In the opinion of many uninformed people, Rastafarian or people who wear their hair in dreads appear unhygienic as it is assumed that the only way to create such a hairstyle would mean the person would not wash their hair for weeks or months.
It is silly to assume this, and certainly people with dreadlocks must have to wash their hair from time to time. The key rule to follow is to not use a balsam, or a conditioner after washing, as this would make the dreads softer, smoother and easier to comb. The opposite effect is desired – the rougher the cuticle layer of the hair, the better the hair will feel and be perfectly suited for natural growth. In most cases, it is still necessary to support the development of hair by mechanic means. Therefore the cuticle is roughed up with a backcombing comb to stimulate the growth effect one would require with this sort of hairstyle.
In Europe, Rastafarian and dreads are a fashionable hairstyle to wear. Many people with dreads decorate their hairstyle with adornments such as wooden beads or metal pearls. Dreadlocks hair cannot really be considered as a trendy hairstyle to wear in 2010 although movies like The Matrix have done their fair share in making the hairstyle more relevant again. Although the movie is already several years old, there is nothing like an evening of watching the Matrix trilogy in high definition with surround sound.
Especially to young people, who as activists get involved in several different projects, the age of the hippies during the 60s and 70s are not only interesting because of the propagated lifestyle, the old hippie-like hairstyles are also very popular again. 
