Baby Dreadlocks:  Depending upon your hair texture, this phase lasts 3 to 6 months. Soft, fine or wavy hair takes longer to dreadlock than coarse, curly or tightly coiled hair.

Baby dreadlocks should be maintained by re-twisting, two-stranding or palm-rolling. It's suggested that you avoid washing baby dreadlocks during the first 3-4 weeks to allow them to set.  However, if you have a scalp condition such as seborrhea or feel the need to shampoo sooner, do so.  Just do so carefully and be ready to retwist areas that come undo.

Teenage Dreadlocks:  This period lasts anywhere from 3 months to a year.  Although this phase tend to overlap the Baby dreadlocks phase, the time frame largely depends on hair texture, length, method used to start your dreadlocks and maintenance techniques.  

Teenage dreadlocks are characterized by budding and matting (for descriptions of these terms visit the Dreadlocks FAQ Section.

It's recommended that you groom your dreadlocks no less than once a month because they have a tendency to bunch or crawl together (share rootbeds).  Teenage dreadlocks should be washed gently every 2-3 weeks barring any scalp or lifestyle conditions (such as working out frequently) which may cause you to shampoo more frequently.

Mature Dreadlocks:  Depending on your hair texture, you should expect to reach maturity sometime within 12 months but this period may take up to 2 years.  On average, people with African textures of varying types report to be fully dreadlocked within 16-18 months.

Mature dreadlocks are the strongest and require less grooming; however they are not maintenance free. Unlike baby and teenage dreadlocks, you'll have more liberty when it comes to maintaining and styling them. How "neat" they appear is really a matter of personal preference and time invested in the dreadlocks as compared to the other stages where "neatness" is far more unpredictable.

Don't be confused by the name. Baby dreadlocks may be cute (for a while), but they're about as fun as a baby with colic. Depending upon your hair texture, this phase lasts about 3 months but can take as many as 6. Normally, soft, fine, or wavy hair takes longer to achieve dreadlocks than coarse, curly, or tightly coiled hair.

After you've decided on your dreadlocks start method, you'll find that some locticians suggest that you avoid washing your baby dreadlocks during the first 3-4 weeks to give them the opportunity to establish themselves. There are others who give far more extreme advice and request that their clients refrain from shampooing from 2-3 months.  We disagreee.

Because there's no set formula to growing dreadlocks, much of the advice that's often given fails to take into account the individual and many locticians use arbitrary guidelines to govern dreadlocking...even us.   Unlike other cosmotology professions which require licensure, uniform process and technique, it doesn't take much finesse to say, "stop washing your hair."  

The proponents of this technique argue that infrequent shampooing causes the hair to dreadlock quicker.  FALSE!  

On average, someone who washes their hair every week or bi-weekly throughout the process will dreadlock in the same general time frame as someone who shampoos every 4-6 weeks so such advice is poo.  The difference is not time, it's maintenance.

A person who shampoos more frequently will be far more susceptible to unraveling.  But this does not cause a dreadlock set-back.  What it does mean is that this individual will have to be ready to maintain more frequently than someone who shampoos every month.  Even if you didn't have dreadlocks, if you shampoo more often, you're going to have to style your hair more often (how long and how much you style depends on your dreadlocks method and hair texture).

The other argument used by "refrain from shampooing" idealists is that frequent shampooing leads to frizzier hair.  I won't lie to you...the more often you shampoo, the frizzier your hair can get but the severity depends on your hair texture (softer textures will be frizzier as compared to coaser ones).

For most people who shampoo regularly, the trade-off of clean hair is worth a few more frizzies. You also have to consider that no matter what you do,  you can only postpone the inevitable, you can't prevent it and frizzies are inevitable.  The proponents of the "refrain from shampooing" idealogy argue that gunk build-up (natural or otherwise) helps your hair adhere.  True, an accumulation of oil and dirt will compact your hair...don't make it right or hygenic.

In the end, whether you shampoo weekly or monthly, you won't be able to tell the difference in terms of the frizzy hair because much of it will incorporate itself into the lock as you reach maturity.

