Derrick Henry Hair is a result of 13 years of growth and counting!
Outside of his sporting achievements and athletic prowess there is a great level of attention given towards his distinctive dreadlock styles.
Our editorial will cover his hair in its entirety from his unique styles, hair type and its impact on culture.
Derrick Henry Hair Type
Derrick’s hair type falls under category 4, range is 4b – 4c which is afro textured hair that is the tightest curl pattern out of all hair types.
Since individuals with type 4 hair have the tightest curl pattern hair naturally meshes together easier which in turn can matt hair together if not combed out which results in dreads forming.
Deandre Hopkins Hair is a perfect example of this. Having dreadlocks already which when tied together for a long period of time mesh to further lock itself.
The Derrick Henry Hair Evolution
Signature Ponytail
Since his draft to the NFL back in 2013 we have seen Derrick place his hair in many styles, with the most distinctive being his tightly knit ponytail which has been braided together.
During game days the long distinctive fishtail lock can be the only thing seen as his helmet covers his entire face.
This is deliberately done in order to have his locks controlled and not move as he runs on the field.
2 Strand Twists
Derrick can be seen alternating between ponytails and 2 strand twists as these dreadlock styles have the most practical benefits.
The process usually involves taking 2 strands of locks, wrapping them around each other and tying the ends with rubber bands, the result, a ropey aesthetic hairstyle.
In addition to this he will use a durag, headscarf or head wrap to protect the front of his hair as the helmet can cause hair to frizz due to the friction caused by running on field.
If you’re not sure How to Tie a Durag, then we have you covered, no excuses!
Tied Up
Hair being tied up has both its aesthetic and practical benefits. It offers a unique hairstyle outside of his signature ponytail whilst also having minimal interference with workouts in the gym.
Derrick can be seen with both half up half down hairstyles and having all his dreads completely tied up.
Braided Dreadlocks
When it comes to dreads one of the benefits are placing the locks in protective styles and the go to for athletes tends to be dreadlock cornrows.
In this hairstyle dreads are laid flat and on the scalp which again is often done to minimise movement on game days.
We have also seen fans mimic the style in support of the athlete by wearing a cap that had straws intended to be hair similar to how Derrick has his styled on game days.
Faded Sides
Whilst we have seen Derrick Henry’s hair gain length throughout the years another major change in appearance is when the athlete decided to have his sides faded.
If you look closely you will be able to see both the front and sides have been shaved which creates his tapered look that he has regularly maintained to look fresh.
You have 2 options here, a low fade vs a high fade
A high fade will create a strong contrast against your hair whereas a low taper fade might be a better option if you don’t want too much skin to show.
Shoulder Length Hair
One of the oldest photos that exist of Derrick sees him at the start of his dreadlock journey which is evident as his hair seems to be slightly touching his shoulders.
This would be referred to as the teenage stage. This is when hair is fully budded, across the entire head, and they’ve swelled up to almost twice their original size.
Do your research if you want similar Dreads
Researching dreadlocks prior to meeting your loctician or stylist will allow them to provide the best results for you.
During this phase you will be able to identify which parting system you would like, thickness or dreads and actual dreadlock styles since there are various.
Assuming you like Derrick Henry’s dreads then this falls under traditional dreadlocks which is defined by each strand of hair being pencil sized and retwisted every 4 to 6 weeks (You can go longer without retwists)
Talk to a loctician and get a Consultation
After researching which for you means spending hours on YouTube or reading articles its time to visit a stylist for a consultation.
During the consultation your locitian will be able to have a closer look at your hair type, discussion process, hair products to use and avoid and parting systems.
Ensure you save the images of your desired style to your loctician and explain what you’re looking for.
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