Do dreads represent the true length of the hair?

[DSTcutie]

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katie said:
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DSTcutie said:
Just a word to the wise, many people who sport Locks would prefer people to not call them 'dreads'...the meaning of DREADLOCKS came from the white man who first inhabited the Caribbean Islands during the slave trade...some white men who saw the Brown people wearing this style immediately called it "DREADFUL", thus the name DREADlocks. So, as a people, we should not support that notion.

And yes, definitely you can pick out your locks...my cousin did that last month...her hair was super long, but kind of thin....but if I remember correctly, her hair was pretty thin to begin with.

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When you say Brown people,do you mean the Native Caribbean "Indians" ?

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I should have said any person of color...any of the indigenous people that were already there [including the Caribbean "Indians"] and the Africans brought over that may have adopted the Loc styling to their hair.

 

[FlowerHair]

I agree that locks "grow" longer than loose hair, because of the shedded hair that is embedded in the locks.
I also know a man with calf-length locks that could easily take them apart just by wetting them for a few minutes. But I think it depends a lot on your hair type.

 

[Poohbear]

I dont think dreads represent the true length hair. I feel like if those dreads were straighten, the hair would be much longer.

 

[bimbabe]

Like someone said -I don't believe dreads represent the true length of hair. Their hair sheds and they have no method of releasing shed hair so the lenth accumulates.Think of it this way ladies -you hair is growing you comb it and some of it combs out in the comb some gets loosened but attacheds itself to an unshed hair. This happens too often an you get knots in the hair. Locks are extended "knots from shedding" all along the hair formed by twisting and NEVER returning to the straight state.

 

[alliyah4eva203]

but i still don't see how it adds length. thickness i can understand.

 

[bimbabe]

I think it adds length from the shed hair attaching to unshed hair. Example when I wash and detangle some of the unshed hair gets out and some remains loose and stays in my head of hair.When my hair dries I see hairs longer than my usual length of hair and when I pull at them they come lose because they are shed hair.

Now think of locks- the hair at the ends has to be the oldest so most of them have probably been shed but they are attached to hair that is still growing -hence added length.

 

[alliyah4eva203]

oh! ok i get it, thanx

 

[joemerald]

WOW i learnt quite a bit. I sure did not know that they could be taken down but as stated I believe it depends on the texture. Thanks for your input ladies.
DST Cutie, i won't mind a direction to your statement about dreads. I was born and raised in the islands and never heard that. Would appreciate it if you could let me know where that interpretation came from.

 

[DSTcutie]

Joe,

I actually read about that while I was in high school. It was in a history textbook (sorry, do not remember the exact name). I also heard interpretations of the Loc story from my Dad (who was born/raised in Morant Bay, JA).

I found two websites that have similar interpretations:

http://www.naturallyyourshair.com/history_locs.htm (PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE LAST PARAGRAPH)

http://www.geocities.com/staynscripture/

I hope this helps.

 

[prettykitty]

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GodMadeMePretty said:
Your hair only grows for so long and then it sheds. So, if you reach your maximum hair growth for every strand on your head, every strand will shed making room for the new strands. Having locs does not mean that the hair cycle is changed any.

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ITA

 

[prettykitty]

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bimbabe said:
I think it adds length from the shed hair attaching to unshed hair. Example when I wash and detangle some of the unshed hair gets out and some remains loose and stays in my head of hair.When my hair dries I see hairs longer than my usual length of hair and when I pull at them they come lose because they are shed hair.

Now think of locks- the hair at the ends has to be the oldest so most of them have probably been shed but they are attached to hair that is still growing -hence added length.

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I don't think it works like that, because you don't interfere as much with your hair when it's loced (detangling)

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Example when I wash and detangle some of the unshed hair gets out and some remains loose and stays in my head of hair.When my hair dries I see hairs longer than my usual length of hair and when I pull at them they come lose because they are shed hair.

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Loced hair isn't detangled, it's just locked, it's supposed to not be detangled. The shed hair pretty much stays put in the same place (you don't pull it down further like when you're detangling)THAT's why it adds in thickness and not in lenght.

