The Coming Of Age

Do you remember when you crossed that line between adolescence and

adulthood?  Now they call it life experience.  I call it coming of age.  Sometimes the event is a great experience, sometimes not so great.  It can mean you have reached the age to vote on certain things or you can make an adult decision.  Whatever the case, dreadlocks can also have a coming of age in times of crisis!

When dreadlocks reach the neck or shoulders, they need to have a strong base at the root.  If this

is not the case, they thin out and start breaking.  Many will go and have the dreadlocks tightened with little result.  They will start calling around when their regular hair person cannot offer a solution.

This is when I will get people with super thin dreads.  They will ask deep questions to know if you can help

them find a solution.   Typical questions will include:

• Do you have experience with dreads?
• How long have you been doing them?
• Do you have experience with thinning dreads?
• What method do you use?
• What’s the cost?

If they are satisfied with your answer, they will make an appointment.  

Single, thin dreadlocks must be joined when they reach this stage.  At this point, they need help to keep going.  The number joined depends on how thin they are.  I like to do this strengthening at the three month mark if they were started on short hair.  Neglecting to do this step makes joining them later essential.  

A lot of people want to have thin dreadlocks but their hair won’t allow it.  There is no point having a lot of straggly dreads if joining them will make them look better.   The coming of age means joining the dreads that need help sooner rather than later.

By Paula Barker, Silkie Locks Hair Design