Fuck it. I'm dreading my hair. I'm waiting for my kit to arrive. I know that there are risks with dreaded hair and BJJ but I'm cool with that. I'll post pics when it's done gonna look a little different in western Nebraska. :cool:
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Fuck it. I'm dreading my hair. I'm waiting for my kit to arrive. I know that there are risks with dreaded hair and BJJ but I'm cool with that. I'll post pics when it's done gonna look a little different in western Nebraska. :cool:
Don't use wax unless you want moldy sludge in the center within a year!
LOL Thanks Brent!
Rolling with dudes that have dreads is fucking gross.
Why? Do you mean guys who have nasty smelly dreads? I plan to keep my mine clean.
Isn't that for like hippies and shit?
I am a hippie... lol
hell yeah that's filthy! You won't be able to wash your hair everyday. Once a week if you're lucky due to the fact dreads will suck up on water/ sweat... Super gross
Actually that's a common misconception. You can wash everyday if you want. People who take care of them have hair as clean as everyone else.
What should you know about dreads?
There's one big thing about dreads that throws many people off so I want to clear that up first. Dreadlocks can be divided into 3 categories. You have probably had very little, if any, interaction with two of these types of dreadlocks. The dreadlocks of the past that many remember from the 70's are those started by neglecting the hair. These are often unsanitary and can range from messy to downright scary. This is not the type of dreads this letter is about.
The other two types are natural dreadlocks and chemically assisted dreadlocks. Both of these are started purposefully, either at home or in a salon. The real difference between the two is in the products chosen to create them. Natural dreads are started without perming or processing the hair. The hair is usually combed backwards to start knots and then products can be used to create an environment that helps the knots tighten into attractive dreads. Chemically assisted dreads are permed using a perming solution before or after the initial knots are created. Both of these types of dreads are maintained regularly and the end goal is to have groomed, mature, dreadlocks. These maintained dreads are the subject of this letter. Your employee has "done his or her homework" and has began learning about how to properly start and maintain dreadlocks.
Since creating and maintaining dreadlocks is not very common, most common knowledge and rumors about dreadlocks refer to neglected dreads rather than maintained dreads.
For example you've probably heard that dreads are dirty. The truth is, dreads lock faster when they are clean. We actually provide a residue free soap because the dreads get tighter when soap residue is not present. Speaking of clean, dreads never shed, this is a benefit in any work area where stray hair is an issue. When dreads are maintained they are a sanitary and healthy hairstyle much like braids, but dreads do not need to be taken out. While braids must be redone periodically to maintain a clean look, mature dreads look great every day and never need to be redone.
Dreads can also be removed without cutting the hair. This means they can be worn for a trial period and if they are not "a fit" the previous hair style can be restored. Starting and removing dreads is not easy so we don't recommend dreads as a temporary hair style but the option to remove them is always there if it is needed.
We have an entire website dedicated to helping people start and maintain healthy, great looking dreads. Dreads are a process and we realize that while mature dreads look clean, tight and smooth, new dreads are always going to look less desirable. For this reason we recommend several types of dread specific head wear so that dreads can be out of sight until they have matured and you are comfortable with them being seen in the workplace. Of course it is up to you whether dreads should always be kept covered or if there are benefits to having them seen.
From http://dreadheadhq.com
All right, I coming from Humboldt here so I hope you appreciate this, one of my best friends has had dreads of and on for most of our adult lives. Plenty of people I interact with have dreads and maintain them to varying levels of cleanliness.
Can dreads be kept clean? Yes but its not nearly as easy as non dreaded hair. Also the inside of dread can only be cleaned to a certain extent. That being said a lot of people with non-dreaded hair dont even keep their hair as clean as some dreadies do.
Maybe more significant is that most people are going to have to perception that they are dirty regardless of how you keep them.
Can you undread them if you dont like it? Kind of, matters how curly your hair is naturally, how long they're in, and you will lose some length probably because the ends will break off.
Ive seen 3 times dreads get ripped off the scalp. One of those times was gruesome.
When I see dreads, personally I think someones trying to be cool. I'd say go for it while your still young.
There will be haters but WTF, you're your own man, right? Have you considered doing the carpet to match the drapes?
Ok, from experience. Dont get dreds if you plan to do Jiu Jitsu. Dreads hold the smell of every thing you are arround. So a sewaty mat will stay with you. "ill just wash them" nope. I had long dreads before, down my back. Wgen i mountain biked in the south i smelled like a wet bike path. When i snow boarded i got a nice hockey bag sweat thing going.
Dreads itch and when you itch them you look dirty. Imagine when you wear a ball cap. Sooner or later it itches. well you cant take that hat off. And im sure you dont care what others think, but dudes itching their dreads look like Dudes Itching their Dreads.
Also i dont know what your job is. But while i was in Machining school, i got metal chips in them, then rolled over in the night to have my face scratched. When i worked days at the bar cleaning it smelled of ashtray, then smoke at night.
I see wanting dreads. Its a look, and if you like it then its a cool look. I had both long dreads, then shorter dreads at another time. But i would advise that they come with a price, and know that before, dont act surprised later.
And yes you can comb new dreads out. but a ton of hair is going with them.
Hope that helps. If ya get them, have a stylist do the perm route. It looks nicer and you can prevent that big turd one thats going to grow on the back of your head for a while. And dont be surprised when people scan the room for another partner to roll with instead of your wet mop (witch will have the weight of a wet mop now, because it literally is).
Where is Dan Conway to give his 2 pennies. That dude cut off his four foot dreads to start training.
