When you start dreads, you have lots of questions and which way should dreads be twisted could be one of them. However, I do not get asked this question unless the client has an issue. For those visiting the salon for regular maintenance, it will not matter as the stylist is the one who decides. Which way should dreads be twisted depends totally on the person looking after them.
Sometimes while talking to new clients, (usually male), I will ask what direction they twist the dreads. They will have no idea because their girlfriend was the one doing the work. The only reason I get their business is because (a) they broke up or (b) she moved or is away for a prolonged period. They have no option but to come in as the hair is falling apart. They will have no idea what I am asking about and would have bounced around a few friend’s girls before their friend thought they were getting too close to the girlfriend. So the new girlfriend will get points if she cooks, does laundry and does dreads. Many of them say girls they dated used this as the pick-up line!
Which way should dreads be twisted?
Here are some guidelines:
- (a) If you are right handed, the tendency is to twist to the right; if you are left-handed, you will twist to the left. I twist to the right usually unless the person has it in the other direction.
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- (b) If you are twisting them yourself, you will twist those on the right to the right and those on your left to the left. I discovered this once I had a client whose dreads was taking an extraordinarily long time to lock. He was away a lot so could not do regular appointments and did them himself. I asked to see what he did at home and the puzzle was solved.
- If you do the interlock method, you have to be careful with the order of the passes or the dreads will pull upwards and not hang properly.
- I have had cases where the client twisted the front ones to the back and the rest going forward.
As long as you are consistent with the direction you started, your dreads should lock eventually. Just be sure not to over twist.
By Paula Barker, Silkielocks.com
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