Are dreadlocks considered unprofessional?

43 Comments

I've always wanted to get dreads in the future, and I've been thinking now might be the best time to do it. I come from a family of people with dreads down their backs that are also in professional situations (my uncle is an accountant, my dad is a computer technician, my aunt is a psychologist) so I'd have the guidance to care for it properly. I also know how to dread myself, as I do my dad's hair.

I'm currently a university student majoring in Nursing, though, and I want to be competitive. If most people see dreads as truly unprofessional then I need to prepare for it. Of course I already have a curly, coarse afro but I've learned how to style it to fit certain situations. Natural hair has become more acceptable. I don't know if its the same for dreads, though.

What do you all think about it? Are dreads unprofessional in your opinion?

No	18
Yes	24
Other (comment below)	7

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Comments ( 43 )

jethro

5 years ago

Unless you are Bob Marley, dreads look horrible. Almost like a homeless vagrant. So unless your job is standing at the interstate entrance with a sign, panhandling, I would recommend you not get them.

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  5 years ago
  
  Thank you for commenting! I wouldn't say that's always true, though. I'm surprised you used Bob Marley as an example. He has strikingly unprofessional hair as he has free-form dreads. Would you say that something like this is also unprofessional?
  (http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/blogs/xx_factor/2016/09/21/a_federal_court_ruled_that_employers_can_fire_people_just_for_having_dreadlocks/thinkstockphotos462443121.jpg.CROP.promo-xlarge2.jpg )
  
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  - Boojum
    
    5 years ago
    
    For what it's worth, I wouldn't have any problems at all if a nurse who wore her hair like that was caring for me. (If she also looked like the woman in the picture, it would definitely brighten up my day.)
    
    I have no idea what the rules are for nurses with long hair, but I assume it has to be tied back, so I guess it would be in a chunky ponytail, braid or bun.
    
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    - Anonymous Post Author
      
      5 years ago
      
      Bingo! It just has to be tied back or covered with a cap.
      
      Thank you, though! That makes me happy! I tried to find a person who looked similar to me with the style I'm going for.
      
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  - jethro
    
    5 years ago
    
    Yes.
    
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    - Anonymous Post Author
      
      5 years ago
      
      Alright! I think I'll still go for it, though. I see myself as a pretty great student with an amazing GPA and experience. If a job refuses to hire me for wearing my hair according to my culture, I'm not sure if its for me.
      
      Thank you for your opinion, though! It helps me prepare.
      
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      - TS
        
        5 years ago
        
        Well, wait. You're saying "according to my culture", which seems to indicate that you live somewhere where dreads are common. If you live in Jamaica or somewhere like that, obviously go for it.
        
        I think most people responding are assuming you live in the U.S. or Canada or some other white country (in which case I'd agree with them that dreads look very unprofessional and would dissuade me from hiring someone).
        
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        Anonymous Post Author
        
        5 years ago
        
        To make things clearer, I am currently in the U.S. but my family is Jamaican. My dad immigrated here when he was younger. Dreads are common where they're from, but not really here. I suppose that's what makes me apprehensive.
        
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Whatintarnation

5 years ago

The majority of people I've seen with dreads have been hippy white kids that always look disheveled. So generally I associate dreads with someone with poor hygiene. Might be fine for a lot of people but also offputting for others. Just kind of like tattoos or piercings. People will make assumptions about you. Just a question of if you're wanting to take that risk or not I guess.

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  5 years ago
  
  That makes sense. Like I said above, I've just grown up with a lot of professionals with dreads so I personally see nothing wrong with it. It's a hairstyle from my culture and I have to admit that it annoys me when hippy kids tell me how I'm not doing them correctly. The dreads you've likely seen are free-form (which are nasty) and on people with looser curl patterns (which don't tend to look good and are hard to keep clean since they must wash their hair frequently).
  
  I think its worth the risk, though. I think they're beautiful. I'm also a really great student. If an employer sees that I'm well-spoken with a 3.8 GPA and High Honors in my degree alongside being Student Body President but the mere sight of DREADS deters them; I don't think I want to be there.
  
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[Old Memory]

5 years ago

Dreads are traditionally unprofessional. The professional appearance is clean, sharp, undistracting, and ready for action. Facial hair has to be trimmed for it to be professional. Nails have to trimmed. Long hair is preferable in a ponytail or but. Pubic hair has to be shaved. Nipples have to be covered with a pad.