The final argument offered by some "refrain from shampooing" idealists is that "This is how the Rasta's do it."  LIE!

I don't profess to know each and every Rastafarian with dreadlocks but those that I do know are insulted by such rhetoric.  Such statements are more the result of the Urban Legends surrounding dreadlocks and the misconstrued history of why they are considered "dread"ful.

Dreadlocks are more about freeing the hair from constraints and salon-type styling rather than freeing it from common sense.  If you really think your dreadlocks counterparts NEED to wallow in filth in order to achieve their objective, then I have an investment opportunity for someone like you.  DON'T BE SO GULLIBLE! :-P

Dreadlocks are still hair.  In order to maintain healthy dreadlocks, you may initially have to get used to an alternate method of hair care but throughout the process, dreadlocks need to be shampoo'd, conditioned, primped and primed as you see fit.  Guidelines for dreadlocks should help, not hurt.  Enduring months of filth and funk makes you trooper...a stinky one but it doesn't win you any medals.  This isn't a marathon.

With that said, although we're against the no-shampoo ideology, we're not saying that dreadlocks guidelines don't have their place.  If you want a specific look, if you want perfect uniformity, if you want more control over the process, guidelines are helpful and welcome...but remember, use common sense during the baby dreadlocks drama and you will be much happier for it.  Dreadlocks are one of those areas in life where you don't have to follow the leader.


Maintaining Baby Dreadlocks
During this period if you choose to refrain from shampooing, you can use products such as antiseptics to cleanse the scalp.  Natural remedies such as Witch Hazel or chemical versions such as Sea Breeze (far more caustic) are great ways to lift dirt from the skin's surface.  

To give you an idea of how antiseptics work, have you ever used Stridex (tm) to cleanse your face?  Stridex pads are saturated with an alcohol-based liquid that people with acne use to rid the skin of excess oil and dirt that may clog pores.  Just as you would continue to use the Stridex pads until there was no longer black gunk on the pads, you'd do the same with antiseptic scalp treatments for dreadlocks.

The drawback of this method is that alcohol is drying.  Where your face may have improve in the short-run, overtime the alcohol in such products is far too drying.  Instead of suffering from oillyness, you may find that you skin is now tight, dry and ashen in appearance. The same negatives often happen when using anti-septics for far too long on the scalp. The trick is to use this remedy sparingly or opt for a natural astringent such as Witch-Hazel vs. an alcohol based one.

No matter what, antiseptics serve as a TEMPORARY way to cleans your scalp.  They do nothing to lift dirt and odor trapped in your hair.  Eventually, you're going to have o put down the wipes and properly cleanse your dreadlock with shampoo and most importantly, water.

In conclusion...After the initial 3-4 weeks, baby dreadlocks should be maintained approximately every two to four weeks by washing and re-twisting or palm-rolling.  Remember, how often you shampoo is a matter of preference and/or need.  Astringents enable you to endure a larger gap between shampoos but if you feel the need to wash your dreadlocks, do so.  If you con go longer without ANY discomfort, do so.  Over or underdoing it can cause harm in either direction so love your dreadlocks and they will love you back.

Product Usage and Baby Dreadlocks
Problems with product usage and build-up start as baby dreadlocks move closer to the teenage stage.  Initially, your new dreadlocks may look cute and "salon-fresh."  As time goes by however, your cute new style starts to look a bit tired and most people try to remedy lackadaisical baby dreadlocks by increasing product usage.  Although you may not feel the repurcussions of excessive products in the beginning, your dreadlocks may show signs of sickliness in the end.

Depending on your hair's needs, quality herb-infused olive oil and small amounts of non-alcohol styling gel can be used to help baby dreadlocks stay intact.  The effectiveness of either in terms of hold and luster is a matter of preference and brand.

Oil by itself offers no holding properties.  There are people who twist with nothing more than oil and water but the twisting action, not the product, aids in keeping the dreadlocks intact.  They will argue otherwise but that's the truth...oils are sticky, they're slick.  As a result, most people however find oil-only treatments to be ineffective.

