Dreads now hip

Nov 16, 2007

IN the early 90s they were almost synonymous with Rastafarians of suspect character. Slowly, they became hip among the young people and now dreadlocks have stormed the boardroom and corporate world. And, it is women who are carrying them in! Just look at Dr. Sylvia Tamale the Dean of Makerere Univer

By Lydia Namubiru

IN the early 90s they were almost synonymous with Rastafarians of suspect character. Slowly, they became hip among the young people and now dreadlocks have stormed the boardroom and corporate world. And, it is women who are carrying them in! Just look at Dr. Sylvia Tamale the Dean of Makerere University’s Faculty of Law.

Dreadlocks are so ‘in’ that even those women not brave enough to break the ‘prim and proper’ rule, bend it by imitating this rugged look using hair extensions like Afro kinky.

According to Tosh a.k.a Jose Lukwago, a specialist in creating dreadlocks, you can achieve the dreadlocked look either by locking your natural hair or using fibre like Afro kinky. “To lock your own hair, it must be natural (not chemically treated) and at least four inches long,” says Lukwago. Locking one’s hair is completely painless, according to John Kasule, a hair stylist at Lords and Ladies Salon.

Initially, locking the hair will put you back sh60,000 at Lords and Ladies Salon. You will then need to revisit the salon every time you hair grows at the roots to have the dreads twisted to include the growth. This will be sh20,000 per visit.

“Wait about a week after the initial locking before washing your hair but after that, you may wash it as often as you like,” Lukwago advises.

Just wash the scalp with shampoo and let the water run through the dreads, then rinse and dry it thoroughly using a towel or a blow dryer. If not dried completely dreadlocks may stink.

Do not use regular shampoos because many contain conditioner which detangles hair instead of knotting it. Specialised shampoo for dreadlocks such as Knotty Boy Dread Shampoo is on sale in the beauty shops. Conditioner is definitely a no go. To knot the dreads even tighter, spray them with salty water.

There is a myth that the only way to get rid of dreadlocks is to cut off one’s hair. True, it is the fastest way but you can also pick them out especially when they are still not too mature, according to Lukwago. You can also use a dreadlock removal kit that contains both removal shampoo and conditioner.

To pick them out, wash the dreadlocks with regular/ordinary shampoo then work conditioner into each lock, sit under a drier until they soften then pick them out using a comb the same way you would braids. It is an extremely slow process (might take about nine hours) and might not work for very mature dreadlocks.

You may also flat iron afterwards to straighten the hair completely.

But using a dreadlock removal kit is much faster. Soak the dreadlocks in warm water for about 10 minutes then work the removal shampoo into them (a small section at a time). When the wax and honey used to tighten them has run out and the dreadlocks have softened, apply the removal conditioner and begin to pick them out.

It should take six hours at most to open all the hair. Continue to use the removal shampoo and conditioner until hair has completely recovered.

Run wild with the dreaded look after all you will have little to lose even when you want your tame look back.

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