Caring for dreadlocks made out of your own hair

In the text, we use the words dreads and dreadlocks interchangeably.

Once your dreads have been made, it takes a lot of care and maintenance to keep your dreadlocks looking nice and clean.

Palm rolling your dreads

For the first two months or so, it’s important to palm roll your dreads every day. After these two months, you should palm roll your dreadlocks about twice a week. This palm rolling ensures that your dreads keep their nice round form and prevent your dreads from becoming flat. Additionally, this makes your dreadlocks more compact and ensures that loose tufts of hair mat into your dreadlocks better.

Palm rolling is done by taking a dread between your hands and rubbing/rolling it back and forth. You then go on and do this with the next dread. Repeat the process until you’ve done all of the dreadlocks.

If your hair is especially fluffy, you can use a special dread wax, dread cream or dread gel to help your hair form a dread. This helps the hairs become incorporated in the dread process. This wax, cream or gel can be used during palm rolling and should be as evenly distributed as possible over your dread.
We recommend using products like waxes, creams and gels in your dreadlocks no more than twice a week. If you use these products in your dreads too often, they’ll quickly become greasy, sticky and dirty.
Over time, your dreads will become thinner from palm rolling. This is because your dreadlocks become more compact. But your dreads will eventually get thicker on their own!

Washing your dreadlocks

Of course you’ll need to wash your real dreadlocks to keep them fresh and clean. However, it is important not to wash your hair or get it wet during the first four weeks you have your dreads. After that, it’s a good idea to use special shampoo on your dreadlocks. That’s because these shampoos don’t have shining agents or other ingredients that make your hair soft. Such ingredients actually work against the natural process of the formation of your dreadlocks.
With regular shampoo, tufts will come loose more quickly and your dreads will become less firm. 
You can find different types of shampoos for your dreadlocks in our web shop. We recommend using a Spray Shampoo. With this shampoo, you don’t have to lather your dreadlocks with your hands. You simply spray the Spray Shampoo on your scalp and dreadlocks and then rinse well with water. This reduces loose and fluffy hair after you wash your dreads.

If your dreads have been made using the Wax Method, your dreads are set with elastics. We recommend taking out these elastics after the first wash. The first time you wash your dreads is after four weeks!

You can swim with real dreadlocks, but it is best not to get them wet for the first four weeks after you’ve made them.

Dreadlock care

There are various products available to help you care for your dreads and keep them smelling fresh. The choice of which product is best for you depends on what requirements you have. you want quick and easy care? Then choose the treatment spray. Are you itchy? Then choose a product that will help relieve this. Do you have dry dreads? Then go for an oil or cream. Do you have problems with dreads that don’t smell good? Then choose a Lock Deodorant. There is a wide range of products. 

Sleeping with your dreads

Sleeping with a night cap on your head is recommended to prevent your hair and dreads from getting too fluffy. Preferably cover both your scalp and the dreadlocks themselves. We also have special night caps for this. Wear your dreads loose or in a tail and then put the night cap over your head. This will keep your dreadlocks looking better for longer and you won’t have to touch up your dreads as much!