hey guys i have a question hopefully one of u can answe. my usbands ad his dreads for probably 5 years or so and his hair seemed to just stop growing. he has naturlly straight hair and it seems as though the past two years or so he hasnt gained any length. ive heard numerous things from diffrent people but most of them dont have dreads and i was wondering if any of u have tips. one thing i heard was twisting them up akes them gow but his dreds are already thinning so this seems like a bad solution cuz we dont want breakage. ive also heard tea tree oil works but this was from someonewho didnt have dreads so i was wondering if theres any truth to this or if any of u have a good idea
updated by @hippie-mama: 08/20/21 09:37:20AM
help growing dread length
i figured vitamin e. ... i like how u said increases sperm count is a fun fact.. 
one kids enough for me. but shit if its sposed to grow 1/ 2 inch in 2 months his is definately slow. and sinc we are vegitarians and he hasnt been eating 3 meals a day snce he does college and work i thinkvtamin e is definatly a possibility. cuzmy hair grows fine and i eat like should.
one kids enough for me. but shit if its sposed to grow 1/ 2 inch in 2 months his is definately slow. and sinc we are vegitarians and he hasnt been eating 3 meals a day snce he does college and work i thinkvtamin e is definatly a possibility. cuzmy hair grows fine and i eat like should.
o srry bout the spelling im my moms house and her kyboard sticks
well it depends on how long it is, I've heard that hair will stop growing oncce it gets to a sertain length. But I'm guessing that would be really really long. I'd try the vitamin E. Or if you go to a health food store they prolly have a vitamin cocktail for hair and nails. I got one once because someone cut my hair REALLY REALLY short. Like to the point I went wig shopping. Anyways, and it seemed to help my hair grow a lot quicker than it usually does.EDITI didnt see the pic at first, I'd prolly go with the vitamins
hey mama, I can help a lot with this, or at least hopefully. I have tortured my hair in the past years, fried my scalp hardcore, had hair loss due to over processing or otherwise torturing by means of nearly any available method out there. Simply put, I have experience in researching ways to promote, stimulate, healthy hair growth.Diet is a big factor.. I would see to it that he takes a good multivitamin. Vit E isn't the only vitamin he needs. Biotin and Vit C, Vit A, VitD and veggie proteins are also necessary as is a slew of minerals as well in order to kick his nutrition into a phase for healthy strong normal hair growth.What exactly is normal? Well that depends and it varies for everyone based on genetics. Some people are blessed enough to grow an inch a month, while others seem to take 3-6months to acheive. A healthy diet rich in the vitamins and minerals and proteins above can definately insure that a person reaches their individual optimal healthy growth pattern.Some herbs are known/said but never scientifically proven to help stimulate healthy hair growth. Herbs like horsetail, or rosemary.A vitamin with silica can also help. Although you want to be careful on the vitamins, because if they aren't water soluble, its easy to overdose. I would recommend seeking out a nutrionist, an herbalist, or naturapathic doctor to have someone overseeing nutrition and vitamin intake.I would also like to add, that I would not palm roll or twist the dreads much. If they are thinning I would imagine that due to nutrition they are weak and the maintenance is probably too stressful on the dreads and is causing weakness. Just let them be for a while. You can have stress alopecia. Or stress/tension related balding if the folicles are not healthy enough to handle it. He can do some maintenance if he likes, but I would have him drastically cut back and only focus on keeping them from growing together.As his nutrition improves, he should notice a difference in the pigment of his hair, it will become richer and more vibrant, as well as strength and the rate of growth.If you dont want to see a nutrionist you can always research herbs and supplements, or start with a basic multivitamin. I recommend getting a vitamin from a health food store as they are more potent, and have better ingredients to help promote maximum healthy absorbtion. Even a hair skin and nails vitamin is good too.Here are a list of herbs I suggest you educate or read a bit about. You may find some appealing to you and helpful as they are known as healthy hair promoters.NettleHorsetailOatstrawSandalwoodRose HipsElder FlowersSouthernwoodParsleyFenugreekSageBasilPeppermintGingerChamomileLavendarRosemaryMilk ThistleYarrowAgain I recommend before starting any major supplements and herbal routines, you check with your herbalist and health care provider, as some herbs and vitamins are very potent, some metabolize differently, and some are not compatible with others, and certain health conditions. Use wisely.PS: I am not sure TTO is good for fragile hair, as it can be extremely drying. I would not use any herbs or routine that would be harsh on the hair, folicles or scalp. Sometimes a good gentle scalp massage with some coconut oil or other lightweight skin absorbing oil (not on the dreads but massaged into the scalp) can help, especially when mixed with rosemary or peppermint.Hope this helps you.Good Luck,Feel free to contact me anytime with any questions!Please excuse any typos and lazy sentence structure, I am one seriously exhausted mama right now 
