Yeah - Interesting look, but...

When I did my hair, I had one braid on the side. It lasted a long while, but then as the hair started to knot (the braid hampers the dreading process), the braided stands got WAY out of control. Ultimately, I unbraided the hair, used Beksta's "rip & twist" method, and everything turned out fine.

No probs...for days after replying to your post, I was still scratching my head over it all (and not cos I need to wash lmao)...can I ask...the salon you went to, did it specialise in dreads? or was it just a regular salon that said "oh yeah we can do them"...? Braiding is great for straight hair, you take them out just prior to actually backcombing...gives some kinks for strands to lock onto...but it just mystifies me why anybody would leave them in???

i dunno if the hairdresser was totally off. the first time i had my hair sectioned and backcombed, my friend from the virgin islands did them. she backcombed, and then twisted them - 3 sections like in a baird, but spiraled each section around the other and then backcombed the ends. i know that for some hair textures this works (i.e. super natty, african hair - not italian caucasian hair) so i took them out too and had them resectioned and backcombed.
it's def important to understand your hair texture and what the best way to dread it is. looking at your pix, i'd also say take them out and backcomb the whole lock. braids will eventually be more of a headache.

i'd prolly second ziggy on this one and have a friend help you out. plus, added bonus! you get all the sweet memories and energy from someone who already digs ya soaked up into your new dread babies!

rubberbands are debatable - and if you are one of those people who dont like the rubberbands, try putting a bead in at the top instead of the rubberband. The bead wont constrict the dread in any way.