Dreadlocks refers to a style of hair in which several strands of hair are clumped together to form separate, felt-like curls on the head. Originally from Africa, the look is nowadays associated with Rastafarian, Jamaican and reggae culture and is seen as a sign of individuality and freedom. Both men and women can wear dreadlocks. The shaping of dreadlocks depends on the hair type and the individual's preferred method.

You can get dreadlocks by dividing your hair into strands and combing them against the grain from the roots to the ends. The advantage of this method is that you can determine the thickness of the curls yourself. After combing the individual strands, apply soap and hair wax regularly so that the hair stays that way. After about three months of proper care, the dreadlocks have reached maturity. This method is suitable for every hair type.

If you have thick, wiry hair, you can gather the hair into equal-sized strands and wrap each of them with an elastic hair band at the roots. Then twist the strands, apply hair wax and tie the end with another hair band. The hair will stay like this for a few weeks, with hair wax having to be reapplied every now and then.

A method that is relatively little work, but results in uneven dreadlocks, is to rub the hair with a woolly hat or jumper in circular motions for about 15 minutes. If knots form, pull the strands apart. Then rub for another 15 minutes and pull the strands apart again. Continue in this way until dreadlocks form. Individual hairs can be glued to the curls with hair wax.

The truly easiest way to shape dreadlocks is to simply stop combing the hair until the curls form naturally. Depending on the type of hair, it is also better not to wash the hair in between. However, this method is unhygienic and can take up to three years for the dreadlocks to reach maturity.