Dreadlocks removal
I just approved a comment about Dreadlocks removal.
I have to say, this is an unusual question for me because most people I know who have dreadlocks understand that dreads are less a fashion and more of a commitment.
The easiest way to remove dreads is to shave your head. I’ve also heard that some people have had moderate to impressive success with simply cutting the hair until each dread is about two or three inches long and then just spending a day with a fine-toothed comb and a LOT of de-tangler or just plain ol’ conditioner. Also, according to the Internet, mydreadlocks.com says that growing the hair out for a month or two *before* cutting your hair and abstaining from rolling, etc, so that the hair at the root is as loose as possible is probably the best way to go if you’re going to cut your hair.
If you feel like spending more than the cost of five bottles of Suave conditioner Knotty Boy makes a dread removal kit that costs $25, or you can buy two kits for $45: [link]
A few satisfied customers are quoted on the Knotty Boy product page, but just keep in mind that such pages are designed to sell you something. If you buy it, keep in mind that results will vary.
I’ve also seem some people recommend Take Down for dreadlock removal.
Now the reason I stated at the beginning of this article that dreads are a *commitment* is because, well, frankly they are. Dreadlocks, be they on white people or black people or any of the Asian persuasions, are something that takes a long time to do and can be a real pain-in-the-ass to take out — and even Knotty Boy’s satisfied customers state that they’ve had to cut a few inches of hair off the ends after removal. Even Whoopi Goldberg has had it suggested to her that if she’d take down her dreads, she’d get more and better parts, but she’s also committed to having dreads, so she pretty much says that if they really don’t want her character to have the same hair, then they could get her a wig, and she’s worn wigs in many of her more famous parts (like Ghost and The Colour Purple and Corina, Corina).
Before you do dreads, you should ask yourself if it’s really reasonable for you to have this hair style for at least a year — it’ll take about that long for them to really “settle in” is what I hear from most people. Also, I suggest that you “plan ahead” for their possible removal in the future — consider your dread removal options and consider what kind of conditioners would be best for your hair. Some people say that the extra oils in cheap conditioners are best while others swear by Mane n’ Tail or anything with placenta in it.
The basic technique for removing dreads is simple:
1) select your conditioners and a day where you’ll have at least the same abount of time it took you to do the dreads in the first place. This is a time-consuming process. If you forget how long it took you, figure in a minimum of eight to ten hours. It’s possible that you’ll even need a whole weekend.
2) bribe a friend to help you, if possible. this may help to cut your time in half.
3) pour a bunch of conditioner into a bowl and grab your comb. Don’t be seduced by those “detangler” combs, get a regular fine-toothed comb, prefereably one that promises to be unbreakable — but since you’ll probably break it anyway, get a minimum of two. They’re cheap, so quitcherbitchen.
4) scoop up a handful of conditioner and work from ends to scalp. spread the conditioner pretty thick at first and adjust how much you need per inch of length as it suits you.
5) comb out the dreads carefully and slowly in one-inch sections at a time per dread. It’s best to comb slowly, you’ll break less hair that way.
also: don’t be tempted to saturate your hair in water first. wet hair breaks more easily than dry hair. if you really want to start with wet hair, use a spray bottle and mist your hair.
Also consider *why* you need to remove your dreads. This can and should affect which method you use. Somebody who waits tables may want to keep their hair longer than somebody who works telephone tech support (many people think buzz-cuts on either women *or* men look “threatening”). I also know a girl who accidentally got a corn-based oil in her dreads and couldn’t wash it all out — now since most oils are fats, fats *will* rot and grow mould over time. Obviously, cutting off as much hair as she could get away with was the best option in her case.