 

[bimbabe]

Pretty Kitty

I am aware locks are not supposed to be and are almost impossible to be detangled..but when I made reference to detangling it was for my hair- I am relaxed I do not have locks hence I comb to avoid getting them.

I have seen friends and co workers with locks shed hair before- and they have pulled the shed hair out.

Everyone's locks are different because we all have different hairtypes. So take a Caucasian person or a person with Type 2 hair and it makes it much easier for the shed hair to slide further down the lock naturally.

Even though you don't detangle locks, the hair can still slide coming down a little and some can even shed completly naturally and via washing (the water pressure), putting in a pony tail (your hands), Loc styles and whatever manipulation a person with locks does adds to the shed hairs being pulled down a little.

I also think locks add to length because hair on the inside of the lock that breaks is matted with hair that hasn't broken. Visualize this - hair approximately a half inch up from the lock through wear and tear gets damaged and breaks. Some of the hair break at the half in mark, some at a quarter inch some at 3/4 inch because all of the broken hairs are not the same length and the breakage is not around the entire circumference of the lock -the broken hairs remain a part of the lock. This adds to length and thickness.

 

[prettykitty]

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bimbabe said:
Pretty Kitty

I am aware locks are not supposed to be and are almost impossible to be detangled..but when I made reference to detangling it was for my hair- I am relaxed I do not have locks hence I comb to avoid getting them.

<font color="blue"> yes I understood that when I read it

I was trying to point out that shed hair doesn't really move a lot in locs because you don't detangle them (I meant your hair and locs are different)

</font>

I have seen friends and co workers with locks shed hair before- and they have pulled the shed hair out.

Everyone's locks are different because we all have different hairtypes. So take a Caucasian person or a person with Type 2 hair and it makes it much easier for the shed hair to slide further down the lock naturally.

Even though you don't detangle locks, the hair can still slide coming down a little and some can even shed completly naturally and via washing (the water pressure), putting in a pony tail (your hands), Loc styles and whatever manipulation a person with locks does adds to the shed hairs being pulled down a little.

I also think locks add to length because hair on the inside of the lock that breaks is matted with hair that hasn't broken. <font color="blue"> that's absolutely right, and it stays IN there, it can't really glide further a lot because locs are very matted. Maybe if it was a hair on the outside of the loc, but as far as the inside of the loc it's to matted to allow shedded hairs to just slide through so much that it ends up at the end of the loc,adding to the lenght </font> Visualize this - hair approximately a half inch up from the lock through wear and tear gets damaged and breaks. Some of the hair break at the half in mark, some at a quarter inch some at 3/4 inch because all of the broken hairs are not the same length and the breakage is not around the entire circumference of the lock <font color="blue">exactly, those few strands sticking out of the lock (if they do stick out and don't just get stuck around the place they broke off)are almost not even noticeable so why would they add lenght? </font> -the broken hairs remain a part of the lock. This adds to length and thickness.

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Hi Bimbabe,

but how much lenght do you think the shedded hair actually ads? For instance, could someone with bra-strap locs end up with shoulder length hair when undone (off course counting out hair you loose while undoing them,due to ruff combing etc.)? Honeychild (just an example)had pretty much the same length when she undid hers. My cousin (another example) took down her locs and ended up with pretty much the same length (even a bit longer when stretched of course 'cause you can't really stretch the locs), but her hair looked as thin as when she started them.The extra thickness was gone because all of the shed hair was gone.

Also, when you start out your locs (by two-strands in example)your hair keeps growing, it's sheds too,the most of it actually grows to the length that your locs end up with. So it's not like you end up with hair that is a lot shorter when you undo the locs.

my conclusion: shed hair in locs doesn't add lenght but mostly thickness.

The other side: what is meant by the true lenght? A)The lenght of the hair in it's natural state (not stretched)? B)Or in it's stretched state (whether permanently--&gt;through perms, or not--&gt;by simply stretching or flat ironing)?

If:
A)---&gt;imho locs do represent the lenght of the hair in it's natural state. (not stretched)

B)---&gt;[ QUOTE ]
I dont think dreads represent the true length hair. I feel like if those dreads were straighten, the hair would be much longer

[/ QUOTE ] now that's true

, that's the case with all naturally kinky/curly hair right?

Love, kitty.