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- Boojum
  
  5 years ago
  
  ...and the entire body painted in marine varnish to preclude the chance of any unprofessional moisture or aromas.
  
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Boojum

5 years ago

You're not just talking about whether dreads look professional or not in general terms, you're interested in one specific profession. As it happens, that's a profession where good hygiene is extremely important, and how clients _perceive_ the hygiene of workers is also important.

It seems to me that the best place to get an answer to your question is from black people who actually work in nursing.

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  5 years ago
  
  Update, surprisingly actual director-level nurses would have no problem with it but the people here would.
  
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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  5 years ago
  
  Thank you! I'll talk to some of my professors when I start school. They know me personally, too, so they might have deeper insight.
  
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nekoneki

5 years ago

Although many people have said they look unprofessional, Id say go for it! If anything sure it wont be great for people who take one glance and assume the worst. But you can prove them wrong! Reclaim the dreads to not make it as bad as people think of them to be!

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megadriver

5 years ago

I consider dreads unprofessional and unhygienic. I wouldn't want some hippie looking character with dirty hair around my office. I wouldn't hire anyone with dreadlocks at my company. It's ok if you work at a beach bar, or a nightclub, but anywhere professional, I'd say no-go!

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  5 years ago
  
  Understandable! Thank you for your input! I have a few questions.
  
  1. What if they also graduated from one of the top schools for that field with high honors, reccomendations, and stellar extracurriculars while being well-spoken? Would they still be a "dirty hippie"?
  
  2. How's your view on natural hair? Afro-puffs, long braids, twists, ect.? Are they in the same boat or acceptable?
  
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  - megadriver
    
    5 years ago
    
    1. The image is still there... If the position is about working in a warehouse, or somewhere out of sight from customers, I could hire someone with dreadlocks. But face to face time with customers - no.
    
    2. The afro looks kinda messy and a bit old fashioned.
    I don't like braids and hardly anyone in Europe has braids, so I'd have to go with no. Wacky hair is ok, when you are a teenager that gets pissed everynight clubbing... But wacky hair and jobs do not mix.
    
    Tho I will admit... I am old fashioned. My dad had a business too and everyone at the office was always well groomed, no wacky hair, no wacky clothes and as professional as possible. He's taught me this way, so I apply this to my cleaning/ gardening company and my day job (car dealership manager/ car salesman). I expect my employees to be well groomed, professional, clean and in the case of my gardeners/ cleaners, keep themselves as clean as possible and regularly wash work clothes. Mechanics can get away with some grease and soot on their work clothes, cause working on a car is never a clean affair XD
    
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    - Anonymous Post Author
      
      5 years ago
      
      Alright, I understand! That kind of worries me though. I naturally do not have straight hair. Its afro textured, so even if I slick it back into a ponytail it'll look as if it's a puff. Even with a bun, my hair is has micro curls throughout. My only option would be braids otherwise, as frequently straightening my hair makes it unhealthy (eventually falling out completely). Weaves exist, but I never liked the idea of covering my hair with someone elses.
      
      I guess I just disagree that afro-textured hair is wacky. It's not the equivalent of a pink mohawk, its the way my hair grows and thrives. I still comb, moisturize, trim, and wash it just the same as you would prior to work.
      
      Out of curiousity, what area of europe are you from? Is there a substantial african population?
      
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      - megadriver
        
        5 years ago
        
        I'm from Bulgaria. A place where there are almost no black people and I live in Germany now (Bavaria) where again there aren't much black people. And the ones I know, the men have short hair and the women either have straight hair (straightened), or braids that aren't too long.
        
        But again, Bavaria, is a more conservative place, where most people are white (and christian) and Bulgaria is the same, only with more racism... sadly...
        
        Also an afro is ok, as long as it isn't a comically oversized 80s disco one. Most 80s stuff is cool, but the hairstyles and the some of the wacky shit people wore weren't XD
        
        PS: Sorry for late reply.
        
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  - Boojum
    
    5 years ago
    
    Afro-puffs are cool... if you're going for the Minnie the Mouse look.
    
    Not sure I could take a nurse wearing those all that seriously. Might be good on a paediatric ward, though.
    
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    - Anonymous Post Author
      
      5 years ago
      
      Oof. I meant an afro puff but plural. When I pull my hair into a ponytail it ends up being a big puff in the back of my head.
      
      I want to work in an emergency unit of a children's hospital with anesthesia, and though puffs would make the kids happy, I also want to assure the parents that their kids are in good hands lol.
      
