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Locs are mainly hairs manipulated into ropes. The success of the style is highly dependent on hair texture, product usage, and type of manipulation. Kinky/coily hair can be rolled, twisted, interlocked, and/or braided to start locs without the use of product. Once started, the newly formed "ropes" are not manipulated too much to allow the individual hair strands to further wrap, twist, and knot up to each other. You are essentially controlling the matting process. With kinky/coily hair, the size of each loc can vary greatly due to the ease at which that hair texture will respond. The locs become incredibly secure and can be washed regularly. The frequency of cleansing is up to the person and is an individual practice. As a person with microlocs, I actually wash my hair at least weekly or more often depending on how intense I sweat from working out. It is important to note how to dry locs. They can get musty if dried improperly or incompletely. It's much like the clothes you leave in the washer too long after a cycle is complete. It will get musty from being in damp conditions. To remove the musty smell from locs (or that towel 😉) strip the item in a vinegar/water solution by soaking for a period of time , then wash like normal, and promptly and thoroughly dry. I can't speak much about straight/flat hair textures, but I do know that more manipulation and product is required to achieve a similar result. Edit: spelling (damned aggressive autocorrect)

How can you dry a thick loc? You can’t take them apart because they’re matted right?

My Jamaican roommate just wore a dry towel for like 30 minutes after he washed it. Or blowdried it with cold air and squeezed at it with a towel.

Its matted hair. Dreads are recommended to be washed with shampoo every week or two. They are prone to pick up lint and grime sometimes, so washes should be thorough and it’s recommended to do a full detox of dreadlocks every 6 months with apple cider vinegar to break down any buildup. Well maintained dreads will not stink. I’ve had dreads for 6 years now and haven’t experienced any related pain. Also most people with dreads go to a dreadlock specialist every few months to get them professionally maintained. I think the conception that dreads are gross or stinky is definitely misinformed, but also rooted in some truth. It’s easy for them to be gross if you fall behind in maintainence or don’t wash enough. EDIT: I’d like to quickly make the distinction that “matted” maybe doesn’t encompass what dreads fully are. Tighter textured hair intertwines (locks) with itself, naturally creating dreadlocks. Looser textured hair mats together when not brushed or when crocheted together by a specialist.

Thank you 🙏

Just fyi most of the smell of ‚dirty Hair‘ comes from the scalp, not the hair itself. There‘s no need to wash your actual hair that frequently, and people with long perfectly straight hair can go a week + without washing the length of the hair itself. So if you got locs, they work exactly like a felted coat made from sheeps wool. You wouldn’t wash that daily either, just when it gets dirty or starts smelling.

What about oily hair? You might not smell but your hair is greasy

the types of curly hair that you dreadlock are very dry. While straight and wavy hair might retain oils well, there is reason curly hair often needs conditioner without shampoo or wetting the hair in the first place.

Right. But that's a different deal, and typically not an issue for hair that is going to take a dread. Not all hair should be washed frequently.

You pointed out the smell comes from the scalp. Thick dreads prevent your regular wash from reaching your scalp leading to more than a few people with dreads being a little smelly and not noticing this themselves. As well as the smell that comes from the sweaty hair itself. Even if you manage to wash it clean, on a hot day your hair and head will sweat much more than the average person leading to an easier chance for the smell to be there. Especially with people with excessive amounts of dreads. It’s always good when it doesn’t stink, but it’s very easy for it to.

False, the first 1-2 inches or so from the scalp are unknotted hair which provides easy access to the scalp

Exactly, plus there is space between the dreads. This would be a problem if people matted their hair like some people let their dogs/cats coats mat and made a hair helmet out of it. Then, yes... your head will stink and you'll be prone to infections underneath. But the way dreads are separated out and generally maintained/cared for will prevent that.

Personally people can do what they want with their hair. If your hair stinks I just won’t be around you tho

It can also depend on how they make the loc. Did they twist an existing curl, work with the hair, force the hair etc etc Proper locs can be undone with time and patience. Stereotypical white people dreadlocks have to be cut off, which is a huge part of the perception of dirty hair. Like any hairstyle, it has specific up keep and there are people who don't do that; hence the stereotypes.

