Thinning dreads even after combining roots.

Hey i have had dreads for about 4 years now and they are fully locked except for the tips.

anyway i had about 130 dreads when i first started and recently they started thinning out so i combined them.

after combining them the roots were just as thin as both the dreads separate if not thinner witch didnt make sense to me.

so ive cut off the extra dreads witch was about 20 of them and my dreads are still thinning.

is there any way to stop it? or is this just part of dreads getting longer?

i use tea tree oil apple cider vinegar and baking soda mix. i wash about once a week i used to every three days but it got tedious.

i noticed i rip my dreads apart more often now to keep em separate cause the longer they go together it seems the more hair that rips out of them.

updated by @jordan-moore: 01/13/15 09:57:24PM

Sounds like you had a heck of a lot of dreads to start off with, i can see being that many that they would thin out quite alot. If they have just been done then your answer is 'yes' dreads do thin out an awful lot when they have just been done, it should stop soon. What do you mean you 'cut' off some?? You obviously need all the thickness you can get if they are thinning out as they grow longer. With 1 of your pics you say you have had dreads for 3 years, it looks like you have exceptionly thick hair - maybe its thinning out abit, is there any relatives in your family with the same type of hair as yours and is male, i really hope for you this is not the case but the fact that you have so much hair hopefully abit of thinning won't be noticed by others.

dont combine them..let them combine

dont cut them just leave em be

if you only seperate ones that are already thic[k the thin ones will combine ..on thier own and thicken up

what maintenance are u doing that may cause this

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

hmm may be a silly question...but do u mix the apple cider with ur bs mix? or use them separately? the acidic nature of the avc mix should be rinsed out well as the bs wash. separately......if u do this correctly should only be cleansing them very well no issues. is there any other routines or maintenance u do to them? might be cause of thinning or hair comin out of them.....pics will help us fellow dreadys too better advise my friend....peace goodluck stick around here sure to have some answers