How to Start Wicks With Rubber Bands: Step-by-Step Guide!

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How to Start Wicks With Rubber Bands: Step-by-Step Guide!

One of the newer trends in haircuts is the Wick Dread, also known as bonks, globs, and Florida dreads. You’ve probably seen celebrities and people with a lot of followers on social media wearing this style.

So, if you’re interested in the history of the wick dread movement and how you may participate, you’ve found the right place. In this article, we’ll teach you all about wicks, one of the trendiest dreadlock styles right now. So, stay tuned!

What Are Wick Locs

Wick Locs

The history of wick dreadlocks is a little bit different from that of natural dreadlocks. The name “wicks” was given to this trendy haircut because wick locs stand erect and each long strand resembles a candlewick.

You can start making wick locs with short hair. This style is stunning, and the longer each strand is, the more options you’ll have that you may style this hairdo by panning the strands in various directions. As your hair grows, though, you’ll need to learn how to lock the roots if you want to keep the style.

In addition to their other uses, wick locks are also fascinating because they can be fashioned into extensions. You can get Natural human hair extensions from several wick loc services. Additionally, as long as the roots are long enough to support wick loc extensions, extensions are your stylish option if you can’t wait for your hair to grow longer.

Use Following Rubber Bands

ImageProductFeaturesPrice
1000 Mini Rubber Bands Soft Elastic Bands

1000 Mini Rubber Bands Soft Elastic Bands

  • Abundant quantity: about 1000 pieces of soft elastic braiding rubber bands, adequate to use for a long term
  • Won't break your hair: about 1 mm in thickness and approx. 1.5 cm in diameter; You'd better use 2 or more rubber bands when apply them to the hair
  • Good material: these soft hair elastics are made from serviceable and flexible rubber, not easy to break, bringing you a pleasant experience
  • Various usage: good for small dreadlocks, hair design, hair braiding, pony tails, wedding hairstyle, or DIY more charming hairstyle
  • Well wrapped: mini elastic bands are packed in a quality plastic bag for storage, easy to store in the office, home, or in your bag
Check Price
1/8

1/8" Orthodontic Elastic Rubber Bands

  • ➤ How It Work: Dental rubber traction bands promote the movement of teeth through external force and is one of the auxiliary props to increase traction. It can be used to correct most types of bite problems (overbites, underbites, open bites, and crossbites)
  • ➤ Specifications: Annhua braces rubber bands is medium force 3.5 Oz, 1/8" size and clear color. The type of rubber band to use is chosen by the doctor according to the condition of your teeth.
  • ➤ Stretchy & Flexible: This braces rubber bands allows patients to maintain a full range of motion during talking, yawning, and other normal jaw functions.
  • ➤ Simple & Effective: The unique elasticity of the orthodontic rubber bands helps to adjust the occlusal relationship between the upper and lower teeth. And it can increase the traction required for the whole tooth more flexibly.
  • ➤ Service: 8 hours email reply, 30 days refund and 12 months warranty for quality. Please contact the seller if you have any problems.
Check Price
black Elastic Hair Bands

black Elastic Hair Bands

  • Abundant quantity: about 2500 packs black soft elastic braiding rubber bands, adequate to use for a long term
  • Won't break your hair: 1.2 mm in thickness and 1.5 cm in diameter; You'd better use 2 or more rubber bands when apply to the thick hai
  • Good material: these soft hair elastics are made from durable and flexible rubber, more durable than regular rubber bands
  • Various usage: good for small dreadlocks, hair design, hair braiding, pony tails, wedding hairstyle, or DIY more charming hairstyle
  • Well wrapped: mini black elastic bands are packed in a quality plastic bag for storage, easy to store in the office, home, or in your bag
Check Price
Pack of 500 Small Black Rubber Bands

Pack of 500 Small Black Rubber Bands

  • 500 Small, Black Rubber Bands.
  • Great for all ages including small kids.
  • Works well for hair care and for other uses around the house.
  • Could also be handy while fishing as part of tackle.
Check Price

How Do You Start Wick Dreads With Rubber Bands

This is the fun part if you choose to begin wick dreads. You can do it on your own at home, but it’s better to ask your friends for help. You could also hire someone to do it for you, but it can be hard to find someone who can do it, and it will probably cost you.

Wick Locs 1

But if you want to do it yourself, it’s not too hard. It will take hours of your time and a lot of patience.  You can make wick dreads in eleven easy steps. But the condition is you already need to have hair dreadlocks to make wicks.

To make Dreadlocks

Step 1

Take a strand of hair that sticks out or is frayed at the base of the dreadlock and twist it. You can divide your hair down the middle of your head with a comb, starting at the front and ending at the back.

The number of sections you need will depend on how thick and coarse your hair is. If your hair is fine, you should only need four parts. If your hair is rough or thick, you may need to divide it into 8 sections.

Step 2

If one of the portions at the back of your head is knotted, take the clip out and backcomb it or brush it through. Then, comb out a 1-inch (2.5-centimeter) chunk of hair from this part and clip the rest back up.

Step 3

Then, put a small crochet needle into the loc. Most people use a 0.5mm or 0.75mm needle.