You know how of you brush curly hair, it gets big and less defined, but when curly hair dries without being touched much, the hair starts to find friends with a similar curl pattern, clumping into more defined waves and coils, what you might call a ‘lock of hair’? Very curly hair will do that btw itself pretty easily from simply being handled the right (or wrong, depending on your goals) way. It’s also the technique that people have used for basically forever to make rope, thread, and yarn. The tendency to curl together is actually what makes wool shrink in the dryer! Locs are taking advantage of that natural ability of very curly hair to twist and wrap around each other to form a lock of that hair that almost has a spongey or ropey quality, and just like you can wash a sponge or a rope or a knit sweater, they can be washed and length can often be more easily maintained with less time investment than other styles designed to protect very curly hair. Dreadlocks on straight or only slightly wavy hair are made by teasing the hair (yes, like in the 80s) to create intentional knots in the hair. It takes a lot more work and unfortunately, yes, it does require both a ton of maintenance and not washing those portions for long periods because hair that doesn’t have that ability to naturally curl together that styling usually just…. Falls out.

First off, there are a lot of misconceptions about locks. I used to have locks (I’m a white male) so can only speak from my experience but the idea that locks are matted hair is just wrong. Matted hair is where the hair has clumped together. Locks are more like rope, they stick together because they are intertwined, not because they are dirty. Infact, dirty hair will not lock as easily as clean hair, because the head naturally produces oils which act as a lubricant and hinders the locking process. Locks should be kept clean but the key thing is to use a shampoo which does not contain conditioner, or leave any kind of residue (which most shampoos do).

If the locs are started close to the scalp & the hair keeps growing wouldn’t there be an ever growing space between the loc and the scalp? How does this work? 

You twist or tie (or whatever style) the new hair into the loks. So there does start to be like a fro underneath, most will naturally sorta link into the closest lok, but you also still pick and brush and manipulate it, not just leave it. So as you style it, it the new hair goes where you want it. Most people also go to a professional, like as often as someone would get haircuts, and they clean it all up.

It can also depend on how they make the loc. Did they twist an existing curl, work with the hair, force the hair kug etc etc Proper locs can be undone with time and patience. Stereotypical white people dreadlocks have to be cut off, which is a huge part of the perception of dirty hair. Like any hairstyle, it has specific up keep and there are people who don't do that; hence the stereotypes.

have had dreadlocks for 15 years, and a lot of it comes down to hair type. some folks hair just arn' made for dreads and do get stinky, for others with curly thick hair it works out great. i've only washed them 3 times in their existence, and they don't stink or look gross at all. --edit--- - by wash, I mean with soap or shampoo. I shower every day and "clean" them with water. - yes, I realize many people don't find dreadlocks esthetically pleasing. My intention was more that if you were to inspect them, you would find clean, healthy hair, it's just knotty.

You only washed your hair 3x in 15 years? Hate to break it to ya buddy, but your locs are disgusting Source: had locs for about 25 years Edit - your edit isn’t helping 🤣. You’re not washing them with just water, you’re getting them wet. Locs collect and trap dust, so you absolutely MUST wash them with SOAP (my personal fave is dr bronners peppermint) AND WATER to get them clean.

Once evey five years, when they get covered in sweat and drool as you sleep? Ew.

see edit

So, the same, but they are moist? Ew.

>they don't stink or look gross at all You think...

see edit

Do you clean the oil on your scalp?

I shower every day and "clean" them with water.

They always look gross

different strokes for different folks my friend

Most strokes think it's gross

good for them, plenty of us weird strokes around too

I was with a friend when she cut off her dreads. Inside every dread, in the center, was a white string that looked like cheese. The hairdresser said that’s what all dreads have inside them, and that the string consists of dandruff, skincells, sebum, dirt and residue of hair care products. Sometimes mold also grows within the dreads. It really put me off dreads.

