The Chinese philosopher Confucius once said that only the stupidest or wisest of people never change. Now, how that quote applies to you depends on you.
Human beings cannot realistically get through life without experiencing continual change. Additionally, a point can be made that if it ain't broke, why it?
Perhaps wisdom is ultimately applied to the personal understanding of life. Like differentiating between necessary change and when change requires more sacrifice than is necessary or warranted.
When it comes to hairstyles, we are allowed to change our minds, aren't we? According to one fashion survey, women change their hairstyle every season while men change theirs three times in a lifetime. Average statistics must be taken with a grain of salt, but it can't be argued that a hairstyle is a personal choice that reflects personality.
We believe that dreadlocks are like any other hairstyle but simultaneously also very unlike any other hairstyle.
Wearing dreadlocks can be a very spiritual, religious, political, or life-affirming choice for some people. For others, dreadlocks are just a trendy fashion choice.
What is undeniable is that wearing dreadlocks requires patience and grooming maintenance. Depending on the length of your hair, it could take several months or up to two years before dreadlocks fully form.
There are many ways to style dreadlocks. But you can't change or switch up dreadlocks like any other hairstyle.
To Remove Dreadlocks or Not?
The optimum way to get rid of dreadlocks is to remove them entirely via cutting or carefully and painstaking detangling them. And the longer or thicker your dreadlocks, the longer the detangling removal process will take.
We understand that your reasons for removing your dreadlocks are your own. Some people want a new hairstyle. Others may be tired of the required grooming maintenance.
Some people may have to remove their dreadlocks for social or employment reasons. In 2016, a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that its legal and non-discriminatory not to hire people with dreadlocks. Only seven states have laws that ban dreadlock discrimination in the workplace.
Dreadlocks are the most natural way to grow your hair.
Dreadlocks protect hair follicles and are economically cheaper to maintain than most other hairstyles.
Whether or not you remove your dreadlocks is your business. Our point is that it takes sacrifice to grow dreadlocks, and it takes sacrifice to remove them. So, think carefully before increasing or removing dreadlocks.
Here is your essential guide to removing dreadlocks.
Dreadlocks are like a natural crown of hair for your hair. Treat it that way. Buy organic and natural dreadlock grooming products from Lion Locs.
Related: Starter Locs Do's And Don'ts
Removing Dreadlocks 101
There is a short way and a long way when it comes to removing dreadlocks.
You can cut them all off and start from scratch. That is the easiest method and will cost the least in time sacrifice.
The older, longer, and thicker your dreadlocks strands are, the longer the removal process via detangling will take. Dreadlock detangling is performed one dreadlock strand at a time. So, the process could take hours, days, or weeks of intermittent detangling.
A dreadlock strand is a matted and fused spiral structure of locked hair follicles. We call it an "internal dreadlock matrix." Imagine a spiral scaffold-like internal structure where hair follicles lock and fuse together inside the dreadlock.
This internal structure is protected by an exterior frame of fuzzy, matted, and fused dreadlock hairs.
Depending on the starting process you utilized, the detangling process could take a while. Detangling wouldn't be that difficult if you used the palm-rolling, finger rolling, back-combing, or freeform dreadlock methods.
The removal process would take time if you used the braiding or crochet method to start your dreadlocks.
Dreadlock removal via detangling starts at the tip of the dreadlock. The longer and older your dreadlocks, the harder this process will be. And the tip or base of your dreadlocks may be too fused and follicle-locked to unlock successfully.
Even if you could unlock the tip, you would probably only open torn, broken, and damaged hair follicles. If your dreadlocks are more than three to seven years old or older, you may need to cut a third or more of the length off before you start detangling.
You could detangle your dreadlocks on your own with a few friends. We strongly advise seeing a dreadlock hairstylist professional who is more experienced to judge how much of your hair length can be salvaged.
The Tools
You will need a rat tail comb with a stainless-steel pick. Or you could use a sturdy crochet hook or a stainless-steel dreadlock comb. The key to detangling dreadlocks is that you will have to untangle every locked follicle in each dreadlock.
You will need to buy enough natural dreadlock oil or gel to saturate each dreadlock. Or you could fill spray bottles with an equal mix of moisturizer and water. You could even use olive oil.
You must saturate and lubricate each dreadlock with natural oils or moisturizer and water to unlock follicles without breaking them.
(Remember that oil and water repel one another, so don't mix those.)
Have a lot of towels nearby. The dreadlock detangling procedure will be a very oily, lubricated, and greasy mess for everyone involved.
And bring a lot of patience. Every locked hair follicle in each dreadlock must be unlocked one by one in this process. Don't rush it.
Broken and Damaged Hair Warning
As you detangle dreadlocks, many hair follicles will become broken as you work.
So, you may notice large dust-bunny masses of hair piling up as you work; it's normal and no reason to panic.
The Process
Wash your dreadlocks thoroughly and dry them entirely before you begin. Start with one dreadlock at a time. Thoroughly lubricate the dreadlock with a natural gel, oil, moisturizer, and water spray mix. You will have to lubricate the dread continually as you work.
Use the rat-tail of the comb, or crochet hook, to strategically and slowly tease out, unravel, and unlock each and every hair follicle. Rushing or forcing this process is only going to result in broken and torn follicles.
Repeat the lubricate, strategically picking, and detangling process until the dreadlock is untangled. Take breaks. It could take hours, days, or weeks to remove the dreadlocks entirely.
You will only find the best natural and organic dreadlock grooming products from Lion Locs. Check us out today.
Related: Everything To Know About Congo Locs