How to Grow Dreadlocks Free Form or Twist & Rip
The first step to growing your own free form / neglect dreadlocks is to stop brushing, combing or finger combing your hair., Clean hair dreads faster., Sections should vary in size., Separate any sections that are trying to join on to each other...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: The first step to growing your own free form / neglect dreadlocks is to stop brushing
When you do this, over time knots will form, this is how dreadlocks grow.
When you stop brushing, your hair will start to separate into sections all on its own.
This takes only a couple of weeks to section. -
Step 2: combing or finger combing your hair.
Wash your hair 2-3 times a week during the first few months.
By the one year mark, you only need to wash once a week.
Use a dread friendly shampoo or dread bar.
Regular shampoos will leave behind a residue build up or over condition the hair causing any knotting process to slip out , If any are larger than one inch, it is best to divide that into 2 or 3 sections.
Anything larger than one inch will produce Congos / fat dreads.
The area of where the section of hair meets the scalp will be the thickness of your mature dreadlocks, so that is where you check the size. , Do this by holding both sections and slowly pulling them apart up starting from the bottom and going up towards the scalp.
Leave a little bit of webbing right at the scalp, this protects the scalp from the sun. , The longer the hair, the more shrinkage you will have.
Don't worry, in 3 years you will have your length back. , Longer hair takes time to mature.
Why is that? In order for dreads to lock up, they will shrink and as they shrink they will loop and zig and zag.
This process takes patience some days, but the end result is the healthiest dreadlocks you could have, ones that will last you a lifetime. , It is explained below.
This is the second best method to free form dreads that causes no or little damage if done properly. , During this time you are still keeping your hair clean, washing it 2-3 times a weeks with residue free shampoo.
Now go back and read step #3...then go to step #9 , If you don't have a buddy, get a big mirror, plunk yourself on the floor in front of the television and do as many sections as you can before your arms get tired.
You can do them over a matter of days if needed, don't rush yourself. , You can use a hair clip or whatever to keep other sections out of the way while you work on an area.
Start at the top of your head, that way when you have completed a section, use the clip to put it up out of the way and start on the next one. , You should ripping them close to the scalp area, about just an inch away from it.
So, grab a few hairs in that section & rip, do it again to a few more hairs in that section and rip, now do it again , Don't always divide it perfectly in half to do this, pic random spots each time you twist. ,,, So as you do that section, you don't want a braided look, so you will go Rip Rip Rip, Twist, Rip Rip Rip Rip, Twist etc.
Do 3 or 4 Rips to every Twist.
Don't do them tightly and don't do them completely to the scalp , Never use rubber as they pull out the hairs and also melt into your hair, leaving behind sticky goo. , Many people tell you to put them at the top and bottom,but that could not be further from the truth.
If you want them for years or a lifetime, I can't stress enough not to put elastic bands at the roots , You deserve it, especially if your hair was long , To do this, the elastic bands need to come out or the hairs can't move.
Don't leave them in for more than a week, you can take them out right away which is best or even take them out for your first wash.
You can even use embroidery thread at the bottoms for the first while, as the thread will not melt in your sections, and it also allows the strands of hairs to move and do their thing. , Knowing your water type is important because many dread shampoos & bars do not work properly with hard water, they will slowly leave behind a residue build up.
If you have soft water you can use just about any dread shampoo or bar on the market. , These sections will slowly loosen up and some may even fall out.
That should happen.
They need to loosen in order to loop and knot.
Don't retwist any that fall out, that will just slow down your journey.
Let them do what they want to do from here on in. , Read step #4. The area that joins together the most is on the part of the head that you sleep on, It may create matting, so make sure to separate them.
If that area needs it daily, then do it daily.
Most areas will only need separating done once a week, for some it is only every two weeks. , It seems like a long time, but this will give you the healthy dreadlocks that will last you a lifetime or many years to come , As they shrink to mature, they will do many crazy shapes and look messy at times.
Embrace the wildness, just part of the journey.
On the really bad days put on a loose tam when going out.
Not looking in a mirror on the messy days helps, if you need to look in one, don't concentrate on your hair, just don't look at it , Your inner soul will change, you will learn all about patience and you will lose some of the vanity you may have had.
It really does make you into a better person. -
Step 3: Clean hair dreads faster.
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Step 4: Sections should vary in size.
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Step 5: Separate any sections that are trying to join on to each other.
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Step 6: Your hair will shrink as it matures to become the thickness of where the section meets the scalp.
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Step 7: It can take one to two years for free form dreads to mature
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Step 8: depending on the length of hair to start.
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Step 9: Did you want to do the twist and rip method as a started method?
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Step 10: let your hair section naturally for a couple of weeks
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Step 11: Let your hair tell you where it wants to be and who it wants to buddy up with.
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Step 12: The next step takes time
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Step 13: and gives you sore arms
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Step 14: so if you have a buddy to help you then all the better.
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Step 15: You will start to twist & rip one section at a time.
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Step 16: Grab a section and start to pull strands apart doing that in little sections
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Step 17: this is the ripping part.
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Step 18: Now after you have done 3 or 4 rips
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Step 19: you will divide that section in half and twist it
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Step 20: move one side over to the other side.
