Trouble with dreads growing together???

My dreads are a year and a half old. I am having a lot of issues with my dreads growing together. I let them go just a couple weeks and they are all attached at the base. I do not enjoy this because it pulls and it starts to hurt. So I end up spending an hour or so having my friend try and separate them. I try to make sure they are separated each time I take a shower but I guess I am not doing a good job. My question is what can I do to help stop this? Also as the roots lock up more will this become less of a problem? Or do I have to weekly go in and separate my dreadlocks for the rest of my dreads life?

updated by @katie3: 01/13/15 09:14:17PM

My dreads are almost 4 months old and mine do the same thing. If I missseparating only one day, the base of alot of my dreads will start to connect.My routine is this and I have about 45-50 dreads to do this with: When I get up in the morning I start with the front dread and pull it away with the one behind it. I then have those two dreads in my hand and I pull it away from the third dread, on and on until I get half way around the back. I then do the next side. I do the same thing at night before bed. If I wash my hair that day I just wait till after I wash and towel dry and then Iseparate and then again at night.I find that keeping on top of it keeps me from having any pain and I sort of enjoy messing with them. I consider it gardening and since I love my dreads it doesn't bother me. You really have to pull them apart all the way to the roots, usually you will hear a little snap sound. I'm a weirdo, but I like it. Haha. ; ) Anyway, it's a heck of alot better than having to brush or style your hair all the time. Good luck!

mine are 21 years olds i havent seperated in years really and many have joined they will always try to join bjut it gets less and less as time goes on if you seperate weekly they will be ok just a tip wearing them up alot will make em join more

u dont need anyones help seperating and it sure shiouldnt taqke an hour if u just dio a few min here and there its fine i only seperate the ones that needed it most typicaly

i now have many that have joined and i like em like that but i never let any get too big

if u started off large u got nowhere to go and goytta keeop em seperated at all times

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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

I had that problem a few months ago badly, I ended up doing the seperating and even had to cut a couple (shhh yes it was a bad idea but I did it) apart, what I did was the ones that were really congoing at the roots I threw some beads on them and pushed them all the way to the root and each couple days I made sure to push the bead back towards the root to try to keep things seperated, I also wrapped a couple just at the roots with some hemp to try to discourage any congoing at the root, I am now at about 13-14 months and RARELY seperate, my daughter who is 1-2 months in now, I have to seperate all the time, i think as your dreadlocks become more established and knotted towards the roots the less you have to seperate.