come naturally by not messying with your hair.
Umm. Did I mention not-so-thick, extra-straight hair in my OP? Oh, I did. Okay.
have you tried cooking oil? I know it's gross but really, just get a lot of it in your hair and the comb will glide smoother.
You know what, this has actually been recommended before when I asked a person who got rid of their dreads, too. I think the old "no food stuff in your dreads!!!" mantra is still too embedded in my consciousness to follow that one easily, but it's definitely in the list. To avoid it, I've thought about just putting loads of conditioner in (and leave it in for combing) to achieve similar effects..



/is really off to bed now.

damn you! you've found out one of my 2 weaknesses. the other's death. damn, i wasn't meant to say that.

*kills*

*with a mushroom*

*kills*

*with a mushroom*
damn it! now i have to wait for 3 days before i can respawn.

Okay.

You know what, this has actually been recommended before when I asked a person who got rid of their dreads, too. I think the old "no food stuff in your dreads!!!" mantra is still too embedded in my consciousness to follow that one easily, but it's definitely in the list. To avoid it, I've thought about just putting loads of conditioner in (and leave it in for combing) to achieve similar effects..



/is really off to bed now.

conditioner isn't going to work, the step up from cooking oil is WD-40 which you really don't want to mess with unless you actually have tried the cooking oil, but you could try the V05 hot oil treatment before that, it's made for hair.

You could chop 'em off and then get a hair extension (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_extensions) until the new hair grows in. These add fake hair in with your own, rather than using the more hat-like "wig" method.

I assume you're speaking from experience here, and not just saying things you don't really know about just because it seems plausible to you.
I'm sorry if this sounds all too bitchy, but I'm fed up with people with 'normal' hair who keep talking about hair as if it were the most sensitive thing ever and OMG how can I do this or that. People who say things like that tend to have a very distorted image of what their hair can take.


Maybe you should tell people which method you used to get the dreads, then. 'cos if you backcombed them in and had it for 24mos. then the hair is all locked up. That's it.

conditioner isn't going to work, the step up from cooking oil is WD-40 which you really don't want to mess with unless you actually have tried the cooking oil, but you could try the V05 hot oil treatment before that, it's made for hair.
Damn, this sounds like some bunch of potentially good advice, unfrotunately in a language I don't understand. WD-40? V05? What? Remember, hapless foreigner here.

Fergi America;12115903']You could chop 'em off and then get a hair extension (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_extensions) until the new hair grows in. These add fake hair in with your own, rather than using the more hat-like "wig" method.
I assume there is both much more money and effort involved than I am ready to invest in this. But thanks for recognizing my need for long hair ;]
Maybe you should tell people which method you used to get the dreads, then. 'cos if you backcombed them in and had it for 24mos. then the hair is all locked up. That's it.
No, we didn't backcomb then, but.. what's the English word for it again.. when you take a strand of hair, twirl it, split it in two, rip the two half-a-strands upwards against each other, repeat as nauseum..?

Hör' auf zu heulen: My hair is straight and I wish for it to be curly.

My hair is curly and i wish it to be straight.:p

Damn, this sounds like some bunch of potentially good advice, unfrotunately in a language I don't understand. WD-40? V05? What? Remember, hapless foreigner here.

WD-40 (http://www.wd40.co.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1519) is great stuff. Although it's generally used for cleaning and lubricating machinery and things rather than humans. It'd help prevent you going rusty.

V05 (or VO5?) is some brand of cosmetic thing. To do with hair.

Mornin' :)

Call me snobbish if you will, but I choose the comment regarding IQ and lower class. How hard were you hit on the head?

Call me snobbish if you will, but I choose the comment regarding IQ and lower class. How hard were you hit on the head?

Well that came out of nowhere. Who are you even talking at?

I'm afraid I'm not awake enough to come up with a witty retort, so I'll just say: You're a snob!

I wanted to buy steel combs, or actually combs made of any metal whatsoever, but I was told they aren't manufactured anymore. I broke two regular combs (trying to) comb out one third of a single dread already. That, and it takes for fucking ever (we're talking about 2 hours for saif third here).

Try looking at a pet store. They make metal combs for the purpose of looking for fleas on pets. They should do the trick.

So, what am I doing wrong? You're supposed to shave your head to get rid of them. They're dread.

WD-40 (http://www.wd40.co.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1519) is great stuff. Although it's generally used for cleaning and lubricating machinery and things rather than humans. It'd help prevent you going rusty.

V05 (or VO5?) is some brand of cosmetic thing. To do with hair.

Mornin' :)

Thanks, you really are on a being helpful trip, eh?

G'afternoon ;]

Call me snobbish if you will, but I choose the comment regarding IQ and lower class. How hard were you hit on the head?
That's okay, brings some variety into the thread. As to the hitting part; I always say: quantity over quality. Little strokes fell big oaks, or how do they say in English?

Try looking at a pet store. They make metal combs for the purpose of looking for fleas on pets. They should do the trick.
I did (as, incidentally, I already mentioned in the thread)- the flea ones for cats and dogs etc. are a little too fine for my purposes, but I shall look inot ones for horses' manes as has been previously suggested.

You're supposed to shave your head to get rid of them. They're dread.
The comment on why I'm not considering short hair applies here too; in addition to that, nota bene that I'm German and a shaved head is not always the best idea, let's put it that way.

http://www.dreadlocks.org/56/how-to-make-dreadlocks/
(Actually, a link for getting them out...)

http://www.knottyboy.com/shop/dreadlock_removal_kit/

Yup. That's the stuff you need.

http://www.dreadlocks.org/56/how-to-make-dreadlocks/
(Actually, a link for getting them out...)

Thanks for the overt display of helpfulness. :]

http://www.knottyboy.com/shop/dreadlock_removal_kit/

Yup. That's the stuff you need.

Nope. That's the stuff I would have needed. ;P


As indicated above... yes, I've done it. I am, I don't know- proud? - to say that I am now dreadless. It was a goddamn process of pretty much one week of more or less continuous use of a de-tangler for animals (that tip was worth heaps of gold) and ensuing nervous breakdowns and swollen hands and elbows (my mother nicely enough refused the help she promised after about 17 seconds of trying), but here I am.

I was a little shocked at first when I witnessed the incredible amounts of hair I combed out, but then I realized that of course I hadn't really shed any hair during these two years (they just kept being locked in the dreadies), so it was okay to shed a whole damn bucketful of hair (no kidding you) and still end up with a very decent amount of hair on my head.

So yeah.. I cut them off at about a little less than chin length, the combed them out, was left with hair quite a bit longer than shoulder length (but rather damaged at the ends) and got them cut to just touching shoulder length, and they're looking fine. Why yes, they aren't quite LiquidSilk, but absolutely acceptable. To quote my hairdresser when I told her that it was ex-dreads she was holding in her hands there: "Oh wow, I wouldn't have known- I thought they'd be ruined when you undread them, but these are okay."

Yay! And I actually look pretty damn decent with the new hairdo, too :]