Hello hello!
It has been a long while since I have posted on the site... hopefully I am back (to the site and to raw)!!!

I was wondering if anyone had advice about dreadlocks, particularly for Caucasian hair. My hair is medium blond with some reddish tones, fine to medium coarseness, a little wavy, but I have a lot of it.

I am thinking about dreading my hair, but I want neat, smoother, smaller dreads (which I have read is more difficult with my hair type) as opposed to thick dreads.

From what I have read, the teasing method seems to be good... not going to do the neglect method or perming.....

A question is where to go... do I do it myself, or have someone do it? Etc.
What products do I use? I don't want my dreads to mold, and have heard that using some natural products over time can cause this because of their natural nature....

ADDITIONALLY, for anyone who is in the professional world (or more conservative) and has dreads, how were you received once you changed your hair style? I am thinking that with beautiful, tight, nicely taken care of dreads, the "professional" world (i.e Classical music performance) might be forgiving... I think it is so silly that people are so quick to make judgments based on hair style, looks, etc. but it is a certain reality and want to physically express myself under my own terms without also closing doors in the process, you know? *ah conundrum*

Any advice, tips would be more than welcome!

Much love.

It looks unprofessional, sorry to say. If you want a job in a place that would accept a small facial piercing or a visible tattoo, maybe they would also allow that sort of hairstyle but it's frankly very limiting in terms of employment. You are also left with no option other than to shave your head, not a look that is particularly acceptable for women either.
And there is NO way a classical music performer will get away with that look. Think of the audience for that sort of performance... it's *mostly* very conservative people.

This is not very nice but I have heard many stories of white people's dreadlocks becoming infested with, erm, things. This happened to my good friend's little brother in fact so it's not just an urban legend I'm passing along here. He was a very clean guy, washed his dreads properly, kept himself clean etc but when he went to cut off his dreads the middles were FULL OF LITTLE MAGGOTS!

I think this style works with black hair but our soft little locks are not meant for 'locking IMO.

Best of luck whatever you choose.

No experience with dreads, except what happens to my fine long wavy hair when I haven't brushed it for weeks and not combed it either: If I let that go, it would surely dread into maybe 1/2" diameter hanks. As I am thinking about it, I imagine it would look rather Pre-Raphaelite-y and would do fine on a female cellist or violinist or such, but, and I am sorry, I cannot remember[welcome back, btw ] whether you are male or female. If the latter, well, go for it. If the former, hmmm, I am a symphony goer myself(and not conservative, harrrrumph!), and I don't think a head of fairly short tight coils would cause a "Rite of Spring" level riot. Nor would long dreads, provided they were neat. People who hire classical musicians care about proficiency and professionalism, more than they care about one's hair, weight, or height. If you present yourself as a worthy candidate, with a tidy appearance and clean fingernails, I'm sure your chances would be as good as those of someone with a traditonal hairstyle.

Do go to a salon that specializes in this, "for all hair types," however, before deciding; I did that before getting braids, and it was very helpful.

yeah, the maggot thing is definitely not an urban myth, that same thing happened to my friendDesh... She was very clean, but apparently that wasn't good enough... I puked everywhere...lol...

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Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

There is something about white people hair that just doesn't work with teh nappy. I don't know, I think it's too soft and fine to keep inhospitable to critters. Gross. So super duper gross, it's all I can think about whenever I see dreads on a jahfaican.

HA! Thanks for the feedback guys. The maggots thing is not such good news.... for the time being I am putting the idea on hold....


....lettin' the golden locks fall.......


..but, thanks again for the feedback! LOL!

-N

"With life as short as a half taken breath, don't plant anything but love."- Rumi

I find dreads on Black guys to be very sexy. And I think it looks very "together," spiritual, and even professional if the clothes are nice. Corn row are another story altogether, LOL. White guys can occasionally get away with it but it doesn't do anything for me. And I don't believe that stuff about bugs living in the hair unless the person doesn't shower. This Black woman was talking about her braids and she said she can wash them so I would think the same applies to dreads. The funny thing is that it seems like when White guys and gals get dreads, they allow them to get all messed up. So it's like a rat's nest or something. I could imagine bugs in that scenario, but whatever. I have more of an issue about tats, especially on the neck, but that's another subject altogether and I don't wanna piss anyone off right now

My friend desh washed her hair every day, the problem is white peoples hair cant make a dense enough dreadlock to keep the bugs out, and you cant wash the inside of your dread...it gets wet, it stays wet and warm, perfect environment, I personally saw maggots with my own eyes when we cut her hair, it happens, unless you think both me and coco are lying about it?lol... But seriously, I think dreads can look really awesome, just doesnt work well for us melanin deficient folks...

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Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

I wanted then when I was a teen, I have curly hair and am often mistaken for bi-racial, they would have suited me and looked good on my head I think. I'm glad I didn't do it though, my hair is super fine and soft and there isn't as much of it as it seems, it's just "full" because of the curls. Plus I would have had to shave my head to get them off and though I have tried out that style, it isn't the most flattering for me and the growing out period was a pain.
I will just stick with my 'fro for now. It's mostly tied up in a mama-friendly non-fashion these days anyhow!

Coco: that is cool to have curly hair! I remember this show called "Felicity" (never really watched it, though) and the actress had the most incredible curly hair that grew long and fell into ringlets (she also was in a great little movie called "Waitress" but her name escapes me) and she cut her hair. It was a big deal because even though it was curly, it was able to grow long and was gorgeous. I thought her short 'do was adorable, too.

No Curator, I am not accusing you and Coco of lying thru your teeth. But I just feel that it is the exception and not the norm or else very few people would want to wear dreads, LOL! I personally don't mind bugs--fireflies, for example--but maggots are grotesque! EW!!!