Others use styling gels.  We're all familiar with these.  Unlike oils which offer sheen, styling gels hold but offer no luster.  Be sure to find a gel that doesn't flake and contains no alcohol which can be drying and will rob your hair of moisture.  Although styling gels hold, there are some who find they make the hair too stiff.  Try adding a bit of oil to your styling gel when you twist to get  the best of both worlds.

The most popular option for maintaining dreadlocks are pomade style products.  Such products contain a wide variety of ingredients depending on the manufacturer.  Some are all-natural (containing only vegetable or nut butters and oils).  Others contain far more chemicals and cheap manufacturing ingredients such as petrolatum and mineral oils.

What you should look for in a pomade/butter is a product that isn't too heavy.  Whether it contains beeswax or not, consistency is far more important as you want something that will easily wash away from your hair.  

Unfortunately, a large number of dreadlocks care products are so thick that they mimic a hair-like tar product rather than a beneficial butter/wax.  In the short-run, such products may help hold your hair together and prevent baby dreadlocks from unraveling, they also are a VERY difficult to remove...especially if you're going to extremes and piling them on day-to-day and shampooing once a month.  In the end, you may have dreadlocks, but they will be ashen, dry, damaged and unhealthy.

So your pomade/butter/wax should not be too gooey or too thick.  It should melt with ease and glide along skin.  It should only discolor the hair if the hair is wet (oil and water don't mix).  If it is applied to dry hair, it should dissappear into the dreadlock...one should not have to apply heat to melt the product.

Whichever product you choose, avoid overtwisting and overusing them.  Baby dreadlocks should be checked bi-weekly to insure they are not crawling (sharing root-beds) but, if all is well, let them be.  There's a common misconception that one needs to twist incessantly to dreadlock. The contrary is true...less manipulation is better for your dreadlocks so that the hair naturally mattes.  You should only twist your dreadlocks if they call for it or to help them look neater in the short-term.

Final Word on Shampooing & Baby Dreadlocks Tips
Whether in a salon or at home, baby dreadlocks should be washed gently. If possible, consult an experienced loctician for your initial shampoo. Doing so will enable you to learn how to correctly wash your particular hair type and will teach you how to deal with twists that come undone...and some WILL become undone so don't panic.
 
Also keep in mind that one way to avoid unraveling is to place small rubberbands at the end of your newly formed dreadlocks. Once your dreadlocks have matured, you can simply cut off the rubberband section.  This may not be the most attractive solution but for those of you who wash your hair frequently or have loosely coiled/straight hair, it's an option.

When washing your hair, use a gentle stream of water to minimize the amount of twists that unravel. Use a mild shampoo to remove oil and dirt.  Keep in mind that your main objective is to cleanse your scalp, not overly manipulate your hair.

Begin with a gentle rubbing motion in one direction. Do not massage your scalp or hair as this will encourage your dreadlocks to unravel and become tangled at the root which will increase your styling time.  Rinse thoroughly.

During the baby and teenage stages of the dreadlocking process, use of conditioners is not recommended because they cause the hair to become soft and detangle which slows the dreadlocking process.  Remember, you want your hair to matte, not to become more manageable.

At night, you can use a scarf to help your dreadlocks remain intact. Cotton fabrics may cause frizzies and absorb excess moisture and oils which tend to retard the dreadlocking process.  They also leave the hair dry-looking.

Silk and satin scarves allow the hair to retain oil but they may result in flat, lifeless looking dreadlocks.  Either way, silk and satin is better for your hair and new dreadlocks so invest in a few before you begin.  If you find that your dreadlocks are flattened, lightly mist your locks with water and as long as they're not oversaturated with product, they should plump up a bit without excessive unraveling (misting is best for the two-strand twists and braid methods which are less susceptible to unraveling).

Teenage dreadlocks are like temperamental teens cause it's as if they're going through puberty. They do everything but whine, kick and scream and like most teens they need order or they become unruly. This period lasts anywhere from 3 months to over a year but depends on your hair texture.

