Hello from Ohio

Hi guys my name is Jamie. Im a 21 year old guy from Ohio. I have been growing my dreads since I was 12 years old.

Lately I have been debating shaving my head and just staying with short hair for awhile. I don't know why I feel that it would be best except for I have a very physically demanding job now and A/C isn't really an option and I would be less prone to overheat.

I also HATE when I am wearing a hoodie with my hair pulled back and it looks like I have a hunch back. Some of them are also thinning because I rarely wear my hair down (maybe once a month) I have lost two dreads to that, so I feel really self conscious about the right side of my head as there is one noticibly missing, the other you cant even tell is gone.

Honestly though I feel so guilty about the thought of outright cutting them off. Dreads have been a part of my life for a long time. I have grew with them as they grew with me. I have had them through the darkest moments of my life, the happiest times I have ever felt and every place in between. It's hard to just let go.

It's not just hair as some would say, its much, much more.

Maybe someone out there can sway me to keep them, and show me how to fix my thinning roots, or maybe not.

To cut or not to cut?

updated by @jamie3: 06/10/16 02:04:39PM

I am sad that you would feel the need to completely cut them off...but, I am concerned with how much your hair has thinned. I suspect it is due to you wearing your hair up so much What else do you do with it? Like your washings habits and products. I tend to agree with the other responses...maybe try cutting them shorter versus off altogether. Blessings brother.

just stop rolling them to death

its real odcvios thats why they are thinning

leave em alone wear em down more exceopt when overheatted (mine are past my toes and have a neurologic condition so dont sweat..at all i know overheatting well)

if u stop palm rolling they'll be fine

loks to me like u pakm rolled obsessibvely

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Your dreads are beautiful. I know a guy that had dreads almost to the floor. He trimmed them up to mid-back last year. He said it was a whole new world. I miss his really long dreads, but they still are beautiful. His name is Raz Allen, a musician who plays "mountain reggae" I would agree with everyone else....trim them, don't cut them off. Trim long, try it for a while..then trim a little more...til you get a happy length. Don't go crazy and cut them short right off the bat.You have had them for such a long time, I think it would make you unhappy to be without them. Just think, with them mid-back....no more worry about shutting em in the car door But either way....do what will be right for you.

cutting them off would be such a drastic change. im definitely with everybody else on just trimming them first. they still look amazing, even if they are a little thin. good luck with whatever you do!

I am not knowledgeable enough to give you advice on the thinning, but your dreads look amazing to me. I, too, feel dreads are a collection of memories and vibrations as they grow just as the person grows. They, in my opinion, very much become a part of the person. I would not recommend cutting them because of self-conscious feelings; and I like to view imperfection as real beauty because it brings uniqueness. Whatever the case, think heavily before you act. Cutting out 10+ years of growth is not something that will easily be replaced. Thanks for sharing the pics & nice meetin ya brother!

Thanks for all the kind words guys it means a lot to me. Now I have a serious question. What if I cut my hair now and wore it in some other hairstyle for a year or however long. This may sound weird but could I feasibly use my own dreads as extensions if I ever wanted to go back or is that just an absurd idea?

I LOVE UR DREADS!!!!!! Just Trim them so u dont over heat as much!! And welcome to the site =]

yeah there is a guy on the site that extended his dreads with his late brothers dreads, a really moving gesture, so they can be "re-attached"

Jamie said:

Thanks for all the kind words guys it means a lot to me. Now I have a serious question. What if I cut my hair now and wore it in some other hairstyle for a year or however long. This may sound weird but could I feasibly use my own dreads as extensions if I ever wanted to go back or is that just an absurd idea?

Hey I'm in Ohio too! YAY! Okay onto the real reason for this post, your dreads look amazing but if you are feeling the need to cut it's not like you can't regrow them out, or start new, and from what I've heard you can re-attach but I do think I remember hearing they'd be a bit "weak" in that spot. You've had them for so long maybe it is time for a change, then again you may regret it too only you know what's best for you!