sectioning and splitting dreads

often when you start dreads with forced sectioning (triangles squares brick patterns) the dreads may try to split at the roots into 2 or more sections stuck in 1 dread

see how this dreads got 3 roots this would have been 3 different dreads if allowed to section naturally

to understand why this happens lets look at a few factors

when your hairs combed and you wish to find your natural part you can flip it around a bit and see where it wants to settle, forcing a part somewhere where it naturaly doesnt want to part often is a struggle as it wants to revert to it s natural part (some heads have several natural part s to choose from tho)

when hairs left uncombed it sections itself fairly quickly in much the same manor these sections wil just want to remain in the same sectioning even before knots form to hold them in..

now typicaly when you make dreads using a starter method your told to section in all evenly sized 1 inch squaresand you decide where this grid is placed

if instead of secti9ning then backcombing or tnr you just left it alone a week youd find many sections reject the sectioning only to form new sections more naturally

if you did backcomb or tnr these square sections over the 1st few months they may try to revert to the natural sectioning forming gaps, splits and holes in the roots even at times growing out with 2 or 3 roots dreading then forced into 1 dread tip because they are held close together by the tips they may fuse back together and self heal

this splitting can happen in natural sectioning as well but is way more likely in forced sectioning

to avoid the problem as much as possible

simply start the natural dreading process ..stop cokmbing

and wait for sectioning

then decide if you want to tnr backcomb..or better yet continue the natural dreading thats already beginning

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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1
updated by @soaring-eagle: 02/05/15 10:12:49AM

This is awesome! If i'd read this a yr ago i would never have backcombed. This was the problem i was having. I have a few small locs tjat do this at the top. I also had a big loc do so, and i had to split it. Now they're all doing very well! Thanl SE for all of your wisdom. Namaste

I have a few small ones doing it, but I find those to be my favorite. Its like reverse congos to me. I can't wait to see what they do in the next few months. Great post. I was wondering what and why some were like that.

I waited for natural sections to form & then tnr'd loosely some of them, but towards the top of my head I got lazy & put a few sections together to form bigger dreads like in the picture. Now they're obviously wanting to separate but the ends are tnr'd... Wjat would you suggest doing in this ciscumstance SE?

how old tight are they how much is knotted u can :

if they are too big at the base either comb outand start over or split them by starting at the roots and pull apart it will break alot if not every hair tho combing outs probly gentlrr

or u can wrap or bead the base ti help it heal back together..if its not too big

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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

wish I knew this 3 months ago. I also like how it splits like that as well. I have some decorated with one dread root with one color string, then the other another color. At the point they come together I mix both those strings down the one dread then end. It looks pretty cool.

Ive had this problem unfortunately... Thanfully though it has fixed itself quite a bit.