The teenage stage is a period of budding and matting. Budding occurs when a pea-shaped knot forms towards the end of your new dreadlocks.  You may also notice little balls of hair that accumulate at the very tips.  The formation of buds is completely natural and is a sign that you're on your way to maturity so I suggest you don't cut them off.   The knot will gradually become less evident so exercise a little patience.  As far as the little balls, most people pull them off so if they're bugging you, do the same.

It's recommended that you groom your dreadlocks every two to four weeks because they have a tendency to bunch or crawl together. Crawling occurs when the hair from one loc starts to loc with another.

If you don't keep the hair separated, you'll have to pull the hair apart at the scalp. Waiting too long between grooming sessions will make separating the dreadlocks painful and can eventually weaken the loc. But don't panic.  This is a natural part of the process!  Simply make it a part of your weekly routine to see if the dreadlocks are crawling. If so, gently separate them at the root.

CAUTION! Don't get Hand-In-Lock disease.  Just cause you can touch your hair, doesn't mean you should.  Overtwisting does as much damage as no twisting at all.  Twisting everyday may help keep you dreadlocks looking neat, but be careful or you might twist them right out your head.

Teenage dreadlocks should be washed gently. You will find that after shampooing is when the dreadlocks are susceptible to crawling and bunching. Therefore, manipulate them very carefully while shampooing.  

At this stage you're going to slowly gravitate towards palm-rolling your dreadlocks after shampooing.  When this occurs depends on how dense or mature your dreadlocks have become over the past few months.   Continue to use clips to help secure the dreadlocks and separate the sections as you twist/palm-roll.

Once the hair starts to bud and matte, you can begin shampooing your hair a little more vigorously.  This doesn't mean you should scrub or massage excessively, but you don't need to be as careful as you were during the baby dreadlocks stage.

Some locticians say that you can begin to use oils and moisturizers during this period but do so sparingly.

QUICK REALITY CHECK:  Dreadlocks will NEVER have the same degree of luster as relaxed hair.  When's the last time you seen a shiny afro?  If natural hair has less luster than relaxed hair, what do you expect of dreadlocks?

Don't let professional photos fool you.  A lot of the images we see in magazines and on tv are the result of professional styling teams.  Believe me, in between photos or commercial breaks there's a stylist on hand to spritz, retwist, refresh an individual's dreadlocks to help them look great on camera.  Think about it, not only is that model getting her make-up retouched, but her dreadlocks as well.

Unless you have a professional stylist and lighting specialist on hand 24-7, you have to accept the fact that AT TIMES, your dreadlocks may appear dry.  If you want the longest lasting sheen available you can use a heavy pomade but we all know that's a no-no...right?

After rinsing your hair, towel blot dry.  What you do next will depend on the method used to start your dreadlocks....

Finger Twists, re-twist.  Palm-rolls, re-palm-roll.  Secure the twists with metal clips and allow them to set. Two-strand twists and braids, do nothing.  Over time as your two-strands and braids become more dense, you will be able to palm-roll them.

You can expect to reach maturity anywhere from 8-12 months or well up to year two, but this doesn't mean an end to your growing pains.

Generally what the two year mark means is that there truly is no turning back and if you've hung around this long, you probably don't want to.  Your new dreadlocks still have months of development in front of them and it maybe sometime before they take on their final shape and texture.

One thing for sure however, you won't have to endure the same types of trials you experienced in the earlier stages.  With that said, step away from the computer, do a cart-wheel or two then continue reading below...

Mature dreadlocks are the strongest and require less frequent grooming; however they are not maintenance free. They can be washed and conditioned as often as you desire.  Some wash their dreadlocks daily while others choose to wait at least 3 weeks.

Just make sure that whatever your regimen, you avoid dry scalp with moisturizing, conditioning and/or hot oil treatments.  

QUICK REALITY CHECK: Dreadlocks will NEVER have the same degree of luster as relaxed hair.  When's the last time you seen a shiny afro?  If natural hair has less luster than relaxed hair, what do you expect of dreadlocks?

Don't let professional photos fool you.  A lot of the images we see in magazines and on tv are the result of professional styling teams.  Believe me, in between photos or commercial breaks there's a stylist on hand to spritz, retwist, refresh an individual's dreadlocks to help them look great on camera.  Think about it, not only is that model getting her make-up retouched, but her dreadlocks as well.

