How to Backcomb Dreads

Dreads are typically created by back combing sections of hair.

Creating dreadlocks requires taking smooth, neat hair and making lock strands. There are a variety of methods to do so, the quickest of which is back combing. While the dreads still take a few months to become fully secured, back combing gets them started quickly as it creates the initial shape and knotting that is the basis of dreads. Back combing allows you to get the look of a full head of dreads in just a few hours.

Things You'll Need

• Residue-free shampoo
• Fine-toothed comb
• Small rubber bands

Instructions

1. Wash the hair with residue-free shampoo, which makes the hair shaft smooth and dry and stick together better when the dreads are created.

2. Section off a piece of hair using a comb after you have decided how large you want your dreads to be. They can be up to 2 inches wide for thicker, bulky dreads or smaller for finer dreads. Make sure each piece of hair you section thereafter is uniform in size.

3. Hold the section of hair in one hand between two fingers, laying the section of hair flat over one finger and clamping it down with another finger laying over the top. When forming the dread slide your fingers down as the new dread builds.

4. Push the hair, starting at the scalp, up toward the scalp using the comb. Do small bits at a time, combing and pushing the hair upward (instead of the usual way of combing the hair down). With each pass allow a few strands to slip out of your fingers; push them toward the scalp on each stroke forward.

5. Push the comb into the growing mass and pack the hairs in tightly with each pass to secure the hair in the newly forming dread.

6. Continue down the strand, sliding your fingers down and the comb up, back combing the hairs upward and pushing them into place on the new dread.

7. Turn the dread in your hand and back comb from the sides, bottom and all around. Go back over the upper sections and back comb them again, pushing them even tighter. Do this until you have reached the end and there is no more hair in the strand to push up.

8. Wrap the rubber band tightly around the end of the dread to hold it in place. These will eventually be taken off when the hair is trained -- that is, when the dread is fully formed and holds its shape on its own.

9. Repeat the process on the next section of hair. Back comb section after section until each piece of your hair is formed into a dread and secured with a rubber band.

References

• Dread Head HQ: Back Combing Your Hair for Making Dreadlocks
• You Tube: Dreadlocks Hairstyle Techniques - Backcombing