Frequently Asked Questions
We are answering questions the dreadlock community have, and also questions people curious about dreadlocks have. This is a growing page and the more questions we get asked, the more we will add to this page. There is so much conflicting advice out there about dreads and there is often more than one answer.
What are dreadlocks?
Dreadlocks are quite simply sections of knotted hair.
How do you get dreadlocks?
Dreadlocks can happen naturally when hair brushing stops, if you are not brushing the hair, it knots up and starts to form 'dreadlocks'.
It is also an option to backcomb and crochet sections of hair to instantly form baby dreads and over time they will 'mature' into dreadlocks.
Can anyone have dreads?
Yes. Any hair type can begin to knot if hair brushing stops. Every hair type is different and everyone has different lifestyles which affect the process. there is no 'one size fits all' approach to this.
Can you wash dreadlocks?
Yes. It is just hair. People may wash them less frequently as they take longer to dry, but you wash them as normal with a gentle clear sulphate-free, residue-free shampoo.
Can Dreads go mouldy?
This happens rarely, but it can happen if proper care is not taken, with the main and only rule I suggest, which is making sure your locs are fully dried after wetting them. The odd time is no issue, but repeatedly going to bed with them wet, for long periods of time may encourage microbial growth within the dread.
How much do dreadlocks cost?
Dreads can be entirely free, some people choose to 'freeform' dreadlocks, which is where they just leave their hair to naturally knot up. These types of natty dreads have a different aesthetic to those formed by backcombing and crochet. This is the beauty of the dreadlock process and every single one is unique.
Having your dreads created by a loctician, costs can vary, but generally reflect the speed of the loctician and the quality of their work. At ThreadLOXX we charge a standard rate of £30gpb per hour and generally a dreadlock creation session can take anywhere from 4-10 hours for a full head of dreads, depending on your hair thickness, length and how thick you would like your dreads to be. Partial heads and dread hawks can take just a few hours.
Is my hair long enough to start my journey?
We generally need around 2-3 inches to work with, as the hair knots it bends and curls around, it loses length, and so we need this starting length at least. Dreadlock extensions are always an option.
How do dreadlock extensions work?
Dreadlock extensions can be made of human hair, synthetic hair or wool. The can be single ended or double ended, and they can be braided in or crocheted in. You can use looped ends to braid them into your undreaded hair, double ended dreads to braid in, for extra volume and a more natural looking aesthetic, or you can get open ended dreads to crochet straight on the ends of existing dreads.
We offer human hair and synthetic dreads.
What hair ties are good for dreadlocks?
There are many different hair tie options for dreadlocks, many people tie their own dreads with their own dreads although this can sometimes pull on the scalp and if repeatedly using the same dread, can damage the hair. Many normal hair bands are difficult for dreadlocks, and you may find they are not big enough, keep breaking, or are just difficult to use if you have particularly long or stiff dreads. We have created a tie for dreadlocks that enable you to tie them back quickly and easily. Visit our shop to see all the designs we currently offer, and the 'how to use' page to watch a quick video of Liz Kidder using our ToggleLOXX and Philip Wolff using our ButtonLOXX.