Does It Hurt to Get Dreadlocks? An Honest Answer From a Loctician

By Ann-Marie Christell, Seienstyle

The question almost everyone asks first

My name is Ann-Marie Christell, and I have been a professional loctician for over 26 years. When someone is new to the world of dreadlocks, one of the very first things they ask me is this. Does it hurt to get dreadlocks? And does it hurt to have them?

It is a completely understandable question. You are imagining someone working on your hair for many hours, and then living with that hair every day afterwards. Of course you want to know what it will feel like.

So let me answer as honestly as I can, from everything I have seen in my salon over the years.

Every scalp is unique

The first thing I want you to know is that there is no single answer that fits everyone. Each of us feels things differently in our bodies, and that is just as true for the scalp.

Some people have a scalp that barely notices being touched. Others feel every small tug. What one person describes as a little pulling, another may experience as genuinely uncomfortable. Neither is wrong. It is simply how your body is.

So rather than asking whether dreadlocks hurt in general, it is more helpful to ask how your own scalp tends to respond, and what can be done to make the experience as gentle as possible for you.

Why there is always some tension

I want to be honest with you here. Creating dreadlocks does involve some pulling and some tension on the scalp. Your hair is divided into sections, each section is worked on, and the hair is gathered together into its new form. There is no way to do that with absolutely no sensation at all.

But there is a very big difference between a little tension and real pain. A dreadlock appointment should never feel like something you have to endure. With the right method and the right respect for your scalp, most people find it far more comfortable than they expected.

How the Seienstyle process makes it gentler

This is one of the reasons I created the Seienstyle process. It is a holistic way of creating dreadlocks, designed to be gentle on two bodies at once, yours and mine.

In the Seienstyle process, I backcomb your own hair, tie a fine string at the root, and then crochet the dreadlock. That small string makes a real difference to how it feels. It is a little like having someone hold the hair at the root for you while I work. The pull is taken at the string rather than at your scalp, so there is much less tension where you feel it most.

The string keeps helping after the appointment, too. As your dreadlocks grow out, it supports the root in a way that encourages the hair to keep growing together, which helps the dreadlocks mature.

If you prefer a cleaner look without the string, I also offer a version of the Seienstyle process without it. But if you know you have a sensitive scalp, if brushing your hair has always been uncomfortable, or if you feel uneasy about someone working on your hair for a long time, the string version is there for you.

A gentle method is not only for the client. It also protects my hands and body, so I can give every person in my chair my full care and attention through a long day.

Why some people feel it more than others

Over the years, I have noticed a pattern. How much someone feels during a dreadlock appointment often has a lot to do with how used their scalp is to being touched and styled.

People who have kept their hair short or shaved most of their lives, and many of the men I see fall into this group, often find the experience more uncomfortable at first. Their scalp has simply never had much handling. It is not used to sections, to pulling in different directions, or to someone working on it for hours.

People who have played with their hair for years, through styling, coloring, braiding, extensions or chemical treatments, usually find it much easier. Their scalp already knows what it feels like to be worked on, so a dreadlock appointment feels less new.

Neither experience says anything about whether dreadlocks are right for you. It just helps you know what to expect, and helps us plan the appointment around you.

Try it before you commit

If you really want dreadlocks but part of you is afraid of how it will feel, I have a gentle suggestion. Start with a few synthetic dreadlocks.

Ask me, or another loctician you trust, to braid in a few synthetic dreadlocks as a test. Your hair will be sectioned and braided, and the pull will sit at different points across your head, much as it does with real dreadlocks. It is a lovely way to find out how your scalp responds, without making a long-term decision first.

Give yourself a few days or weeks with them. Notice how they feel during the day, and how they feel at night. Then you will know much more about your own body than any article can tell you.

Getting used to living with sections

Something people rarely expect is that the strangest part is often not the appointment itself, but the first days afterwards.

Having your hair in sections can simply feel unfamiliar. You might wonder how to sleep comfortably, or notice a new kind of weight on your head. If you have ever tried hair extensions, you may know this feeling of having something new on your scalp that your body has not yet made friends with.

This is true even when the dreadlocks are made only from your own hair. The hair is divided into sections, and there is a gentle pull in different directions. For most people, this unfamiliar feeling settles quite quickly as the scalp adjusts and the dreadlocks begin to feel like a natural part of you.

So, does it hurt?

Getting dreadlocks involves some tension, and how much you feel depends on your own scalp and how used it is to being handled. With a gentle method like the Seienstyle process, and a loctician who listens to your body, it does not have to be painful. And if you are unsure, a few synthetic dreadlocks are a kind way to find out before you decide.

But I want to leave you with the part that matters most to me. Over and over, I have watched clients go through a quiet inner transformation when they finally get the hair they have dreamed of for years. They see themselves in the mirror and recognize someone they have been waiting to become. In my experience, that feeling is worth a little getting used to.

If something in you keeps saying yes, I want to try this, then I believe you should explore it, gently and at your own pace.

If you have any questions about how dreadlocks might feel for you, leave a comment below or send me a message. I would love to help you in the best way I can.

With love,

Ann-Marie