Men’s dreadlocks — comfortable, original, stylish hairstyle that suits men of different ages. You don’t have to be a Rastafarian or rap fan to grow your hair out and braid it. There are many types of dreadlocks for men, so everyone can choose the one that suits them, taking into account personal preferences, age, place of residence and other factors.
What are male dreadlocks
Men’s dreadlocks — hair matted in curls. This man’s hairstyle dates back to ancient times, when warriors were looking for intimidating, comfortable, practical hair weaving options. In modern times, dreadlocks began to gain popularity among men in the middle of the 20th century, when the culture of Rastafarianism and worship of the god Jah spread throughout the world.
The name comes from the English word «dreadlocks» (dreadlocks), which can be translated as «frightening curls.» In ancient times, such hairstyles were common in Africa — they migrated to European countries in the Middle Ages. Now, hairstyles with dreadlocks are typical for men of different subcultures.
Advantages and disadvantages
Dreadlocks are a bold decision for young people and older men, especially in our country. Our culture of original, unusual, non-standard men’s hairstyles is poorly spread, so many compatriots react negatively to such experiments with hair. Men’s dreadlocks have the following benefits:
- no need to wash your hair often (experts say that this should be done every 6-8 days);
- a man can collect dreadlocks in a ponytail or bun;
there is an opportunity at any time to experiment with the length, hair color;- no need for everyday brushing;
- at any time, a man can undo his dreadlocks (you do not need to shave or cut anything off);
- with a responsible approach, every man can make himself long or short dreadlocks at home, without contacting specialists in a barbershop.
As male owners of dreadlocks note, the main disadvantage of wearing such a hairstyle is increased attention from others (both acquaintances and strangers). Such experiments with hair are not always perceived positively in our society. Minor disadvantages of artificial and natural dreadlocks include:
- systematically, you need to braid dreadlocks in the area of hair roots as they grow, giving this process a certain amount of time;
- when using artificial materials (to increase the volume, length of the hairstyle), some discomfort is created by making the hair heavier;
- after giving up dreadlocks, your hair will need to be taken care of in a special way.
Varieties of dreadlocks
There are several types of dreadlocks for men. Some of them can be braided at home, others are made only by professionals. The following varieties are distinguished:
Natural
Dreadlocks made from a man’s own hair. This is a conditionally dangerous hairstyle that men wear for 8-12 months (or more), but only with timely correction and proper care. If required, the weaving is quickly unraveled (the complexity of the process depends on the length of the wear). With prolonged wearing (more than a year), the braided curls have to be cut off. Therefore, these dreadlocks are called «dangerous». On the basis of this type, male dreadlocks with shaved temples are created.
Industrial
They are called «safe». They are natural, but they can be made for men using a wire frame / wire. Advantages — originality, long wear. Disadvantages — problems with sleep, uncomfortable lying on a pillow, long addiction (if there was no wearing experience).
Single ended (CE)
Made for men using artificial hair. Have one end, neat appearance. There are different colors (selected by the client to match or contrast to the existing shade of hair). There are combinations of two or more shades. These are relatively short dreadlocks.
Double ended (DE)
Dreadlocks with two ends. Created by analogy with Single ended. Thanks to the presence of two ends, they make the hairstyle more voluminous. The recommended initial hair length for a man is from 7 cm. The duration of wearing this man’s hairstyle is 3-4 months.
Permanent
Long or short dreadlocks for men and women that are curled by professionals. They are not popular among men, more characters are for women.
Jah dreadlocks
Safe, created by professionals in an enterprise, you can’t do it yourself. They are distinguished by their subtlety, smoothness, and a wide choice of colors. As an addition to such a multicolored men’s hairstyle with thin curls, there are African braids and braids.
To whom does
Dreadlocks are not a hairstyle for all men. Recommended hair length — from 10 cm, if you intend to make a natural look. You can fix synthetic materials (from kanekalon, etc.) for a man’s hair length from 5 cm.
