Swimming with Dreadlocks

Dreadlocks can be somewhat heavy when they are wet; especially if they are long or thick. Having both long and thick dreads, I often shied away from swimming and water activities to avoid the problem of heavy locks.

Most who wear dreads are free spirited, fun and adventurous, and I'm no different. In addition to jumping in the pool, I like visiting the waterpark, and truly appreciate a good soak in a bubbling spa every now and then. To make these activities more enjoyable for me, I've developed hair care steps for both before and after water fun.

1. Bind Your Locks - It can be tempting to dive into the pool with your locks flowing, however, leaving them loose can get a little messy and troublesome. Simply bind locks together by braiding them and placing a rubber band at the end. This will keep your locks together making it easier to swim and move around. If locks are long, try to get them up higher on your head. I simply bend over and tie braids together until all locks are on top of my head. For thicker locks, you'll have to do smaller braids. I typically have about six to eight plats.

2. Use a Swim Cap or Wrap Hair in Scarf - If you can find a swim cap large enough for your head that is great. Nevertheless, for most of us with dreads, this will probably not work. A head wrap or scarf however just might do the trick. It may not be the most attractive, but it will help in keeping your hair off your neck and will aid in minimizing loose hair or fly aways. A bandana style in a somewhat thin fabric (that dries quickly) is the best choice.

3. Squeeze Dreads - After water fun, if you're going to hang around the pool or beach a while, let down your dreads. Be sure to squeeze as much water out of your hair as you can. This will make it more comfortable for you to lounge around.

4. Bring Your Own Towel - Now wring remaining water out with a towel. Be sure to bring your own towel (lint free) as locks are notorious for collecting lint.

5. Cover Your Hair - Bring a tam or other wrap to further protect your hair. In addition to keeping sand or other debris out of your locks, covering them will keep you from feeling all of the heaviness and ickiness that is associated with wet locks.

6. Wash and Condition Locks - Once home or back in your hotel room, be sure to wash your hair. If you've been in chlorine water, it might be best to run a conditioner through it as well. Consider using a natural conditioner like apple cider vinegar or olive oil. With store bought conditioners, I typically dilute them with water, and use the conditioner before, not after shampooing hair.

7. Thoroughly Dry Locks - Wet dreads can smell and even result in mold or mildew. Consequently, it is imperative that you dry your locks completely. If necessary, use a hair dryer beginning at the roots. To give dreads a nice smell, spray them with a homemade hair spray followed by blow drying . Make your own personal fragrance by filling a spray bottle with distilled water and several drops of your favorite essential oils. Lavender, peppermint and lemon are fragrances I most use.

8. Groom hair as usual.

These steps will serve you well if your locks are a few months or more old. If you have really new dreads, you'll probably want to avoid swimming for a little while.