Natural, freeform timeline- UPDATED 3 September @ 8 months

Hello everyone,

My dreads just started happening, probably about 8 months ago, I think. I'd had them before but sadly had to cut them off. I'd grown them almost entirely undera hat, which was like a little prison for them.

These ones, though, have been more free (although I have had to tie them back every day for work- until recently when I decided I care more about my dreads than what my colleagues think of them).

So, here are some pictures, with a question for one of them too...

You can see some congos going on at the back.

Here is me from the front. You can see that having my hair tied back has prevented the front from locking up as quickly as the back. This should soon be remedied and I can already see that having worn my hair down has begun to accelerate the process.

Next up is the view from above. I'm slightly worried about the "bald patches". Can anyone tell from this picture whether I have anything to worry about or if I'm just being paranoid? The term traction alopechia springs to mind, though I don't know how this could happen. I never really twist my dreads. I play with them an awful lot but I'm generally very gentle just feel them with my fingers. But it is a lot!

Here's how they generally look at first. This is one of the newer ones. I love the shapes that our hair can make, the patterns. And I love the way they feel to the touch.

Here is another set of congo'd dreads...

Followed by the newly freed front and sides, where you can see the most work/waiting needs to be done...

UPDATE 3 September- one week after I stopped tying my hair back and there is a big difference already.

From the side you can see the front and the sides have started to tangle some more....

Here is a closer view, and you can see it's really starting to knot up at the front...

And here are a couple of the strands from the front/site close up, so you can see the progress...

All-in-all, I'm really happy with that for a week's progress and I'm going to ritually sacrifice all of my hairbands. There is still a lot (A LOT) of fluffy/fuzzy hair on my head, and a fair amount at the front and sides that has a long way to go, but I don't mind that at all. I guess my dreads are still really quite young and from what I read here, I'm hopeful that they will start to mature soon and maybe grow a little fatter. I hope so!

Just for good measure, here's an update on the rest of the head from over the last week...

Looking at that picture I'm now fairly confident that the "bald patches" are just the way my crown swirls.

I don't know if any of you can see them clearly enough, but if you can, do you think I have anything to worry about with route sizes?

updated by @anthony2: 02/05/15 10:12:49AM

They are looking great. It;s great that you noticed how much better they progress when they hang free.

That bald spot is not a huge deal if you don't feel that any of the locks surrounding it are sore at the root or that they pull tightly there.

Check out my latest video, and the one on separating locks. I have a bald spot on exactly the same place as you. It's probably from separating more vigorously than you need to. It'll show up more dramatically on the top of your head than on the sides, because on the side there's other hair to cover it up. On top, there's nothing to layer over it

You could take biotin or collagen to help bolster new growth up there. It's worked pretty well for me. Biotin takes a few months to see any difference, but it does work

if it is traction alopecia its possible its from just the tyo]=ing back if it was tight and often

it isnt bad just keep the tension off that area ..massage it to bring bloodflow to the surface and dont pay with it much and it should recover in a couple months

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Because it looks like it's more towards the back, than the front of your head, and you don't twist, I'd venture to say it's not traction alopecia. Tying your hair back pulls more on the locks towards the front and along your hairline.

Random question, do you have any baldness in your genes on you mothers side?

Thank you both for your comments and advice!

I've never actually known my mum's side of the family, so there might or might not be baldness there. Time will tell I guess!

AGain, thank you both, and I'll keep this updated when anything of note happens.

Sorry to hear that. My mom's side of the family is riddled with baldness. So I know it's just a matter of time for me to go bald. My cousin started around my age. And I already have arecedinghairline and a small spot on the crown of my head

But the rest is covered with perfect locks!

UPDATE 3 September 2012