One thing nobody seems to have mentioned is that having dreads themselves appears to slow hair growth. I say appears because it doesn't actually slow it, it just gives the illusion of it. Hair grows on average 6 inches per year. Some peoples grows slightly faster or slightly slower but its not very drastic. But all this growth comes from, get this, the root of the hair. So, as it gets longer there and works itself into a dread, the hair is no longer running straight from the scalp, its zigzagging around other hairs. The shortest distance between any two points (and consequently the longest hair looks) is a straight line. The hair is no longer running in straight lines. Hence, the tighter the dreads become, or the thicker they get, the shorter the hair will appear. That being said, there are some supplements out there that promote healthy hair growth, but nothing has been proven to actually grow hair faster. A sidenote: people often suggest prenatal supplements. During pregnancy, women often have accelerated hair growth. This is NOT an effect of the supplements, but a result of increased hormones. The supplements merely promote healthier growth.
Interesting argument.Since the original author stated that there was already concern for poor nutrition, this is a common well known reason for slow to grow unhealthy thinning hair. Lets think about this, which plant would grow faster (optimal rate) and healthier? A healthy plant with vitamin/mineral rich healthy soil? Or a plant with poor nutrient soil?The original post also stated the hair has been dreaded for quite a long length of time, and was not only not appearing to grow at all, it also was thinning.If you google dreads and growth or rate of growth and read, you will see many dreadheads claim having dreads actually makes their hair grow significantly faster (probably due to increased circulation from stimulation of the follicles by the dreads movement and the fuzzy hairs), while others say their hair growth is slower (probably due to the knotting like you said). Who really knows? After dreads get packed in with knots, they will still continue to grow. Dreads don't just sit and eat hair all the hair and never grow an inch. The only thing that makes sense especially in this situation of the OP is diet.. If you know your diet is good, you take a daily mv, then there isn't a lot anything anyone can do about rate of growing anything, except patience. Thyroid function can play a huge factor as well in hair growth, and is sometimes a culprit for hair loss, slow growth and thinning. A visit to your health practitioner can help rule out any health conditions like this that could affect hair.Hair growth during pregnancy.. Let's think on this. Many women admit they do not take a daily mv before pregnancy (although some do, especially those rigorously TTC), then.. when they are pregnant their diet increases with more daily protein. So lets add this together. Healthier diet - IE: extra daily proteins, and potent mv+ hormones = awesome growth.The list of herbs I gave, have been said to help with healthier hair (healthier hair= optimal genetic dietary growth + healthier structure= healthier happier dreads), some naturally condition or strengthen structure, some work on the hair itself, and others benefit the follicle, IE: help improve or stimulate better circulation at the follicles. If you were to read on each herb individually and study further the claims that have been recorded, you will see the unique said benefits of each herb. A herb is an herb. It is an alternative form of healing. Some don't believe in their effects, while others claim their wonders in History.We are all here to help one another out. One last thing... I don't recommend anyone who is not supporting a growing babe through breastfeeding or pregnancy take a prenatal vitamin. The potency of the vitamins and minerals in it (like Iron) is larger than that recommended for regular people and can be toxic.NamasteResources: Personal experience, Various Herbal Books I own, Local School of Herbal Medicine, Google, Herbalist friends, and friends I have in health professions. Tommy Emmrich said:
One thing nobody seems to have mentioned is that having dreads themselves appears to slow hair growth. I say appears because it doesn't actually slow it, it just gives the illusion of it. Hair grows on average 6 inches per year. Some peoples grows slightly faster or slightly slower but its not very drastic. But all this growth comes from, get this, the root of the hair. So, as it gets longer there and works itself into a dread, the hair is no longer running straight from the scalp, its zigzagging around other hairs. The shortest distance between any two points (and consequently the longest hair looks) is a straight line. The hair is no longer running in straight lines. Hence, the tighter the dreads become, or the thicker they get, the shorter the hair will appear. That being said, there are some supplements out there that promote healthy hair growth, but nothing has been proven to actually grow hair faster. A sidenote: people often suggest prenatal supplements. During pregnancy, women often have accelerated hair growth. This is NOT an effect of the supplements, but a result of increased hormones. The supplements merely promote healthier growth.
