YOU NEED TO WAIT UNTIL ITS ABOUT 3IN. MAKE SECTIONS....GET A COMB AND TWIST/BACK COMB THE HAIR...DO EACH SECTION A FEW TIMES UNTIL ALL THE HAIR IS SEMI DREADED.....DO THIS ALL OVER.......THEN EVERYDAY ALL DAY JUS KEEP TWISTIN THE SECTION....TWIST AND PULL...YOU NEED TO TWISTTHE SAME DIRECTION EVERYTIME......I HAD DREADS ABOUT 5-6 TIMES NOW.....YES IM WHITE BUT I GOT CRULY ASS ITALIAN HAIR WHEN ITS LONG.........AND NO THEY WERENT DIRTY FAT DREADS I HAD CLEAN THIN ONES.......ALSO BUY SOME DREAD SHAMPOO...IT HELPS