Where to get dreads? Choose a loctician, or hairdresser for dreadlocks that will help you have dreadlocks done professionally
It's not that easy to make your own dreadlocks, especially if you’re after a quality result. You wouldn’t watch a youtube video on tattooing and do it yourself, so unless you’re about to enlist in the military & will be shaving your hair off shortly, why carry out an experiment on your hair?
If you think it's expensive to hire a professional dreadlock artist, wait until you hire an amateur!
After realising that making organic dreadlocks is a craft, we often get people call us in to repair the damage.
Perhaps even more disappointing, are the home jobs that can’t be salvaged and need to be shaved off, before waiting for up to 6 months to try again. Here is a photo from a client showing her DIY experiment before we loved her hair into locs.
Just as risky as dodgy DIY jobs is the affliction of amateuritis. Here is a typical message we get about a cheap dreadlock job gone bad:
“I have wanted dreads since I was 15, and was finally gutsy enough to have it done now that I am 30. Turns out, it is horrific! I have literally 13 sporadic ones throughout my hair. They are flat and all different widths. What I actually wanted was my hair partially dreaded in thin locks, and a slightly grown out look. Instead, I got a head full of beeswax that won't come out of my non-dreaded hair, and a severe case of post-dready depression. Are you able to help me? Pleeeeease!!!!”
How do to do dreadlocks …the right way first time
In our YouTube era, home jobs appeal in part, due to being so cheap to do. But apart from the risk of your dreads looking nasty, you have to also weigh up how valuable your time is.
One client called us after having invested 18 hours (while juggling two young infants) only to discover that it actually cost more for us to fix her dreadlocks after we combed out the mess and started from scratch.
What about using an amateur? With the advent of Youtube clips teaching how to dreadlock, there has been a proliferation of people offering cheap dreadlocking services. The rationale is that the client saves a few dollars in exchange for either being a dread guinea pig or accepting a mediocre outcome.
There is a reason most people go to a hairdresser to get their hair done. They know they’re getting someone who has spent years training & gained invaluable experience, as opposed to having a makeshift hairdresser experimented on friends or perhaps watched a few youtube clips.
So too, it takes years of experience to understand such things as your hair type and what thickness of dreadlock will suit you best. Styling the dread is important in terms of fringes, taking into account your face shape, whether you want your dreads to sit on your natural parting or against it etc etc. Being able to manage different hair types is not something you can gain from a weekend course. This email from a client captures the frustration of having gotten an amateur job:
“I have had dreads in the past but had to take them out for work reasons back in April this year so I unpicked them by hand to keep the length. Last weekend I visited a loctician to have them put back in using the natural and crochet method of course but I am really disappointed with the outcome. Some are ridiculously small! I think there are a few that could be joined and that will be ok. I would like to make a time as soon as you are available to do some maintenance, please. Basically, she did an average job of pulling all the hair from each section into each dread so I have quite a few stray hairs that need to be pulled in. Also, they are very soft in parts down the dread where they are barely locked at all and not locked as far as they could be down to the ends. I know they take time to mature but having had them before and going through the process I know that what I have is not what it could and should have been. I have been desperate to get my dreads back as am really keen to get them up to scratch and get the maturing process going properly. I really look forward to hearing from you!”
Yes, we fixed his dreads and he joined the ranks of our satisfied clients.
Dreadlock Repair
The following picture shows what happened when a client got thin dreads made and had someone sew extensions onto them. The dreads were too thin, the extensions too fat and they shrunk from being poorly made. All in all, a pretty ugly affair.
The second photo shows how we repaired them, thickening out the dreads while thinning and salvaging the extensions. Here is the message she sent us shortly after:
“I’m so glad I went with you! This has turned out to be third time lucky after my own attempt failed & then I paid for a cheap job which was just as bad. I wish I didn’t waste a couple of years having to shave & regrow my hair. Finally, I’m happy now that they look great, thank you so much.”
Other Reasons To Choose Dreadlocks Sydney, Beyond Quality Locs
Looking for a professional dread salon is just one reason to consider having your locs done by us. In addition to taking great pride in my work, I have worked with a lot of avant-garde styles and can help bring some creative flair to your dreadlocks.
A number of locticians are nomadic, traveling from place to place. I've been servicing the Sydney region for the past 6 years and have no intention of leaving this beautiful part of the world. Dreads can take up to a year to fully mature, especially for Caucasian hair which has to be particularly re-educated. Knowing I will work with you until your dreads are well established is another great reason to work with us.