Why do some dreads shrink so much as they lock?
Some of mine are really long, and some have shrunk to less then half their original size.
Does anyone know what I can do to minimize any more shrinking?
I'm thinking maybe if I wash less often they will be less likely to shrink?
Currently I wash every week and a half to 2 weeks, using essential oils and water, and I add baking soda to the mix when my scalp is looking extra greasy.
Think of your hairs as a bunch of strands of yarn. Tie all of those strands together into a mass of tangles and knots. It shrinks. Sometimes a lot. Sometimes not as much. But it always shrinks. You can't do anything to prevent it. Sometimes the tips of your hairs get caught by hairs higher up in the section. If enough hairs do it, this alone can cause a lock to shrink by half. Some people have even seem their locks fold over on themselves. It just happens.
Washing less often wouldn't really work because knots happen all the time. Washing helps them lock. But most knotting happens while you toss and turn in your sleep. You could wash less often and stay awake for days at a time. But that's not good for you.
Dreadlocks go through 3 major phases. The first few months they shrink. Then they seem to stay that length for a while. This is when your roots start to tighten up. This they just explode with growth. I had 1 lock that was 1 inch long when it matured. 6 years later it's about 18 inches long.
Shrinkage is something you'll have get used to. But it doesn't last forever.
why would u want to minimize shrinking shrinking=locking you cant talke straight hair and crumple it up into a matted mess without it getting shorter
you should wash way more not just with water and oils but actualy wash to encourage shrinking that way when they are finnished shrinking they can grow
Over half my hair has shrunk now, I've lost maybe 10-12" in length in less than 9 months. (The longer the hair, the more shrinkage happens). These wonderful long sections of hair are slowly feeding up, creating natural dreads. Cool isn't it!
nothing you can do about it. my hair was past my breasts when i started dreading almost 4 months ago. I have lost 6 inches at the longest dread, about 10 at my shortest dread. i have seen many of my dreads fold onto themselves. not much you can do, but the shrinking means there is progress!
the more shrinkage the the better the dreads in my opinion ,, i wish my stuburn ones would shrink more im oppisate as you ..lol i want my hair to be big
