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after 4 year's i've taken my dreads out (took a week, around 6 bottles of conditioner, and 2 combs!) - but my hair is a mess. i've trimmed the bottom 6-inches off because they were just too straggly, but the rest is a whole lot thinner than i remember it, and covered with split ends.
Any ideas what i can do to speed up its recovery? I'm planning on conditioning frequently (every day maybe?), and snipping off the split ends when i spot them, but i'm not sure what to do to thicken it up. I'm thinking about trimming another 12-15 inches off so it's shoulder length since my hair's a bit thicker there, and waiting for it to grow again, but if there's a less drastic solution i'm all ears :)
Thank's for the help
Hi DopeDany,
that's an impressive project - de-dreading in the course of a week. Don't be impressed by the "thinner" look, that's to be expected. Dreads always contain a lot of loose hair, and they don't add to "thickness" any more.
I'd stay with the "search & destroy" method, that takes a little longer, but you lose a lot less length - and, psychologically, that's important in your situation.
Keep using a good conditioner, and just wait it out for about two weeks - your hair should start looking better already. You can also try any dimethicone & cyclomethicone product, e.g. frizz-ease. That helps to repair split ends, too - to a degree. You know, some people just ignore split ends, and it takes care all of itself over a few months.
If you feel comfortable doing so, you may want to post a picture.
Good luck & peace,
Hans-Uwe
I think i was a little over-enthusiastic removing them - from below the shoulder it looks like i was attacked by a hedge trimmer! Ok, thats an exageration, but it's not pretty! I'll see if i can borrow a camera to get a photo
I'll stick with it a couple of weeks, hopefully it'll improve, but if it doesn't i'll probably need to cut it off to shoulder length - i've been letting the dreads loosen at the top for a while so combing the top bit out wasnt as bad as the rest and apart from insane frizz it doesnt look that bad.
Cheers
DD
What about a buzz cut(no offence)or a short hair cut and then start growing it back again. If hair have been dreaded I dont think that you can turn it back.
The dreads are out, i've just made a mess of what's left - i wasnt expecting to lose as much weight as i did.
Cutting more hair off is a last resort, so i'll see how it goes.
Thanks
DD
This sounds like a shocking scenario.
So basically you had really long dreads(past the waist im guessing), have got bored of the look of dreads since then and just want 'normal' hair.
I don't know much about dreads but i did think it was impossible to remove them. Sounds like you're in for a fight.
Now matter what you try there is always going to be some damage in your hair.If you don't mind the look of damaged, messy, split end hair then it shouldn't worry you too much.
I could not do this, psychologically it would kill me and i would obsess over the damage all day and worry about it.
Maybe you could consult a Salon and get a deep conditioning treatment done or some other product that may help repair the damage.
If worst comes to worst, you can always trim back to shoulder length or even a complete buzz and start over. It will take a few years but that way you will grow a healthy head of hair free from damage and split ends. It the long run it may well be worth it. Personally, if i could choose between super long damaged, poor quality hair and a shorter, healthy hair i would take the latter.
Good luck with it all. Hope all goes well.
Not so much bored of them as needing a better job (me'n the misses are after a house and some sprogs so money is needed!). the plan is to wait a couple of years, get transferred to a back office job and sneak them back in :) Until then, I'd like to keep my hair as long as possible - i'm trying not to feel like a total sell out!
Cheers,
DD
This is slightly off-topic, but is your username (and perhaps your dreads as well) related to the metal band called Dope?
close - i stole my username from a song title
