What is the safest, fastest and most effective way to get dreadlocks? Hire a loctician - a hairstylist specializing in dreadlocks.

A loctician will help or guide you through the process of growing dreadlocks. They create "buds" or handmade "baby" dreadlocks with your hair using different techniques such as the palm roll, 2-stand method, Sista Locs, and others. They continue to provide maintenance until your hair matures into dreadlocks.

After the first visit, it may take six months or less before you have good strong dreadlocks. Depending on the texture of your hair, you may need to visit your loctician two to four times a month. At a cost anywhere between thirty-five and seventy-five dollars each appointment, using a loctician can become expensive.

Locticians work out of their home, make house calls, or mostly work in a beauty salon. Currently no licensing or certification exists for locticians. The loctician you choose should have some type of training and lots of experience.

Here are five ways a loctician will help you grow dreadlocks:

1. Skip "ugly" stage if taking the natural route. The "natural route" means let your hair grow wild until it creates dreadlocks. In about three to six months your hair will create a big nappy curly afro eventually changing into dreadlocks. Though the afro may look beautiful and powerful to you, to others it gives the impression you just don't give a damn.

A loctician can eliminate this stage by creating dreadlocks through twisting or backcombing. Your "handmade" dreadlocks will look more presentable during the time it takes for your hair to start locking itself.

2. Only want dreadlocks for a day, week, or month. A loctician can twist you hair into any dreadlock style you want. Keep in mind a twist is not a dreadlock. It's only strains of hair held together with some type of sticky chemical such as beeswax. You can change hairstyle by shampooing the wax out of your hair or untwisting the locks. However, mature dreadlocks require cutting if you want to change your hairstyle.

3. You scalp itches and you need treatment. Sometimes it's great to have a loctician shampoo and oil your hair or dreadlocks. Not only does this helps your scalp but is meditative and relaxing.

4. Remove damages caused by hair relaxers and other chemicals. You may have used chemicals in the past and need help getting your hair back to a natural state. A loctician should be able to help you accomplish this goal.

5. Want to know how many different styles of dreadlocks. You are interested in different ways people are growing dreadlocks. A loctician should have pictures of past work as well has explain each technique or process.

You do not need a loctician to grow dreadlocks, their role is to help the process and make sure you get what you want from your experience of growing dreadlocks.

When looking for a good loctician, get good referrals, ask many questions, and don't be afraid to change loctician if you are not getting the service you expect.

Copyright (c) 2008 Jeffery Bradley