Nope! no misconception been training for a while with a dude who had dreads down to his butt...Quote:
Originally Posted by Moises "Mo" Montalvo
He couldn't wash them after every trainings because they would take days to dry in winter. It would soak up everything! Not the nicest smell in the world . Last thing I'd want is to carry everybody's sweat in my hair and other grossness!
He had neck problems too due to weight and volume of dreads he had...
He cut them all in the end after 7 years of growth
Not the smartest thing to get for jiu jitsu.
Only hippies would tell you that they've got clean dreads LOL
I can see the appeal so it definitely wouldn't stop me rolling with someone who had them.
toby also suplexed the fuck out of a guyQuote:
Originally Posted by John Alighieri
Mann if you want dreds get dreds, how is a bunch of people without dreds gonna comment on you wanting to get em makes no sense. I have never came across someone i wouldn't roll with...dreds or no dreds and ive rolled with some smelly motha fuckas. If u were in a comp and came across a guy with smelly dreds,you wouldnt go to the ref and tell him that you wont roll with him unless he cuts his hair. In jiu jitsu we learn to over come all kinds of obstacles size, height, weight, etc smelly hair is another one ..and by the way you can keep your hair clean i got homies and cousins with dreds and they have bitches playin with there hair all the time its all on the person.
This is something I've wanted to do for a long time but never did because of peoples' perceptions when I was younger. Now that I'm older with my wife and kids, I really don't care what anybody else thinks. I posted it on here because I thought if there was anywhere I would be accepted no matter what I looked like was here at 10P. I did NOT expect this much negativity. Haters hate if you want, I spent almost a decade in the military to earn my "don't give a fuck" card. My dreads will not stink, and will not be gross. Most people who have issues with their dreads just haven't put enough time into them. I have literally been looking into this for years. I can't say anything about other people or their experiences because I'm not them. And if you're worried about my dreads while we're rolling, you're not paying attention to something that will probably make you tap.
I had a friend joke around about doing this for real! LOLQuote:
Originally Posted by Aaron Gustaveson
Ever heard of blow dryer? Sounds like laziness to me.Quote:
Originally Posted by John Alighieri
Could you imagine taking someone's back and them leg pressing their dreads in your face...leaves and ferrets falling into your mouth. Gross....in the words of my best friend little Wayne "Dew you"
Hilarious.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Dewitt Jr
Thick dreads cant be washed as often as thinner ones because they dont dry out even with a blow dryer. I think the many small dreads look way better too. If you enjoy having them that's all that matters, you had to expect haters, even here though.
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I'm doing the thinner ones. My wife read the thread lol. She said the minute they stink she's shaving my head in the night.... LOL She's going to help me keep up with them at first. Thanks for the support! I will post pics for the haters. I've decided to embrace the hate :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by Aaron Gustaveson
Can you cut dreads to maintain them at a certain length?
It could suck if they get stuck under someone and it pulls on your scalp.
I roll with lots of people who already stink from there rash guards so who cares if your hair smells a little bit...
Talking about stinky rashguard; White vinegar is the cheapest most effective way to get rid off tenacious smell!
I've had problems drying my gear properly over winter with that shitty NZ winter, clothes take days if not a week to dry and sometimes training gear will stink up in a couple of minutes even if it got washed with shit tons of washing powder!
Trick to it is to pour 1-2 cups of white vinegar in your machine, let it soak for 10-30min before completing the wash cycle and then BAM! no more funky smell :)
I'm going to pass this on to my student Kevin.Quote:
Originally Posted by John Alighieri
Ryan has a VERY valid point about long hair. It fucking hurts when your hair gets "stuck" under somebody. It's something to think about.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan Brick
I've had a number of students with dread. Everyy single one of them had dreads ripped out of their head while rolling, Head gear, scarfs, etc. didn't prevent it. They also had issues with ring worm because they couldn't wash their scalp. I'm not hating on you, just being practical.
i have a few fighters in my school with dreads. one has short thin ones and two others have the longer ones. the short thin ones tend to fall out, but none of them smell bad. i roll with all of them and its no big deal at all. if you are going to get on the ground with another sweaty man and wrestle around, some smelly hair is really not that big a deal.
I just cut my dreads for jiujitsu, and i already miss them. Im still up in the air as to whether or not i should have done it. The only cons I experienced when I had them was during rolling, They would get in the way a LOT. If i was in the bottom of side control, it was almost inevitable that their knee would post on them and my head would be pinned to the mat (unless i was ok with yanking/losing a dread). And when I would get caught in a choke, it was MUCH harder to slip my head out. So when it comes to the technical aspect, there was definitely some downfalls.
Other than that.. there was also a LOT of benefits. #1 being all the cool people youll meet. Every day I would have at least one person come up and talk to me about my hair. Or offer to smoke a bowl with me (which is always a bonus if youre into that sort of thing). And as for the cleaning them thing.. Its really no different than having normal hair. (Which if youve studied up on it youve already figured it out). People like to think dreads are dirty because a lot of people who have them are dirty (which is true).. but I always saw it as the same argument people use when they say people who smoke pot are lazy. Sure, theres people who smoke weed that are lazy.. but it isnt because of the weed, its because they are a lazy person who just so happens to smoke. As long as you wash your dreads after you roll every day, theyll be fine. Anywhere that sweat and dirt can get to.. so can shampoo and water. Id recommend Dr. Bronners if youre going to buy one (as opposed to making it yourself).. They have a lot of great ones that leave them super clean, and they smell awesome. (And yet arent overwhelming)
I've used the dreadheadhq kit twice before. I miss my dreads.