Step 4

Keep wrapping the loose hair around the needle and pulling it through as you turn the hair gently and move down the shaft of the dreadlock.

Step 5

As you move down the loc, don’t put the tool in the same spot more than once. Instead, put it in different places.

The crochet needle will pull the stray hairs back into the dreadlock. Also, it’s important to point out that the hook on the end of the tool makes it easy to get it into the dreadlock, but when the needle is taken out, the hook will hold hair as you pull.

Step 6

Make quick strokes into the dread and out of it, like a jabbing motion.   With these little nudges and pulls, the hair will be packed and pulled into the dreadlock. Because this method can pack the tangled hairs together, it makes the dreadlocks stronger.

Step 7

As you move the crochet needle down the loc, you will be pulling the hair inside the dread while simultaneously smoothing out the dreadlock.

To make Wicks

Step 8

Once your dreads have been formed and pretty matured (after three weeks), you can later convert them into wicks by the rubber band method. It is very simple to apply. Or you can do it on simple hair. Choice is yours!

People with loose afro hair can use the rubber band method to get wicks. Also, it’s easy to do because all you have to do is divide your dreads into sections and put rubber bands all the way down each section.

Step 9

You can decide how thick or thin you want your locs to be, but the time it takes for each loc to lock will depend on how thick it is. Thinner locs will take a while to grow, and you shouldn’t wash your hair until after you take the rubber bands out.

Step 10

You can get the dirt out from your hair by using wax, oil, gel, and sea salt spray but you should wait at least three weeks before taking off the rubber bands. Make sure your hair is locked on its own before you take out the rubber bands.

Step 11

It could take a while, depending on what you use, how thick your locs are, and what kind of hair you have. But in 3 to 6 weeks, it would usually start to lock up.

Dreadlock Rubber Bands Guidelines

Wick Locs 2

Make Sure The Rubber Bands Are Neither Too Loose Nor Too Tight!

Rule no 1

Too-loose elastic rubber bands don’t work and tend to slip off, which is a waste of time. On the other hand, elastic bands that are too tight (especially at the roots) can stop the hair from tying itself into knots. This is because the hair can’t move as much.

Rule no 2

Additionally, “standard rubber bands” that are too loose can sometimes work because the rubber itself is “grippy” and holds hair better than elastics. The locking procedure can be slowed if the rubber bands are excessively tight and prevent the hair from moving.

Rule no 3

It’s best to find a happy medium. Try different levels of tightness until you find a good balance that keeps the hair in place without making it hard to move the hair inside the dreadlock.

Don’t Leave Rubber Bands In For Too Long!

Rule no 1

If you leave a standard rubber band in your dreadlocks for a long time, the dreadlock may “eat” or “absorb” the rubber band into the dreadlock.  The hair just starts to grow over the rubber band and eat it. This will make it very hard, impossible, to get the rubber band off later.

 It also causes the rubber band to break down, which makes your dreadlocks sticky and gooey. This sticky mess is hard to clean up later, so you should try to avoid it at all costs.

Rule no 2

When you leave too tight elastic bands in your hair for too long an effect called the “hourglass effect” occurs. This effect occurs when a dreadlock is tightened in one place for too long with a rubber band or string. As the dreadlock gets longer, the region around the elastic or string remains untangled. This leaves a weak spot that may break down as your dreadlocks get older.

What Type Of Rubber Should I Use To Make Wicks

Wick Locs 3

Neither of these rubber bands is better or worse than the other. Each type of Dreadlocks is unique, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Rubber Bands

  • Made from rubber.
  •  Very Flexible.
  • Holds hair well. 
  • Stretches out over time.
  • Makes it easier for hair to get caught in them.
  •    Can be sticky if left in too long.

Elastic Bands

  •  Feels more like plastic.
  • Known for being used on braces.
  • Won’t get more stretch like standard rubber bands.
  •  Less flexible.
  • Will not get sticky like regular rubber bands.
  • Doesn’t grip hair like standard rubber bands

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can You Start Wicks With Rubber Bands?Can You Start Wicks With Rubber Bands?

The rubber band technique works well for wicking loose afro hair. All you need to do is cut off your loose hair into big chunks and secure each one with rubber bands and leave the rubber bands in for three to a month.

How long should you keep rubber bands in your dreads?

Many sources advise using rubber bands at the roots and points of freshly formed dreadlocks for at least four weeks to help things lock up at the root and stop knots from spreading out the ends of your baby dreads. Additionally, they must be worn for four weeks.

Should I put rubber bands at the roots of my dreads?

Many sources claim that you should wear rubber bands at the roots and tips of new dreadlocks for at least four weeks to help things lock up at the roots and stop knots from moving out of the ends of your baby dreads.

Now it It’s Your Turn

Now you know what wicks are, what they are not, and how to make them on locs. With the right plan, you can make good wicks in a few weeks. We hope this article helped you and wish you the best on your wick journey!

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AUTHOR
Sedi here...Fascinated by the interplay between people, lifestyle, relationships, and communication dedicated to empowering women and spreading positive messages about black people. When she's not writing, Sedi is busy advocating for plastic-free earth with her local NGO. Got questions? Just hit the comments" Her socials: @SediDjentuh

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