Waiting for your dreads to lock up is not the end goal of your dreads journey. However, unraveling is not a problem anymore at this stage. For healthy dreadlocks, no products will increase the locking process, and with patience and daily moisturizing, you’ll get there, eventually.
How long does it take for dreads to lock up? All dreads are distinctive; it may take six to twelve months for your hair to lock. Every curl pattern is different, so for coarse, kinky hair, your hair will lock as early three months, only if your starter locs began with the two-strand twists or braided method. A lousy curl and straight hair pattern can take up to six to one year to lock.
Table of Contents
- How Long Does It Take For Freeform Dreads To Lock?
- How Long Do Dreadlocks Take To Grow In Month?
- So, How To Lock Dreads Faster?
- The Stages Of Dreadlocks
Keep in mind; this process depends on how well you take care of your hair. If you’re not using the right products and your hair isn’t unraveling frequently because of over washing. All this can play a part in whether your hair locks in that time bracket.
How Long Does It Take For Freeform Dreads To Lock?
Free-form dreads can take anyway from 12-15 months to lock up. However, if you have kinky hair then your hair can lock up faster than people with straighter hair type.
Some techniques will help your hair lock faster. However, I recommend allowing them to lock on their own with patience. But for those who want to speed up the process let quickly dive in.
How Long Do Dreadlocks Take To Grow In Month?
While your hair is locking, you may not notice any growth, in fact, you may experience major shrinkage. But after your dreadlocks have matured, your hair can grow up to 1/2- 1 inch every month.
Once you take good care of your dreadlocks and moisturize, you’ll reap the benefits. Also, rose water and Jamaican black castor oil can help with hair growth.
So, How To Lock Dreads Faster?
Sea Salt Spray
The saltwater spray is a simple way to speed up your dread locking process because when applied, the salt can dry out the hair making them coarser and tangle quickly. Therefore, these sprays are popular with people who have young dreads and plenty of loose hair to tame.
The amount of sea salt spray depends on the thickness of the user’s hair, and to apply is as simple as aim and dispense. You can purchase sea salt spray or make them yourself, which is cheaper, by adding sea salt and water to a spray bottle.
Leave the frizzy
We always complain of the frizzy, especially with dreads, in fact, frizz is a great thing, and it leads to budding. Budding is a process when your hair begins to mat and swell; it’s a natural step that leads to locking.
Embrace the frizz stage and don’t cut them out or palm rolling too early since this will lead to thinning of the locs.
Moisturize
So, I’m talking about drying out your hair with sea salt to lock faster, so, why I’m telling you to moisturize? Because this is an important step, and I want you to moisturize your scalp.
Without a healthy scalp, your locs would not grow as it supposes too. A spray of Vitamin E oil and Rosewater will give your scalp the nutrients needed to get to the locking stage.
Interlocking with Crochet
This method involves using a crochet hook to pull the loose hair into your dreads. It works best with thick locs, especially if you don’t want to leave holes in the locs. There are many disadvantages to crocheting your dreads. If not done correctly, your dreads may feel tight and flimsy.
It also hinders the natural flow of your dreadlocks because the hair can’t move and develop as it would if you leave your dread to lock on its own.
The Stages Of Dreadlocks
There are four stages of dreadlocks: starter/baby locs, budding, teenage/ugly and the mature stage.
Baby locs
This stage begins two weeks after you have installed your locs and can take anyway from 3 to 6 months. Weather, you have done the coil, two-strand twist, crocheting or braids you will experience frizz and an itchy scalp at some point of your journey.
Budding
The second stage of dreadlocks you’ll notice double the frizz, especially with straighter hair type. There are also little bumps, an increase in width, and some matting happening. With freeform dreads, you can now separate to prevent huge congos.
Teen stage
In the teen stage your dreadlocks are locked with no unravelling. Your dreads are thicker and longer. With short dreads, your hair may not corporate and sprout in different directions. Some people are afraid of this stage because it is the “ugly stage” of dreadlocks.
Mature stage
This may happen on your 18th-month mark or 36 for straighter hair. At this phase, your locs are growing, taking shape and with great care striving.
Behind every mature dread, there are four stages you must complete. When I started my dreads, the crochet method was not an option for me since my dreads are semi-freeform.
This means I allow my hair to grow, moisturize daily with rosewater, and retwist every six months. But, crochet is an option and as I mentioned above, leave your dreads to lock on its own. However, the crochet method locks your hair even faster
