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

Before you start making your dreadlocks

It’s best to wash your hair with special dread shampoo before you start making your dreads. These products don’t contain any smoothing or shining agents, which are not good for your dreadlocks. Washing your hair with a special dread shampoo will make it stiffer. It will be difficult to form dreadlocks if your hair is too smooth.

Making dreadlocks out of your own hair – The Wax Method

After washing, divide your hair into tufts of equal size. A rat tail comb is useful when doing this. With equal sized tufts, you’ll also end up with equal sized dreadlocks of the same thickness. You can secure the tufts with elastics against your scalp. Later you’ll make your dreads from these tufts.

Note! It is important to make nice square tufts! If you don’t, there is a chance that your dreads will grow into each other over time because the roots of the dreadlocks will tangle together easier.

Once your hair is divided into tufts, spray a Dread Accelerator on your hair to make it stiffer. Next, blow dry your hair and then you can start to tease the tufts of hair. This is done tuft for tuft with a special dread comb. Start at the top near your scalp and work your way down to the ends. Your hair now has the basic form for your dreads.

Tip! If your hair is still too smooth after washing and using Dread Accelerator, you can use Lock Pow(d)er to make your hair more stiff. The stiffer the hair, the easier it is for you to make dreadlocks.

You should apply Dreadwax now because the dreads are still very fluffy and not compact yet. The wax is applied by putting it on your hands and then palm rolling it into the dreadlocks. Do this one dread at a time. The Dreadwax ensures that all loose strands of hair stick to your dreads and are incorporated into them.
Repeat the waxing process on your dreadlocks once or twice a week.

Your dreads need more time to form when using the Wax Method. It will take about a year for you to have nice, compact dreads.

Making dreads out of your own hair – The Crochet Hook Method

With the Crochet Hook Method, it’s not really necessary to divide your hair with elastic bands when you begin to form your dreadlocks. However, we do recommend doing this because it helps you get tufts of equal thickness, which will give you dreadlocks of equal size. Once your dreads are ready, you can take the elastics out of your dreads.

Note! It is important to make nice square tufts! If you don’t, there is a chance that your dreads will grow into each other over time because the roots of the dreadlocks will tangle together easier.

Once you have washed your hair as described above, spray on an accelerator. This makes your hair stiffer, which makes it easier for you to form the dreadlocks.

Next, blow dry your hair and then you can start to tease the tufts of hair. This is done tuft for tuft with a special dread comb. Start at the top near your scalp and work your way down to the ends. Your hair now has the basic form for your dreads.

Tip! If your hair is still too smooth after washing and using Dread Accelerator, you can use Lock Pow(d)er to make your hair more stiff. The stiffer the hair, the easier it is for you to make dreadlocks.

To make your dreads stronger and give them their first compactness, use a crochet hook to prick them. This will knot your dreadlocks from the inside out.

Using the crochet hook to make dreads is done as follows:

• Insert the crochet hook in the top of your dread and move it gently back and forth.
• Remove the crochet hook and insert it further into your dreadlock.
• Move it gently back and forth again.
• Keep repeating this until you’ve reached the end of the dread.

If your hair/dreads are still fluffy, you can use a Dreadwax to make the hair stick to your dreadlocks. This will incorporate those hairs into your dreads. Once your hair is no longer fluffy, you can use a dread locking gel or dread cream to move the dread process forward.

The Crochet Hook Method is a time consuming and intensive way to make dreadlocks. The advantage of this method is that your dreads will become compact faster and will form more quickly. You’ll have nice, compact dreadlocks in six months when you properly care for and work on your dreads using this method!