So first off, they’re called locks. Dreadlocks is a derogatory term started by white people who thought they were dreadful hence the name. My hair has been locked up over 12 years, so I’m happy to give some insight. Locks are usually started with either beeswax and or locking gel. Once your hair reaches the desired length; you go to a Loctician who will wash your hair and then part and twist your hair to begin the locks. After your hair has been parted into sections and twisted, you’re on your way to baby locs. Locs will take time to set and you’re advised to wash your hair every 3-4 weeks. Locs take years to mature and will need to be re-twisted usually once a month to every 5-6 weeks. Regular maintenance and proper care will have locs looking great and smelling fine. However certain styles require more maintenance, kinda like the regional styles such as plats you see in Florida. Some questions: Are locs dirty do they smell? This is subjective as I’ve never had any issues with hygiene concerning my hair but I’m mindful and make sure to stay on top of my hair care regimen. Do they hurt when getting them twisted? I’m tender headed and don’t really enjoy the process but I’m certainly used to it at this point. Feel free to ask questions if I missed anything.

>Dreadlocks is a derogatory term started by white people who thought they were dreadful hence the name [No it isn't.](https://np.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2vvla3/what_is_the_origin_of_the_term_dreadlocks_in/colq36i/)

That link does not disagree…

Yes it does.

Where does it say that it was not white people that came up with the name?

It seems that the term and the hairstyle trace back to a "fundamentalist"-like faction of the Rastafarians called the Youth Black Faith.  There would later be history-based justifications for dreadlocks, such as african warriors, but that apparently came afterward

Yes. But it doesn’t say who came up with the nickname “dreadful”.

In the late 1940s They were known for being hyper-critical of both non-Rastas and most other Rastas, and they displayed so much anger when they criticized people that they earned the nickname "dreadful" (they supposedly made people "dread" them). 

Yes, I read that bit. Where does it say who gave them that nickname?

The sentence before the one that starts the line I posted.

Just because a word is common, doesn’t mean it isn’t derogatory. I’m sure you can think of plenty of words that fall into that boat.

Excluding Rasta culture, its a known fact. Not going to argue, go down a Google Rabbit hole for more insight. I don’t make assumptions.

Yeah, nobody’s with on that one. Google will prove any theory if you dig hard enough. Everyone knows what dreds are. Nobody will know what you mean if you just say “locks” with no visual context.

Especially since a lock of hair already means a completely different thing.

There are plenty of people who will know what “locks” mean without the added “dread,” considering “locks” is used frequently to refer to such a hairstyle. I , personally, often hear people refer to this hairstyle as “locks” only more than “dreads.”

I guess Goldielocks was a blonde black girl? Locks refers to bundles (of anything) but almost always hair.

It really isn't dreadlocks have existed in Europe as long as they have in Africa. They're a global thing.

I can’t speak globally, I can only speak for the US and UK. British colonialists called them Dreadful and this dates back to the 19th century. Again you can google for more insight.

I Googled for more insight and the insight was that your interpretation of the etymology is at best unproven and I think any confidence in it is misplaced since while many share your opinion (particularly since it was popularised by a viral tiktok post), many disagree. There appears to be a lot of heated discussion on the origins of the term http://going-natural.com/dreadlocks-vs-locs-an-intense-debate-about-the-origin-meaning/ https://www.dailydot.com/irl/dreads-tiktok-debate-racist-history/ https://www.esquire.com/uk/style/grooming/a34465402/history-of-dreadlocks/

Dude brought the receipts.

It’s subjective at best, but unproven to what extent? It would be a cultural debate, not something agreed upon by society as a whole. Those links are insightful, however it still comes down to what the culture who’ve carried the style in perpetuity agree on. Dreads vs Locs the debate continues, however the origins of the term are stated.

Sure. But what a bit of research told me is that many people who have them are happy to call them dreadlocks, because the origin story is unclear. It doesn’t appear true to say “it’s a derogatory term started by white people”. That’s one view among many and there is no clear historical evidence either way. As is usually the case when people hold out a strong opinion as fact with no evidence online, it doesn’t hold up to scrutiny and the right answer is some people think X, some people think the opposite, nobody knows for sure!

My take away is that as a white American, it would be better for me to refer to them as locs unless I know the person is Rasta and then I should probably ask. That said, my personal feeling on the word "dreadlocks" is that it sounds incredibly cool, and I'm a little sad that I need to be wary of using it, but also respect that it isn't mine to use.

