Bit worried about my progress - some advice or reassurance required :/

So it's been nearly 6 months and most of my dreads have knotted up, theres only about 7/8 in the front that are on their way but not quite there. So i've had major shrinkage and none of mine actually looks like dreadlocks. They have just all knotted into balls like this:- some big and some small, and I have lots of loose hair. I've been looking at other people's progress and although most people go through the normal birdsnest stage that i was fully expecting, most of the timeline photos i;ve seen have looked like dreads, just a messier version of the final set.

I am happy to keep going and the hats are a mainstay of my crowning glory now, I just want to know if there is anyone else that has a similar story that can reassure me everything is ok.

Thanks so much,

Dan

updated by @dready-dan2: 02/05/15 10:12:49AM

They actually look exactly like they're meant to lol. As we speak, at the back of my head, I have a small dread that looks just like yours. And mine are two years old (it's a newish dread though). It's the process hair goes through as it dreads. I mean, not all of them, but a lot of them. Everyone's hair dreads at different speeds too, but don't worry, it's perfectly normal, as is the loose hair.

updated by @tara-c: 02/05/15 10:12:49AM

i got some like that that are very mature just makes those 1's more interesting

its normal and just fine

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Don't loose hope. I'm in the same boat as I'm 7 months along. I have some very funky loops and balls at the ends of mine as well, but I also have a select few that are starting to look quite mature so they give me hope for the rest. I've lost a lot of length to shrinkage as well (well over 1/2), more so in the last 7th month then at any other time. But that's a good thing as shrinkage means progress; my most mature looking dreads are also some of the shortest.As for helping the progress along in the summer I hit the waves, the salt water really helps frizz them up and I can see progress daily. When I can't make it to the coast I use a salt water rinse after my bi-weekly wash. I use sea salt (no iodine). But it's nowhere near as good as real ocean water and So. Cal sun to frizz them up and lock'em up tighter.The dreadlock shampoo site has a sea salt spray that I'll be trying here soon, it seems to have a few extras that my home made stuff lacks like kelp & protein. Here's the link: http://shop.dreadlockshampoo.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=20&zenid=eab90d4ce0703d34b252f4e95ed55fa8 One thing that has also helped is switching to a dreadlock shampoo as regular shampoo has detanglers. I also have a very oily scalp which was great before as my hair was always very soft & shiny but for dreadlocks it was keeping it from tangling & knotting up properly. I currently use Dr. Bonner's with a mixture of Eucalyptus & Peppermint diluted with water. I can finally strip the oil from my scalp & hair and have that really clean feeling again. I'll be trying out the dreadlockshampoo.com stuff here soon so I'll be able to test them out back to back.Also ditch the hats and look for wool headwraps & dreadbands. This site says rubbing against wool helps them lock up quicker so if you're going to cover them up might as well use something made of wool. I work in healthcare so I have to cover them up for work all the time. I know they lock up faster if they are let loose but that just isn't option for work. They have tams and stuff here on the website: http://shops.dreadlockssite.com/dreadtamshats.php Personally I use Buff headbands as they are extra long. Here's the link to the UK Wool Buff Site: http://www.buffwear.co.uk/buff-headwear/wool-buff Hope this helps and keep us posted.

PHEW!!.....Thanks guys, makes me feel loads better, i was starting to feel like a bit of weirdo and that it was all going horribly wrong and i was the only person in the world to have a head full of dreadballs rather than dreadlocks and feeling a little like bjork haha.

I do already use the awesome dreadlockshampoo and can't recommend it highly enough, it makes my head feel very clean and i never (touchwood) get the dreaded itchy head. I guess soon enough i'mna have to give the old deep clean avb/bc thingy wash a go, and that'll be my next step.

The hats i wear are all woolly tam like hats, so i'm sure that helps me with locking, but i will defo be giving the buffwear a whirl!!

Thanks again guys for making me feel normal again

mine at my nape look just like that! & i forget her name but her dreads all looked like that at first & then as they grew they came together a bit more, it's just fine doing great!

I had a tiny ball like that formed with only a few strands of hair that fell off because it was so weak. Don't feet, that won't happen to yours. I wonder why it happens At the nape, all my nape dreads are funky shaped as well.

You are totally normal my dear, I have a few odd ones like this as well, no need to fret.