Hey everyone!
I began my dread journey about 5 months ago, though my top layer is probably 2 or 3 months old. I TnRed pretty much my whole bottom layer, and mostly backcombed the top.
I am worried because my hair doesn't look anything like the timelines I have seen. It seems that by this point you can usually tell that a person has dreads. Mine just looks like ratty hair. No one can ever tell that I' have dreads. My family members laugh at me and say things like, "your hair will never dread", and "it doesn't look like you have dreads, just ratty hair" this is really discouraging.
A few days ago I visited my friend who has had her beautiful locks for a year and a half now. She said that I just haven't given my hair enough maintenance, and should palm roll and separate more. In a picture I uploaded of my baby dreads, SE even said that it looks like I have to separate more. Yet I separate every day, and usually only a few need to be separated so I'm not sure why it looks like it needs it so much. Maybe I just have a lot of loose hairs?
My friend put rubber bands around some of my dreads, and I have began doing this also. I know that it's looked down upon on here, but my friend did it to hers and they're so beautiful. She doesn't use wax or crochet or anything like that.
She cut her rubber bands out when they were no longer needed, or when the dread tried to swallow it.
I don't care if my hair looks disgusting right now, as long as I am on the right track. but I fear that my hair will never dread and will just stay this ugly mess. I'm sorry for the long post and complaining, but I have the urge to just cut them all out. Thank you for reading this!
updated by @meg5: 01/13/15 09:59:57PM