Knotty Boy FAQs

Knotty Boy FAQs

Which should I use first - the Wax or the 'Poo?
You can use the shampoo whenever you want, before or after dreading.

Do I have to shave my head when I don't want dreads any more?
NO. You can you the Knotty Boy Emergency Dreadlock Removal Kit to remove your dreads.

Do I have to stop washing my hair a long time before I dread?
If you can stand it, some people think it helps to not wash your hair for a few weeks before you dread. Personally, in my experience, I find that it's not necessary to go without washing your hair if you are using KBoy to lock up. But most people are convinced that it helps to have dirty hair... so you decide. :) Your hair will most definitely dread anyway, as long as you're using the wax.

How long should my hair be to start dreads?
If you are using Knotty Boy, you can start dreads as short as 3 inches long. It is difficult, but not impossible, and the dreads actually turn out better in the end when started short. They will be very short dreads, kinda Buckwheat-style for a while, but that's supa cute if you ask me. However, the longer the hair is to start out with, the easier it will dread. Without Knotty Boy, no less than 6 inches to start dreads - they won't hold together if it's any shorter.

Is it true that if I make smaller dreads now, that they will kinda grow together into bigger ones in the future?
Yep, they'll definitely thicken up. See, all those hairs that swirl around in gross clumps in the tub after your shower will still be falling out of your head every day, BUT they're just staying in the dreads. Therefore, after a few months or so, you'll notice that they are starting to get thicker, and this is the reason why. If you prefer thin dreads, start thin and they won't get huge or anything, just a bit fatter. You can ALWAYS cut them down the middle if they get too fat. But don't start too thin! Hair is always breaking and retangling and regrowing, and you don't want your dreads to be so thin that they start breaking off, eek! Just use your judgement, one finger wide is usually a good guide.

I was wondering if your hair still grows while you have dreadlocks?
Well, the clearest example of the fact that dreads do indeed keep growing after you lock up is all the Bob Marley album covers. Look at his hair on the cover of Catch a Fire (little tiny buckwheat naps), and then look at his dreads on the cover of Kaya, say. By the time he died, they were nearly down to his waist! Yes, dreads definitely do grow!

I have had dreads now for about 20 weeks. Should I cut the ends? And how far should I cut them?
You can trim your dreads to any length you want, but if they're still soft and not very tight, you might want to wait till they're more together before you snip so they don't unravel. But if they're pretty good and locked, then try snipping one or two from underneath so you can see what it might look like before you go for the top dreads. And maybe try snipping them at a slight angle, or on either side to form a 'v' so they don't look hacked straight across, if you want.

When I sleep, all the dreads at the back of my head get squished and pressed against my head in weird positions, and also I get a bunch of stray hairs floating around back there. Am I maybe using to much or not enough goop?
This problem of flat dreads is very common with new, soft dreadlocks. They are still really just hair glued together with wax, and haven't yet started developing into the tight, matted knots that make dreads. So when they are still soft, they will get squashed and fall apart sometimes. The best thing for them is just patience and back-combing to make them tighter when you have the chance. It's a pain, but worth it. The flat dreads eventually join others and fill out as they tighten up - they will not be flat forever. It's just another one of those little tests of endurance that make you so glad it's all over once they really start rocking. Don't worry about it too much, and just use enough wax to keep them stuck together in the beginning.

How long I should wait before I start washing my dreads with your shampoo once they are freshly dreaded?
You should probably let your new dreads go for at LEAST a week before you wash them for the first time, two weeks if you can stand it. When you first put your dreads in, they will be only made up of loose hair stuck together in locks with the wax, until about 3-6 weeks later when they actually start to mat and dread. So they are pretty fragile in the first few weeks and don't take to getting washed too well. The longer you can wait, the better, but if you have to, it's ok to wash them sooner than that, and use the dread shampoo. Just be VERY gentle, don't use super hot water or you'll melt the wax out!, and only scrub your scalp to get it clean, not the dreads. They will get clean enough from the soap rinsing down from your scalp. Then throw the whole mess in a big hat and let it dry there all day - that'll help them tighten up.

I heard that when you get dreads that you can't reach your scalp to clean it. Is that true?
Nope, not true... dreads are just like any other hair style, and very much like braids. You can wash braids, and you can wash dreads like normal too.

Hey, I've had dreads for a little over a month now and I was wondering if I have to wait for my hair to dry after a shower before I can re-apply Knotty Boy to my dreads? Will the beeswax be repelled by the water?
Yeah, it's best to let them dry as much as possible before rewaxing, because the wax is repelled by water. Just let them air-dry for the day, and at night see if they're dry enough. Use your good judgement, you'll be fine.

With thanks to the Knotty Boy website for these tips.

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