How can I avoid dreads matting during washing?

Hi my dreads are just over one month old and I started them by twist and rip. They are getting really matted at the roots so I am having to separate every day. The problem is after a shower I end up with about 3-4 inches of webbed and matted hair at the roots (even if I separate just before washing) which is a nightmare to sort out. I hear so many hairs breaking as I separate and my scalp gets really tender. I feel like I'm doing so much damage and I'm worried about causingtraction alopecia. This was certainly not my idea of natural, damage free dreadlocks!

I also feel when I pull my dreads apart this just pulls more hair out of the dreads, making them even more likely to matt. It also just pulls up the tangled hairs closer to the roots so they are still connected. Even once I've separated as best I can multiple dreads still move when I pull on one.

I'm wondering if I should go to somewhere like http://dreads.bluebramble.com/ to have them crocheted and pull in all the loose hairs so they are less likely to matt, or attempt it myself. I know this is damaging but it would be a one off and I can't see it being as bad as the damage I am causing daily during separating.

Sorry for the long question but I'm getting really frustrated

updated by @rosie-lee: 01/13/15 10:05:30PM

Okay after reading some more about crochet damage I definitely don't want to do that but what can I do? Help!

I had/have the same problem and I used some loose beads pushed up to the roots to help keep them separated. It's a pain when their loose because they constantly fall out but I don't recommend anything too tight be use I've had a bead that was too tight (more like it fit perfectly, but that doesnt give your dreads any room to grow)and all the loose hair around the dread it was on tried to eat eat it and when I took it out it took some knots with it.Also I just separate daily. Twice daily when I've had my hair up for work

Thanks for the reply beads sound like a good idea. Does it hurt to sleep on them if you push them right up to your scalp or do you take them out at night?

U are worrying too.......dreads are not so complicated...just relax with them trying to be perfect.and live life.dont needa try and seprrate everyday to have those so called perfect dreads

Hi Rosie, this is the same as mine and I started with twist and rip. They tangled and needed continuous separation when I came upto 1 month and just over but now I'm past 2 moths they've calmed down hell of a lot. Just have patience with them. You're meant to hear some tearing when you're departing aswell so don't panic so much.Peace and love.

Thanks everyone. I'm not looking for 'perfect' dreads. They're starting to get crazy and loopy and I'm loving it. Just don't want a unidread as my hair was always trying to matt into one thick layer at the back even before dreads.

That's good to know Lauryn hopefully mine will calm down in a month or so too.