It's a pain in the arse to take care of to be honest. LOTS of work every day unless you wear it up all the time, which I do. Nice for going out though, it's very dramatic.

I think it's actually very common, it's just that people don't cut their dreads off very often. It's quite the commitment to have them put in in the first place (I watched a hairdresser friend spend literally the entire day doing for this one dude), and then it's another huge commitment to have them lopped off and go around bald for a time. Besides, they stink. They don't really get clean on the inside so they get funky. You know that hat head smell? Imagine that times about a million. Caucasian hair anyhow in my esperience.

I've been told by black friends that they don't get lice either, their hair is inhospitable to those critters as well. Tons of people are a lovely toasty blend of light and dark skinned ancestry though so I'm sure their hair varies just as much.

banana who,

Keri Russell

Yes...She is such a gorgeous creature and not in the predictable, boring way. I love her curly hair, short or long.

I would kill for Keri Russell's hair. And I would never complain about the humidity either. I'd wear it like something out of the Bible!

Here's what raising a child will do to your looks -




(Keri Russell- not quite so beautiful anymore)

Well I am here to tell you that both my partner and I used to have dreads. He had amazing dreads for over 10years. His hair is just the right texture to make lovely dense dreads. They were totally even - like thick pipe cleaners - he had over 100 of them and yes his mother hated them!!!

I had pretty good dreads too but only for a few years. Neither of us had a hairdresser 'put' them in. Eventually I cut all mine off and shaved my head - it was wicked - really powerful - not a hint of a bug or maggot anywhere.

My partner cut all his off at about an inch long and managed to comb that out eventually so he didn't do the shaved head thing.

In my opinion dreads can be amazing - I have never met anyone who has had bugs in their hair and I've known loads of people with dreads. Some dreads can be messy and smelly but then so are some people I can assure you ours didn't smell.

I think in the UK people aren't too uptight about dreads these days - plenty of proffessional people have them - a lot of it is about atitude and how you present yourself.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/15/2010 01:00PM by flipperjan.

Kidraw, she looks gorgeous!

How many people are going to go around advertising that they found maggots in their hair though? I'm pretty sure I'd shut up about that if it happened to me P.

I think it can look great, don't get me wrong, those lovely little even dreads are so neat to look at and they do cool things when you pin them up. Not so in love with the big, flat beaver tail paddle hair I see sometimes but whatever, to each their own.

When I shaved my head it was a pretty powerful experience too. Funny how it made me feel strong instead of vulnerable.

Actually you aren't going to have maggots in your dreads unless you've got a dead mouse in there or something - they need something dead and rotting to live on!!! Also they turn into flies so they aren't going to 'live' there.

Yeah you can get lice etc just like anyone else can if you are exposed to them. And maybe other nits and stuff but honestly I would tell you if i had anything like that when I had dreads and I didn't.

Oh I'm not saying you had ick in your dreads! Just that it might not be something that seems common because people who do find stuff in there might not advertise it afterwards...

My friend's brother didn't have housefly maggots in his dreads, they were teeny white wriggly squirmy little worms. Not sure if those turn into something when mature or if that's their state of being all the time. And sure, dreads get dirty on the inside, it's unavoidable. Just like a beard can get funky and those you can comb out! Washing gets off surface debris, rinsing can get funk out of the inside of the dreads but things that don't rinse away sometimes get embedded inside, that's just normal.

Friends who are fairly dark skinned with very coarse hair (no dissernable light skinned ancestry) have told me their hair can't get lice. Don't know if that's true or not but it pretty interesting!

Kidraw: Come on! I haven't seen Keri recently, but let's face it: catch any of us on the wrong day at the wrong angle, and it's a hideous sight! And she doesn't look that bad; just a bit harried. I saw a picture of her after she gave birth and was wearing one of those baby slings and she looked like a vision of the perfect earth mother. But you are right about kids making parents look older sometimes. Even the fathers! I guess it's the energy of feeling responsible for another life? I dunno; I don't have kids, LOL.

KidRaw,
Eh, clearly we aren't looking at the same photo as you--for a candid snap, she has clear skin, a nice complexion, isn't matronly, and still has those enviable bouncy shiny curly tresses. What's your problem, dude?

Compared to the Before-the-baby photos I saw -







It was the chicken neck that jumped out at me...



I liked August Rush -



Here's a good one -

Those are tendons from hefting 20+lbs of awkward baby. Oh, and not being painted, posed and lit by a set of professionals. Her skin still looks great, you gotta learn to look a little closer.

That last one she looks a bit plasticy to me. Too much wash out and touch up in that photo. I'd love to see a candid shot (with her head up) of her now, bet she's still a stunner.

Eh, a couple of those photos were taken ages ago, like when she was twenty. Even childless people's bodies age. Agree, coco, that the bottom pic is airbrush city--not natural at all.

Here's a photo of Keri Russell a few weeks ago:

[www.popsugar.com]

And here's the pic KidRaw posted with a "head up" photo next to it:

[www.popsugar.com]

I think she's still just as beautiful!

KidRaw - what an amazingly stupid thing to say.

Looks pretty good to me, sure, a bit better when she was younger, but still looks pretty amazing to me! Also, coco, I saw that shaved head pic of yours with the stars, I don't think Ive seen any photos of you any other way, but you looked pretty good to me with the shaved head, also, the maggots on my friend desh looked the same as you describe, really small, im pretty sure they weren't fly larva, but im not sure what they really where...

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Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

Really? And I wasn't even trying....

Well, it's okay to be changed by childbirth and child rearing, I always say. I sure don't want to be a pie-faced girl forever. It's a good form of aging. Mind you, as you parents here know, it can be a "bit" of a challenge having children!