I wasn't discounting diet or vitamin deficiencies. Of course with any limited diet (vegetarians and vegans especially) there is always the risk of cutting too much out without supplementing. This guy is a vegetarian, also has "thinning" dreads (not exactly sure what that means. is the hair thinning like male pattern baldness or are the dreads breaking into smaller dreads? not clear enough to make a decision on whether this is genetic or environmental). And with the dreads not getting longer this could all point to an actual problem not just a percieved problem. I was pointing out the fact that perception isn't always truth. And one should certainly not take what could be a legitimate medical concern lightly. That being said, if its a real concern, see a doctor. There have been plenty of opinions stated here ad nothing is decisive. If you're concerned seek the help of a professional, not somebody with herb books and google.... I hope all goes well, hair and otherwise. Sorry if I offended people who have a much higher opinion of their abilities at diagnoses than I.... MountainWillow said:
Interesting argument.
Since the original author stated that there was already concern for poor nutrition, this is a common well known reason for slow to grow unhealthy thinning hair. Lets think about this, which plant would grow faster (optimal rate) and healthier? A healthy plant with vitamin/mineral rich healthy soil? Or a plant with poor nutrient soil grow?
The original post also stated the hair has been dreaded for quite a long length of time, and was not only not appearing to grow at all, it also was thinning.
If you google dreads and growth or rate of growth and read, you will see many dreadheads claim having dreads actually makes their hair grow significantly faster (probably due to increased circulation from stimulation of the follicles by the dreads movement and the fuzzy hairs), while others say their hair growth is slower (probably due to the knotting like you said). Who really knows? After dreads get packed in with knots, they will still continue to grow. Dreads don't just sit and eat hair all the hair and never grow an inch. The only thing that makes sense especially in this situation of the OP is diet.. If you know your diet is good, you take a daily mv, then there isn't a lot anything anyone can do about rate of growing anything, except patience. Thyroid function can play a huge factor as well in hair growth, and is sometimes a culprit for hair loss, slow growth and thinning. A visit to your health practitioner can help rule out any health conditions like this that could affect hair.
Hair growth during pregnancy.. Let's think on this. Many women admit they do not take a daily mv before pregnancy (although some do, especially those rigorously TTC), then.. when they are pregnant their diet increases with more daily protein. So lets add this together. Healthier diet - IE: extra daily proteins, and awesome mv+ hormones = awesome growth.
The list of herbs I gave, have been said to help with healthier hair, some naturally condition or strengthen structure, some work on the hair itself, and others benefit the follicle, IE: help improve or stimulate better circulation at the follicles. If you were to read on each herb individually and study further the claims that have been recorded, you will see the unique said benefits of each herb. And herb is an herb. It is an alternative form of healing. Some don't believe in their effects, while others claim their wonders in History.
We are all here to help one another out. One last thing... I don't recommend anyone who is not supporting a growing babe through breastfeeding or pregnancy take a prenatal vitamin. The potency of the vitamins and minerals in it (like Iron) is larger than that recommended for regular people and can be toxic.
Resources: Personal experience, Various Herbal Books I own, Local School of Herbal Medicine, Google, Herbalist friends, and friends I have in health professions.
Tommy Emmrich said:One thing nobody seems to have mentioned is that having dreads themselves appears to slow hair growth. I say appears because it doesn't actually slow it, it just gives the illusion of it. Hair grows on average 6 inches per year. Some peoples grows slightly faster or slightly slower but its not very drastic. But all this growth comes from, get this, the root of the hair. So, as it gets longer there and works itself into a dread, the hair is no longer running straight from the scalp, its zigzagging around other hairs. The shortest distance between any two points (and consequently the longest hair looks) is a straight line. The hair is no longer running in straight lines. Hence, the tighter the dreads become, or the thicker they get, the shorter the hair will appear. That being said, there are some supplements out there that promote healthy hair growth, but nothing has been proven to actually grow hair faster. A sidenote: people often suggest prenatal supplements. During pregnancy, women often have accelerated hair growth. This is NOT an effect of the supplements, but a result of increased hormones. The supplements merely promote healthier growth.