Unless you have a professional stylist and lighting specialist on hand 24-7, you have to accept the fact that AT TIMES, your dreadlocks may appear dry.  If you want the longest lasting sheen available you can use a heavy pomade but we all know that's a no-no...right?

Regardless of your chosen hair care regimen, be sure to thoroughly dry your dreadlocks as quickly as possible.  Do not go to sleep on wet dreadlocks and allowing them to air dry is not recommended.


We suggest shaking and towel drying your hair immediately after shampooing and once you've finished palm-rolling/styling your dreadlocks, sit under a hooded drier on a medium setting.  Doing so will avoid problems associated with mildew.  Yes, mildew.  

As your dreadlocks mature, they become more dense and as a result, hold more water which increases drying time.  So moving on...

Another advantage of mature dreadlocks is that you no longer have to retwist your new growth.  There are exceptions to the rule however.  Some hair textures (softer varieties) may experience frizzies throughout their lock journey, but overall, once your dreadlocks have matured, the need for certain types of maintenance dramatically decreases.

Longer, more mature dreadlocks can be put in a number of styles. At night they should be covered with a satin scarf (or use a satin pillow) to maintain a good moisture balance.

As always, consult a licensed professional before attempting any style.

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Customer Testimonial: I have used Naani Lock'd Down Butter for the past year or longer, and I have not had any problems with it. No Lint, No Build-Up, Nothing!

Before using Lock'd Down Butter, I had a Bad Product build-up. Once Naani shared with me how to get rid of the build-up I have had no problem using her products at all.

I mixed Naani Lock'd Down Butter with Aloe Juice & stirred it until it became light and fluffy like a lotion.

It is great! It smells wonderful, it leaves my locs soft, shinny, and blowing in the wind. -- Ksweet

naani's naturals products are hand-crafted and cruelty-free.  For more information on our product selection, please visit naani's naturals online!

I got a call the other day from one of my closest friends.  She started her locks about a year after I began mine.  She wanted to know why her locks were breaking.

Once your dreadlocks are mature, they may unfortunately undergo a stage of regression or loss.  As you know, once you're fully dreadlocked, little to no hair is shed.  What this means is, hair that would've long left your head through natural shedding remains.  Over the years, these "shoulda been shed" hairs are subject to styling and environmental damage.  Thus, the hair that is the oldest (the end portion of your dreadlocks), may actually thin and weaken to the point of breaking off.

Is Breakage Guaranteed?
No.  At naani we stress proper care of locks for one simple reason:  Poor maintenance will always bite you in the ass eventually. 

Individuals who suffer end damage or loss have most likely over-used product during the early stages of locking.  If you were/are the type who twisted your dreadlocks incessantly during the baby and teenage stages, if you used products such as Murray's Beeswax or raw shea butter for example, you're far more prone to build-up in your locks.  Overtwisting and product build-up can weaken your locks and unfortunately, you may not realize the error of your ways until it's too late.

The best way to prevent breakage is to minimize twisting (twist as necessary) and periodically remove build-up.  Products such as naani's naturals Gunk Be Gone!, Aromatherapy Astringent or  Cucumber Lime Clarifying Shampoo work to remove deeply embedded build-up and odor from dreadlocks. 

It's important to note that where dreadlocks are matted hair, they should not be compacted by products that do not rid themselves easily with regular shampooing.  Removing product build-up enables your dreadlocks to "breathe" and therefore reduces the amount of time it takes for them to dry.  This is important because standing water in dreadlocks can produce mildew and fungal infections inside your dreadlocks.  So where you may not visibly see the bacterial concoction forming in your hair, it will eventually begin to be effected by it and break off.

Thus, this final stage of dreadlocks is years in the making.  If you care for and love your dreadlocks as you would any other style, you may not encounter this slow death.  If however you engaged or continue to engage in infrequent washing, overtwisting, excessive and/or wrong product application, breakage is just around the corner.  Stop what you're doing and work to remove the build-up.