Braid-in Wool Dreadlocks Frequently Asked Questions.
1: What are braid-in dreadlock extensions?
Braid in dreadlock extensions are temporary or semi permanent hair extensions that are individually braided into your hair and secured with a small elastic hairtie. This is repeated throughout specific sections or the full head depending on the style that is desired. These dreadlocks can typically stay in anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 months depending on the method used for install.
2: Will braid-in wool dreadlocks damage my hair?
No, Wool dreadlocks will not damage your hair, if installed correctly.
If it does, you are doing it wrong. The only time where you should think about damage at all is when you go to remove the dreads, after weeks or possibly months of having them installed. You will see some hair loss. Rest assured, there is a reason behind this. Naturally, you lose about 100 strands of hair each day ~ Everyone does. When you have these dreadlocks braided in, your hair still naturally falls out, the only difference is now they have nowhere to go. They become trapped in the braid that is holding your dreadlock in place. Needless to say, if you leave these dreadlocks installed for 2 months, you will end up combing out chunks of your hair. DON”T WORRY! This is natural.
3: Can I wash my hair with braid-in wool dreadlocks installed?
Yes! You can still wash your hair with wool dreadlocks installed! In the first few days after install, these dreadlocks will “train” your hair, meaning that your hair will gradually get less oily / greasy looking and your hair will need to be washed less frequently. I recommend washing your hair once a week when your hair is trained enough for you to feel comfortable with doing so. There are a few methods to washing your hair with braid-in dreadlocks installed. One method involves using a squeeze bottle with half shampoo, half water and squeezing the mixture onto your scalp directly. You can do this without the squeeze bottle as well, and just use the shampoo directly, by starting with a small amount on your fingers, rubbing them together and then massaging it into your scalp. With both options, you want to make sure you are really scrubbing that shampoo in there. No need to waste shampoo and scrub all the way down the length of the dreadlocks, but if you have a section that got dirty you can of course go in and spot clean that section. When you go to rinse the shampoo out, the shampoo will go throughout the length of your dreadlocks and will give it a nice refresh. I recommend rinsing your hair for a good 3-5 minutes to really ensure that you get out all of that shampoo. DO NOT use a conditioner, as this will make your dreadlocks slip. To dry them, wring them out using a large microfiber towel for about 5 minutes, squeezing out as much water as you possibly can. Keep in mind that wool holds water like a sponge so when you’re in the shower they will become heavy, and will stay heavy until you wring them out.
4: Do braid-in wool dreadlocks smell?
When wool dreadlocks are first purchased or made, they will smell of the soap that they are made with. They will smell like this until you shower or wash them for the first time. After that they will basically smell like your natural hair would smell, or whatever shampoo you decide to use. If you wash them as recommended they will not smell.
5: Can I swim with braid-in wool dreadlocks installed?
Yes! You can definitely swim while wearing braid-in wool dreadlock extensions. Now, just like when you are washing them in the shower, they will become heavy as they absorb the water. That being said, swimming with them will not damage them or your hair in any way. It might just be a little uncomfortable and heavy when they fill with water.
6: Are braid-in wool dreadlocks comfortable?
The short answer, yes! But you aren’t here for the short answer, you’re here for information. Out of the three options available for braid-in dreadlocks, wool is the most comfortable for most people. Let’s break that down even further, these three options include Synthetics, Wool, and human hair dreadlock extensions. Synthetics and human hair are the most similar to each other in terms of texture and actual appearance. They are the options that look most realistic, as if your hair is naturally dreaded, but there are some downsides to that. Both of these options tend to be extremely heavy, stiff and itchy for most people,me included. Wool on the other hand is extremely soft, lightweight and comfortable. Each full set weighs less than half a pound, and can even be used as a pillow at night because they are so comfortable. I personally started with synthetic dreadlock extensions but just like many others, I eventually switched to wool as synthetic and human were just too uncomfortable to me.
7: How do I sleep with braid-in wool dreadlocks installed?
This truly depends on how you want your dreadlocks to look when you wake up. For a clean, more “put together” look, you can sleep with your dreadlocks up in a bun with a scarf wrapped around your roots, or a bonnet on top holding it all together. For a more messy look, you can sleep with them loose and let them do their own thing. This is the way I personally sleep with my dreadlocks, as it is very comfortable and I can use them almost as a custom pillow. This is also a way for the braided parts to kind of thicken up a bit in appearance. When they do this it kind of masks the braid itself more making the experience a little more natural looking.
8: How long does it take to install a set of braid-in wool dreadlocks?
This question depends on a few factors. How long is your hair? Are you installing a full set or a partial set? Do you have an undercut or side shave? Do you have a friend helping you with install? Personally, my hair is shoulder length, no side shaves, no undercut, and I typically do a full install. My lovely boyfriend helps me with sectioning out my hair while I braid them in and we kind of tag team it like that. Doing this, we can install my set in roughly 2-3 hours. That time can be shorter or longer depending on the factors mentioned before. Generally I would say install could take anywhere from 1 hour to 6 hours.
9: Can I still have braid-in wool dreadlocks if I have short hair?
Yes, and no. I recommend that your hair should be at least 1.5”-2” to install these wool dreadlocks. When your hair is this short, there is a slightly different way to install compared to the regular braid-in methods. Basically, you will not be able to braid the dreadlocks in, you will be securing them in with the elastics instead. This method will have to be used until you have enough length to actually braid them into your hair.
10: How long will a set of braid-in wool dreadlocks last?
If we are talking about how long an install will last, a full install of braid-in wool dreadlocks will typically last anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 months depending on the install method used! If we are talking about the long term life from when you receive the set to when you have to say goodbye to it, a set of Girl on the Moon Dreadlocks can last you over a year. I personally still have a set that I made from 2017 that I still wear on occasion. Girl on the Moon Dreadlocks are extremely durable.
11: What are the benefits of having braid-in wool dreadlocks?
Braid-in wool dreadlocks have MANY benefits depending on what you are looking for. For me personally, I got braid-in dreadlocks for the first time because my hair was so short and I wanted the appearance of long hair. Also, I like to color my hair way too much. I ended up damaging my hair so much by all the bleach, dyes and chemicals I would use on my hair. With these dreadlocks I now just keep my natural hair black and when I make my set, I dye the roots of the dreadlocks black for a more natural fade. This has allowed me to not dye my hair for over a year, which is a HUGE step for me. Now, I have the ability to go from straight, black, shoulder length hair, to 24” long dreads, black to rainbow, or 20” long dreads, black to pink. I can literally have any style, any length, any texture, any color I want. I personally swap my sets out every month to appease the hair-gods. Another benefit is that it is considered a “protective” style, meaning that as the set is installed, you are protecting your hair from unnecessary heat, bleach and dyes. Plus, it forces your hair to absorb more of the natural oils that your scalp naturally produces. There are many benefits of braid-in wool dreadlocks, so I recommend doing as much research as you feel comfortable with. The more info, the better.
2 comments
So, typically when the frizzies are bothering me, I will honestly just get my hand wet and use my hand to kinda smooth them over. To be entirely honest, and this is just personal preference of course, the frizzies don’t bother me much.
In terms of a specific product, I wouldn’t recommend any gel or wax as that would create buildup and you wouldn’t want that.
Hope this helps hun!
If you’re doing your own braid in wool dreads, is there a product that is safe to use (won’t damage them) to help with smoothing your natural hair?