The ideal original hair for a man is strong, thick. If they are weakened, brittle, systematic loss, then you should abandon the creation of dreadlocks. Weaving once again injures men’s strands, leads to irritation on the scalp, with a high probability a man will develop dandruff, and hair loss will increase. It is worth consulting with specialists who will assess the current condition of the scalp and recommend the most suitable type of hairstyle from dreadlocks.
There are no restrictions on the type of face of a man. But it is worth giving up long dreadlocks for the owners of a high forehead, an elongated oval of the face. Ideally — an oval, round face, a tall man. Short baby dreadlocks are popular. Male athletes and pop stars wear long, swept-back dreadlocks with shaved temples.
When weaving male dreadlocks, the length of the hair will be approximately halved. Therefore, if it is short, then you can add extra length using hypoallergenic artificial kanekalon or natural hair materials by making mini dreadlocks.
Self-styling technology
Before making men’s dreadlocks at home, you need to decide on their appearance, evaluate your own hair, and check with knowledgeable people about the possibility of creating a hairstyle. At home, crocheting is the most common. The advantages of the method are speed, preservation of the length of male dreadlocks. The step-by-step process looks like this:
- One strand is taken, divided into halves, twisted a little (without effort), separated again
into halves, again twisted and divided. As a result of such manipulations, an elf-lock is formed at the root. - If the mats are soft, then the strand is divided into halves, pulled to the root (without causing yourself pain).
- Then everything continues in the same way — the strand is divided, twisted, twisted. As you twist, the thickness is adjusted — if you tighten it tightly, then the dreadlocks are short and thick.
- After knocking down the strand into a single tangle, an untangled tip is left.
- The next step is to start crocheting. A crochet hook is taken (size — 1-1,6 mm). It is threaded through the dreadlocks, a protruding strand is wrapped around it, pulled back. Such manipulations «stitch» the length of the dreadlocks with protruding hairs and strands, making it stronger.
For men and women with hair longer than 12-15 cm, the technology of weaving dreadlocks by hand is available. A competent approach allows you to get a beautiful male hairstyle. The structure of ready-made dreadlocks is obtained without stitches and loops. The technique is completely painless. But the first time is unlikely to be able to do something intelligible.
Why turn to professionals
Men’s dreadlocks made by experts are radically different from those that are braided by their own 
hands at home. The finished result with a professional approach has the following advantages:
- stylish, neat, original appearance;
- minimal care (during the first months), availability of recommendations for the use of suitable shampoos and other care products;
- harmonious addition of various shades using artificial materials (white, red, blue, black, brown, etc.) and the subsequent creation of a new image of a man.
The cost of the work depends on the complexity of the task set by the man. Weaving is usually performed by specialists using the technology of tangling the strand (manually + crochet hook). When weaving kanekalon and with long male hair, a comb is used.
Styling and care options
It is a misconception that men’s dreadlocks do not need to be looked after. If the curls are safe, then keeping track of them is easy. The basic rule is shampooing once a week. Recommendations for the care of male dreadlocks are as follows:
after the first weaving, washing your hair for a month is not worth it (if required, you can rinse it with warm water);- the frequency of subsequent washing — once every 1-2 weeks;
- it is recommended to use natural shampoos without an additional conditioner (special products for dreadlocks are sold in online stores);
- to maintain the strength and durability of the hair, it is recommended to make oil masks;
- when knocking out individual hairs into tangles, they are woven back with a hook;
- for the neatness of the hairstyle, curls should be twisted daily to a tight state from the root to the ends;
- when drying with a hairdryer after washing, the curls will become too fluffy.
How long does the hairstyle last?
In men, dreadlocks hold up well for 2-3 months. After this period, the roots begin to grow back gradually, so they need to be systematically renewed. If the curls are completely natural and the man’s hairstyle was done without the use of artificial materials, then men wear it all their lives. The condition is regular braiding of hairs at the roots.
Men’s dreadlocks are an original, non-standard, bold decision. They do not require any special care, they can be made manually at home, or you can turn to professionals. There are many varieties, so you can easily find the right one. Choose, experiment, change your male image!
