Straightening /Resealing Dreads

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  Step 1

  Find a work space. Mine is the bathroom.
  I placed a large towel over my area, filled my bowl with water, and poured a little hair spray into the water.

  You don't need to add hairspray...but I usually do.

  I use a flat iron that has a wet hair function. It has vents for the steam to escape, and a steam setting. I would advise using a flat iron with a wet hair setting.

  Or use a regular iron with a steam setting.

  Depending on how your dreads are made, you can get like new dreads with this simple technique. Mine were made by a nice woman on HairEnigma/VampireFreaks.com.

  Quality made dreads can usually be re-sealed without too much effort. They won't be "Brand new" like when you got them, but they will look nice again!

  This photo shows the dreads I am going to straighten, some haven't been worn, but most really need a re-seal. The ones that were worn were recently washed. :) (The clean and resealed dreads are on ebay now. :D)

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  Step 2

  All I do in this step is turn on my steamer, hit the little steam button and wait for the beep.

  I don't turn up the heat. I think the default is 300 degrees or 350. It doesn't really take much heat to make steam really. A lower setting works. You want to steam the fibers, not melt them to a crisp.

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  Step 3

  An unraveled dread. Make sure you twist in the direction your dread was originally twisted. If it swirls clockwise, twist clockwise. Or vice versa.

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  Step 4

  Time for a dip!
  your bowl doesn't need to be filled to the brim with water, but just enough to dunk a couple dreads at a time.
  I add some hairspray. I read in a couple forums that this helps hold the dread. Though...we don't know for sure. It seems to work for me. lol

  Dunk, squish out excess water, then go to next step.

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  Step 5

  I used an old hand towel. Make sure it doesn't have anything in it like acrylic or synthetics...as they will melt. lol

  Also, something smooth would work best. There were little bits of thread that tangled about the dreads as I twisted. Which made the process long and tedious.

  No damage to the dreads of course.

  I couldn't get photos of me twisting and steaming at the same time. Sorry!

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  Step 6

  roll or fold the cloth over the wet dread.
  A good piece of advice is to use a clamp or something real heavy to pin down one side while you twist and steam.

  I have neither, so I have learned to twist the dread tight and quickly as I steam. I do a couple passes as well, to make sure I get an even or close to even seal.

  It also depends on how well the dreads were made.

  You do not need to clamp down hard with the flat iron, or smash the wrapped dread under your iron. Just press lightly. Let the steam do the work for you.

  You may just want to do a couple dreads at a time, take a break for things to cool off, and start again.

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  Step 7

  Tada~! You may want to do a second seal, but other then that, you're done!

  :3

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