Tips for Starting Dreadlocks

If you've made the decision to wear dreadlocks, you probably need a solid plan for starting them. You might wonder if you should begin them yourself or have a professional start them for you, where to find such a professional, what products to use, and what to expect in the way of care and maintenance.

Here are my suggestions, based on my own experience with dreadlocks:

Establish the size of your locks beforehand

I can't stress the importance of this step enough. Overlook it, and you'll be stuck with locks that are too big or too small for your taste, with your only option being to cut them off and start all over again. I'd strongly suggest you look through magazines, pictures online, books in hair salons, and pick the dreadlock size that you really like. Consider that the smaller the lock, the more locks you'll have, and the more time that will be required in caring for and re-twisting your locks.

Then once you have your size established, bring a picture with this exact size to your loctician. Which leads me to my next suggestion:

Visit a loctician to start your locks

You could, hypothetically, start your locks yourself, and many people do. But if you really want a neat, manicured, uniform look to your locks, I'd suggest you visit a loctician, as achieving this yourself will be nearly impossible unless you are a wizard with hair and have multiple mirrors that allow you to view the back of your head with precision.

Show your loctician a picture of the size you want your locks. If possible, view pictures of the loctician's past work to make sure they are capable of creating the look you want.

In terms of finding a loctician, this can be done through word of mouth, the internet, the phone book, or any combination thereof. It may take a little work, but the time spent finding a loctician who obviously has experience starting and caring for locks will be well worth it in the end. When choosing a loctician, consider not only price, but what products they use and the quality of their previous work.

Choose a method that suits your texture and your schedule