How To Dreadlocks

While many people with dreadlocks do not experience hard or stiff locs within their lifetime, many others do. I've always wondered what causes dreads to become hard and through experience with fellow dread heads, I've discovered the most common reasons as so why dreadlocks become hard or stiff. Over Use of Wax While I personally never recommend dread heads to use wax on their hair, many people still find success in using it to shape their locs. However, if you do not use the right wax or tend to use too much, over time your hair will harden with layers of wax. These layers are known as buildup and can not only cause your hair to harden but it will also damage your hair follicles. These layers of wax will prevent natural oils from coating your hair leaving it dry and lifeless. The wax buildup will also prevent any other moisturizers from getting into the hair follicle. If you do not wash your hair thoroughly with a clarifying shampoo, the wax will get left behind and continue the cycle of dryness and stiffness. To prevent wax from causing your locs to become hard, I recommend not using wax from the beginning. If you must do so, only use a minimal amount of wax for your needs and make sure to thoroughly wash your hair on a weekly basis. For more info on how to properly wash your hair, check out this article How To Properly Wash Dreadlocks in 2020 Not Washing Your Hair Properly Another common reason some people tend to have hard dreadlocks is that they do not wash their hair properly. When using products such as moisturizers, oils, and even shampoos and conditioners, all of these things add buildup to your hair. Over time, this buildup also collects dirt and dust which settle on the hair follicle and leave it looking dull and dry. If you do not wash your hair properly, you'll end up leaving behind old buildup and you'll end up adding new buildup in the next wash cycle. This creates a hard inner core within the center of the dreadlock and it'll slowly work its way out causing your locs to become stiff and lifeless. To prevent this, simply follow the "How To Properly Wash Dreadlocks in 2020" guide. It's a simple, yet effective way to ensure your locs remain healthy and happy. Your Hair Is Too Dry While dry hair may not be an issue for some dread heads, depending on the hair type, others may experience dry or brittle hair. Curly and coily hair textures most commonly experience issues with dryness and thus need additional support such as added moisturizers and oils to maintain its health. If you notice your hair is dry and feels similar to a brillo pad, you may be lacking moisture. To combat the dryness, make sure to thoroughly wash your hair first. Then use a conditioner of your choice. Next, rinse your hair and gently towel dry. Follow up with a good moisturizer and if needed, seal in that moisture with a natural or essential oil. What Not To Do There are many suggestions on the internet of people claiming to use certain products to reduce the hardness or stiffness of dreadlocks. While some of them may be useful depending on your needs, here's a list of things to absolutely avoid. Do not use fabric softener on your hairDo not use or continue to use wax or gelsDo not use styling products that contain alcohol What You Should Do Use a shampoo that leaves little residueCondition your hairUse light moisturizers if necessaryUse oil to seal in the moisturizer if needed