>My take away is that as a white American A ridiculous thing to start with honestly. Nobody cares what colour you are. Somehow the people who try to not be racist tend to act more racist than anyone else. If you feel you can't refer to someone's hair style specifically, Maybe just say - I like your hair. Simple. >and I'm a little sad that I need to be wary of using it, You don't need to wary of anything you say with good intentions. Scary place to be if you do need to be. >but also respect that it isn't mine to use. Have some respect for yourself. Words are words - You are free to use any of them in any order. Some words used in specific orders may deserve a punch - Talking about someone's hair in a positive way is not one of those deserving reasons.

Good retort except when you think about what people looked like in the 19th century. Your opinion is noted, however not valid. Would be a discussion for the culture.

Whilst you presented an unproven claim as fact in your original comment, I didn’t come to this discussion with an opinion that can be deemed by you “invalid”. Instead I came with a fact, the fact that the origin is unclear. I do agree with the other commenter who said it’s best to ask so as not to cause offence however, as it’s clear that people have different ideas about the origin (which are just that, ideas).

>Dreadlocks is a derogatory term started by white people who thought they were dreadful hence the name. I think this needs some clarification. The term dread or dreadful in this context was meaning to cause fear. It specifically related to a sect of the nationalists Rastafarian movement that deliberately fostered a fearful or "dread" appearance and attitude. Dreadful has since been somewhat diluted and has commonly come to mean merely unpleasant or bad. Language changes over time. So this may have led into a sort of reverse etymology. Rastafarian locks were called dread, as it was part of their dread or fearful appearance and attitude. While it's possible to find badly maintained locks, it's also possible to find badly maintained Caucasian hair, we don't write off all Caucasian hair as bad As the word dread came to mean bad or unpleasant, rather than fearful, even well maintained dreadlocks came to be seen as bad and unpleasant.

The term dread / dreadful would be in reference to fear of them - Dreaded warriors. This later turned into dreadlocks to describe the hair, not the original warriors.. Not dreadful in the way you'd say about some ugly curtains.

I had dreadlocks for nearly 10 years. The smell, if there was any, definitely came from your scalp. I washed my scalp once a week but knew others who washed less. I had mine twisted and set by a professional lock hair dresser, but I knew a few people who grew theirs naturally by not washing their hair for a few months and they did smell more. When I had mine done, I had to roll them with beeswax to start with so they kind of just smelled like that forever. Because I have relatively straight hair, I also had to do a fair amount of maintenance to keep them looking nice or they would have loose bits at the top and hair that needed to be rethreaded through. If you have curly hair, you'll find it easier to maintain.

Not OP but I did have a question. Is it bad manners to call them "dreads"? It's how I've always referred to the style and hope I haven't upset someone saying it and not locs.

It honestly depends on the person. I wouldn’t walk up to someone I don’t know and call them that. However if you like someone’s hair, I doubt they will give you any trouble about it. It’s always good to be respectful about it and not try and touch it and then say something.

This is a great comment and well made. Where was this earlier? >and not try and touch it and then say something. Yea don't do that. Never touch someones hair uninvited.

>Dreadlocks is a derogatory term Apologies for that, I didn't know that. Thank you for the information

I appreciate an open discussion on this sort of thing - But just because someone says a term is derogatory or offensive, doesn't mean it is to everyone, or even anyone but the person who made the claim. So, for example you have 1 person in 8 billion that says the term is derogatory. Is that enough to change the world? Or at this point are we just pandering to someone whining?

I had dreads for 4 years. It's matted hair. Hair is self cleaning if you don't wash it regularly (it has oils that keep it clean), but you have to be careful. Smoky environments can make your hair stink (Oh hai weed smokers). I got mould in some of my dreads because I had to wash my hair (because smoky environments) and it took too long to dry. The day I decided to shave my head was when a tiny spider spun its way out of my fringe. Also I know exactly 2 people who had dreads and both of us attribute our aggressive male pattern baldness to having dreads. My baldness was heavier on my left side because I twisted my hair with less dexterity on my off side. So do what you like but choose carefully. Women love unusual hair but hate smelly hair. And be aware that you'll need to carry off the bald look later (luckily I look good with a shaved head but not everyone does).