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Insane_madh

5 years ago

well personally I do not think having something like that it unprofessional its the same with tattoos if I hire you I want to hire all of you but for old businesses its hard for them to see that so it depends where you are getting a job if its old school they will probably put into consideration your appeal but more modern places will probably not mind it as much

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  5 years ago
  
  That's true! Thank you for your input! I checked with a professional nursing forum, and most people weren't concerned at all. The medical field simply mandates being able to tie hair back or cover it with a bun. Also, due to a shortage of nurses anyway, I'm not too hard-pressed to find employment opportunitues.
  
  Of course I may find problems with a private catholic institution, but I'm pretty gay so that's not my plan anyway lol.
  
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xxLucifer

5 years ago

Whether or not you consider dreads to be professional or not doesn't mater. If the person hiring you thinks it unprofessional then they are well within their rights to reject you. So doesn't matter how many people on here thinks it professional, but I'm sure you already know that considering the link you've been giving people to show the hair style you want is from a article saying that federal courts ruled that it was ok to fire people who have dreads.

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  5 years ago
  
  I know, but IIN is a random sample of the public. I asked here because you all are the people that I'd be either treating, working with, or under. I couldnt find any recent polls about how people feel so I took my own.
  
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[Old Memory]

5 years ago

Imo, they look kind of gross, and they have a reputation for being dirty. You'd probably keep yours clean, though.

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  5 years ago
  
  I would, don't worry! Some people believe free form dreads, or dreads formed only with water, are the only true kind. Since soaps arent involved, they tend to grow mold (especially if you have a hair texture that you need to wash often). In my family, we use african soap, peppermint oil, and apple cider vinegar. They all have antibacterial properties. Add some lavender oil, and your hair smells like pepperminty flowers!
  
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lordofopinions

5 years ago

I know a few people including teachers who sport dreadlocks. No issues.

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  5 years ago
  
  Thank you! I appreciate you.
  
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driggie

5 years ago

I’m pretty sure if you do neat hair braids/dreads that could be tied easily or don’t get in the way, you’ll be fine. It’ll depend on the hospital you’re working for and their dress code, but I honestly think if you make it look neat and non Bob-Marley way, you’ll be fine.

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Meowypowers

5 years ago

Be careful and educated if you are white. A lot of black people will try to be ignorant about the origins and meaning of locks and your employer will try and fire you. Learn and explain.

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  5 years ago
  
  I'm black, so I dont really have that problem. I appreciate the advice though! It might help someone else reading this.
  
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Mehereok1

5 years ago

No, they are not. People either see it as unclean, or, you become dreads guy and nothing else. Bartender friend of mine has a big, black bf with long dreads, and everyone just refers to him as the guy with the dreads. Not even his name or, really, her bf..He's just dreadlock guy.

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  5 years ago
  
  Thank you for commenting! I appreciate the help. I have no problem with becoming "girl with dreads". I've already heard people refer to me as "girl with the afro" so it wouldn't be any different. Would you say that something like this is also unprofessional? This is more or less what I'm going for.
  (http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/blogs/xx_factor/2016/09/21/a_federal_court_ruled_that_employers_can_fire_people_just_for_having_dreadlocks/thinkstockphotos462443121.jpg.CROP.promo-xlarge2.jpg )
  
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  - TS
    
    5 years ago
    
    This picture doesn't really help your case as much as you think. She looks like Medusa.
    
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    - Anonymous Post Author
      
      5 years ago
      
      Mm. It might be a difference in taste then. I think straight hair is usually greasy, lifeless, and a hazard in the medical community. I flattened my hair ONCE and despite being in a high bun a whisp of my hair nearly fell into a chemical compound. Not again.
      
      It was meant to educate people who think Bob Marley dreads are the only kind.
      
      Also, is medusa not cool?! Tie those dreads up into a low-tight bun and I'd be ready to go.
      
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      - TS
        
        5 years ago
        
        Medusa is absolutely cool! But she's also so ugly that just looking at her turns you to stone.
        
        You seem like a circumspect, intelligent, thoughtful person. I'm betting your hairdo isn't going to keep you from success. But my honest input is still that, to me, dreads look gross.
        
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        Anonymous Post Author
        
        5 years ago
        
        Alright! Thank you. I appreciate your honest input, and the compliment too! I hope you have a great day as well. Thank you for the discussion.
        
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Are dreadlocks considered unprofessional?