Questions about half twist n ripped hair

I am sure this topic is out there by many other people, however I am new here and still learning to navigate around the website. I started by Twist n rip method...I did the entire front n top half of my head as the sections started to section off naturally. So my baby dreads are all different in age just by a matter of days n weeks. Any ways, I still have the back half of my head to go but as I read on I am learning that "natural" is the best way to go...is it to late to go natural for the back half of my hair? I am just afraid the front will suck up hairs. 2. has anyone that has done twist n rip noticed that the roots get loose and split? I stopped palm rolling and I have been justseparating, took out beads and am trying my best to go with the flow. 3. How much shrinkage is expected with TnR?

updated by @owl-lady: 01/13/15 10:02:47PM

The last time I started my dreads with t&r without letting my hair section naturally, many of the ones in the back started splitting at the roots because the sections didn't belong together. Shrinkage will indeed happen with t&r locks, it really just depends on how tight you did the t&r and how long your hair was to begin with on how MUCH shrinkage will occur.

Natural is the best way to go, but locks started with t&r and left to go natural from there is still fine. It really depends on how YOU feel. It is YOUR journey. If you love your t&r locks just as much as the natural ones, leave them.

You can still just as well let the rest go natural. You don't have to t&r the rest, it is really up to you.

I agree with what Amanda said.

I started my current dreads with twist and rip. i have had a couple which have separated at the the roots. one dread in particular has done so much it has created a mangrove tree root looking dread. though i've managed to wrap itself around itself and it starting to dread together nicely all be it a bit slow. i've had these dreads for a year and two months now and its only now i am starting to see it not shrink. Shrinkage depends on how tight they were twisted and ripped. i have some which kept a bit of their length but were quite thin and braided looking and some have shrunk from pencil thickness to almost marker thickness. over call in the time since i've had them it probably shrunk by just under half length. every one is different with different hair types. i have brown wavy/curly caucasian hair and i got a fair bit of shrinkage, my dreads are wiggly and kinda lumpy in places. if you have naturally straight hair it may not shrink as much. I did do a bit of crocheting to keep roots together at the start but have been natural for about a year.

you might be ok with having natural dread at the back. i have a plain none dread fringe at the front and make sure to keep it separated from the dreads once a week or so. just be mindful to separate the formed dreads from the forming ones frequently particularly for the first few months.

Happy dreading. hope this is useful

I ended up dreading the rest doing twist and rip. They are doing fine, I have curly hair as well maybe a bit on the wavy side but my ends curl alot. So I have curly ends on my dreads. My roots are loose..my oldest dreads are shrinking up alot ..those are around 3 months old, all lumpy and bumpy but I think its cool. I love the way they feel it would be kinda boring if they were perfect. The only hair I am having a hard time with staying locked up is the hair underneath at the nap of my neck..its being a real pain in the butt. I have used rubber bands at some roots for about a week just to keep split ones together. Thank you for your reply!

No problem. Mine are like that too at the back of my neck. It's only recently that the hair has started to lock right at the bottom of my hair line. For me its quite thin hair there and i kinda just gave up on the idea of having dreads there but after a while it has started to make teeny tiny thin dreads underneath. You can kind of interlock them if you're not too happy with it taking its time. my friend who had similar problems tried that and it seemed to work alright.

dont worry bout the nape..or any of the hairline as that will dread slowest and last..probly not till the rest is mature

--
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Oh ok good to know thank you!

Hey lovely, its not too late. I started with TnR on the back of my head, and the top is natural. I wish i had gone all natural though, i can tell my TnR ones a are weaker at the roots, however i havent noticed any loose or split roots, though my TnRs do have more loose hair At the roots, if that makes sense. I had more shrinkage with my natural guys, as the TnR were dont too tightly, they're just starting to get loopy and heal after a year. Good luck :D

^^ didnt read all the comments... Glad they're doing well!