Brushing the Dreads Out Pt. 2

Why did you decide to brush them out?

I'd had a few intinctual tickles during the past year about cutting them.

Also, I was beginning to get tired of some of the downsides that come with having dreads.

My scalp felt irritated from the varied tension, dreads like to grow into one another.

Not to mention, the washing process started to feel tedious and lengthy.

I figured I had two options:

1. Up my game and consistancy with maintenance (washing, DRYING, & separating).

2. Brush them out, reduce scalp tension, and accept a new style.

I'm lazy about certain things, one of those things includes hair maintenance.

So I opted for #2! :)

How did you comb them out?

I purchased a metal dog comb from Petco for about $6.

It was the only thing strong enough to get through a several dreads in one sitting. 

Pictured Below: Beastly hair weapon.

Did you use any products?

I used a detangler for the first couple of dreads. I also washed them with conditioner that had avocado and olive oil in it. However, after getting through some of them, I found it WAY easier to brush them out dry. For the future, I suggest brushing them out dry from the start and skipping the condtioner/detangler. The detangler is GREAT for natural hair (once the dreads are brushed out).

How long did it take?

I had 100 dreads. Some of them, about 4 maybe, were actually 2 dreads bundled into one!

Each dread took about 15-20 minutes.

That is 2,000 minutes.

That is 33 hours and 20 minutes.

From start to finish, it took me about 3 weeks.

By about midway, I had a pretty ruthless and efficient little system. I could get 4 out per hour each day. Some days I would puchout like 7 and feel really accomplished and hopeful.

Other days I rested, because the process took some real muscle endurance.

What lessons did you learn from combing out your dreads?

Definitely learned alot about being patient with life's process, being patient with others, and most importantly being patient with oneself. I found myself rushing alot, too, only to find quicker burn out and a need for longer rest periods. 

One day, while in the heat of it, I was combing out a 2 for 1 dread and observing how rough the process looked. It was full of tearing, pinching, pulling, repeat. I would occassionally clip my thumb with the metal because of plain old upperbody and fine motor fatigue. I developed some good calluses and little scars, too.

In this process I experienced the truth that any good thing found worthy of accomplishing is going to require a process that feels anything but comfortable. The worth and value is in looking back on the work. The aquisition of the things that your soul craves usually requires a rough and bumpy, and sort of messy, process. It's amazing, because the struggle in that mess makes the outcome taste that much better. :) 

Would you get dreadlocks again?

I will never say never. Its hard to say because of how much I'm feeling the new style and scalp relief.

**Disclaimer: I had a sensitive scalp prior to locking my hair. I attempted to oil my scalp with dreads, however it didn't seem to provide relief.**

What does hair maintenance look like now?

Hair maintenance now looks simple!

Thanks to my wonderful mama aka Helen's HomeStyle Hair, I am currently rocking a short/medium length afro. I don't have to worry about getting my head wet in the shower at night, simply because hair drying time isn't as lengthy. Now I just shampoo, condition, detangle, and braid or let free. Now that I'm back into the routine of it, its actually a quick process. Another thing, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the feeling of a brush around my scalp in a hot shower. Mega. Mad. Feels. #treatyourself #sensorybreaksOT #feelthefeels #scalpmassage. Who hashtags in blogs...? 

Me.

STAY TUNED: Next up, story about a fun series of creative yoga videos for ALL levels.