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Step 21: Repeat step 11
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Step 22: Repeat step 12
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Step 23: Repeat step 11 & 12 for the entire length of that section.
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Step 24: When you finish the length of your section
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Step 25: you can temporarily put on the black elastic bands.
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Step 26: The black bands should only be put on the bottom tips of the T&R sections
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Step 27: never ever up at the root / scalp area or you will cause weak points in the hair up there
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Step 28: breaking or damaging the strands which may cause your dreads to break off at those weak points as they grow and get heavier.
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Step 29: Do your entire head and then give yourself a pat on the back
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Step 30: have a partner massage your arms for you.
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Step 31: These sections need to start the journey of maturing
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Step 32: which is the shrinking and looping stage
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Step 33: to become the thickness of where the section meets the scalp.
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Step 34: Wash your hair in 2 or 3 days and do it every 2 or 3 days using the dread friendly shampoo.
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Step 35: The T&R method is only a starter method.
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Step 36: You will need to separate any sections that area trying to join onto each other or you will get congos forming.
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Step 37: This method will take 1-2 years to mature
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Step 38: it depends on your hair length.
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Step 39: Don't get discouraged when you get the frizzies at about 3 months
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Step 40: that happens with T&R
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Step 41: it will pass in about 3 weeks time.
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Step 42: The free form and T&R method teaches you something while they are maturing.
Detailed Guide
When you do this, over time knots will form, this is how dreadlocks grow.
When you stop brushing, your hair will start to separate into sections all on its own.
This takes only a couple of weeks to section.
Wash your hair 2-3 times a week during the first few months.
By the one year mark, you only need to wash once a week.
Use a dread friendly shampoo or dread bar.
Regular shampoos will leave behind a residue build up or over condition the hair causing any knotting process to slip out , If any are larger than one inch, it is best to divide that into 2 or 3 sections.
Anything larger than one inch will produce Congos / fat dreads.
The area of where the section of hair meets the scalp will be the thickness of your mature dreadlocks, so that is where you check the size. , Do this by holding both sections and slowly pulling them apart up starting from the bottom and going up towards the scalp.
Leave a little bit of webbing right at the scalp, this protects the scalp from the sun. , The longer the hair, the more shrinkage you will have.
Don't worry, in 3 years you will have your length back. , Longer hair takes time to mature.
Why is that? In order for dreads to lock up, they will shrink and as they shrink they will loop and zig and zag.
This process takes patience some days, but the end result is the healthiest dreadlocks you could have, ones that will last you a lifetime. , It is explained below.
This is the second best method to free form dreads that causes no or little damage if done properly. , During this time you are still keeping your hair clean, washing it 2-3 times a weeks with residue free shampoo.
Now go back and read step #3...then go to step #9 , If you don't have a buddy, get a big mirror, plunk yourself on the floor in front of the television and do as many sections as you can before your arms get tired.
You can do them over a matter of days if needed, don't rush yourself. , You can use a hair clip or whatever to keep other sections out of the way while you work on an area.
Start at the top of your head, that way when you have completed a section, use the clip to put it up out of the way and start on the next one. , You should ripping them close to the scalp area, about just an inch away from it.
So, grab a few hairs in that section & rip, do it again to a few more hairs in that section and rip, now do it again , Don't always divide it perfectly in half to do this, pic random spots each time you twist. ,,, So as you do that section, you don't want a braided look, so you will go Rip Rip Rip, Twist, Rip Rip Rip Rip, Twist etc.
Do 3 or 4 Rips to every Twist.
Don't do them tightly and don't do them completely to the scalp , Never use rubber as they pull out the hairs and also melt into your hair, leaving behind sticky goo. , Many people tell you to put them at the top and bottom,but that could not be further from the truth.
If you want them for years or a lifetime, I can't stress enough not to put elastic bands at the roots , You deserve it, especially if your hair was long , To do this, the elastic bands need to come out or the hairs can't move.
Don't leave them in for more than a week, you can take them out right away which is best or even take them out for your first wash.
You can even use embroidery thread at the bottoms for the first while, as the thread will not melt in your sections, and it also allows the strands of hairs to move and do their thing. , Knowing your water type is important because many dread shampoos & bars do not work properly with hard water, they will slowly leave behind a residue build up.
If you have soft water you can use just about any dread shampoo or bar on the market. , These sections will slowly loosen up and some may even fall out.
That should happen.
They need to loosen in order to loop and knot.
Don't retwist any that fall out, that will just slow down your journey.
Let them do what they want to do from here on in. , Read step #4. The area that joins together the most is on the part of the head that you sleep on, It may create matting, so make sure to separate them.
If that area needs it daily, then do it daily.
Most areas will only need separating done once a week, for some it is only every two weeks. , It seems like a long time, but this will give you the healthy dreadlocks that will last you a lifetime or many years to come , As they shrink to mature, they will do many crazy shapes and look messy at times.
Embrace the wildness, just part of the journey.
On the really bad days put on a loose tam when going out.
Not looking in a mirror on the messy days helps, if you need to look in one, don't concentrate on your hair, just don't look at it , Your inner soul will change, you will learn all about patience and you will lose some of the vanity you may have had.
It really does make you into a better person.
About the Author
Jerry Nguyen
Writer and educator with a focus on practical creative arts knowledge.
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