How To Join Two Dreads Into One

If you've come to this page, it likely means you already have dreadlocks and your now exploring ways to help them along in a way that suits you.

When two dreadlocks join to one, this is called a 'congo'. This is when they join naturally on their own, but im guessing you're here to make them join yourself? Great!.

This article will explain how to make two dreadlocks not only join into one, but also to give them the most natural looking finish possible so its not too obvious that you've done it yourself.

Here is a full head of congos we made recently to give you an example of what to expect.

First thoughts before you start.

The first thing you're going to want to do is decide which two (or more) dreadlocks you want to join. Hold them together to get an idea of how thick the end result will be. Bare in mind, dreadlocks that are extremely thick can be harder care for. Drying and rinsing can be a problem for excessively thick dreadlocks.

Once you have selected the dreadlocks you intend on joining, it can help to tie all the other dreadlocks out of the way. Hair clips are perfect, but you can just use hairs bands. Anything that will keep them out of your way while you are joining the dreads.

Here are the two dreadlocks we are going to use.

As you can see, the dreadlocks are very thin in places. You do not want to use a crochet hook on areas that are too thin for risk of breakage. Equally, you do not want to use a crochet hook on hair that has fully mature into a firm dreadlock. More on how to treat these areas in a moment.

 Getting Started - Linking the Roots

To start, just feed the tip of the thinest dreadlock through the bottom/base of the dreadlock you want it to join with.

If the roots of the clients hair are fairly tight, you might find a latch hook helpful. These are long hooks that you pass through the dreadlock like a needle.

This picture on the left shows one style of latch hook. Pass this through the root of one dreadlock.

Then hook and secure the second dreadlock with the latch and pull it through the base.

Wither you have used a latch hook, or if you are able to connect the roots with your fingers, it should look like the following image.

Pull it all the way through and let both dreads falldown. At this point, you should have the two connected dreadlocks, connected at the base. Repeat this process if you are joining more than one dreadlock.

Now, you can either leave the connected dreadlocks to naturally grow from here and they will join into one. Or you can take further control and use a crochet hook.

On the base root of your new single formed dreadlock to lock it in place. Doing this gives it a more natural look with the finished result when feeding a dreadlock through.

At this point, you have a number of options. If your dreadlocks are fairly young (just a few months old), you can probably get away with simply using a crochet hook from root to tip. Crochet down the length of the dreadlock right to the tip until they are completely blended. This can take a little while, so be patient and take care. You don't want to hack away like you're sawing a tree. Gentle, steady but firm should do it. Note, this should ONLY be done on very new dreadlocks.

If your dreadlocks are slightly more mature, and its obvious that you've joined them. You'll want to consider one last step. This will make them hold stronger and blend the two.

Take some hair extension hair and very slightly matt it in your hands. When you have something that resembles and very loose birds nest, wrap it around the section of the dreadlock, you want to blend at the join and crochet it into, through and round the join gap. Work your was down the dreadlock using more extension hair if needed.

The extension hair should be used expecially if hair is particularly thin, the dreadlocks are particularly weak or if dreadlocks have already matured.

This means, the crochet hook will catch on to the extension hair and use that to weave around, joining and sealing the dreadlocks, rather than the dreadlocks themselves.

This will mould the hair from 2 dreads into one flawlessly.

If you are unsure about this method, or would like to visit a Dreads Uk approved stylist, please get in touch via the contact page and we'll point you in the right direction.

Good luck with your journey and by now you should successfully know how to join 2 dreadlocks into 1.