2.5 weeks, matting in the back

Hello! Completely new here. My journey started two and a half weeks ago. I have hair down to my waist and found that it is beginning to dread mighty fast. I've seen on here to separate when wet with olive oil, which I've done, but I feel like my efforts are in vain. The mat always comes back with a vengeance almost immediately. I've seen that as long as the dreads themselves are separated the roots can be left. If I do that, will it still cause a giant dread at the base with babies coming off of it? Do I need to do more to separate them? I can post a better photo later when I've got them all sorted out better. The attached photo is semi separated with the mat. Thanks for any advice you guys have to offer!

updated by @grey0wl: 01/22/20 09:33:16AM

well at the scalp there might be a mesh  that you can't separate clear to the scalp, as long as the hairs connecting between dreads gets separated the rest will separate fine as it grows out from the scalp. olive oil should only be needed if they re so solidly together they won't separate easily. beads can really help keep them separate

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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

This may be a better photo.

yea they look like they ant to form real thick.. some beads would help control that

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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

What type of beads would you recommend? They're supposed to be loose?

depends on if you mind them being permenant or not.. i would consider them decorations 1st and foremost but decorations that are useful.  keep in mind that  unless they can be moved around and removed easily they can be trapped as the dread thickens and then be stuck in them for years.. exception wood beads that are cheap can be broken off with a hammer.. 

beads that are loose enough to move around and remove might also be loose enough to fall off and get lost too

i always just put in beads i wouldn't mind being there 5 years down the road

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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

if you want cheap disposable beads those beaded car seat covers  have hundreds of beads  you can find 1 at a junk yard most likely and just cut the lines that hold it together and  you will get hundreds of beads for less then te cost of 1 dread bead

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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

What do you mean for 5 years? Like letting the hair dread around the bead?

I am kind of a home body unless I take my kiddos somewhere, so if I got some beads that fell out it wouldn't bother me. If they'll help me manage the separating, it's worth it!

If I remember correctly, that's your 2nd set of dreads. What types of things did you do in terms of separating, that helped you as they matured?

Oh and can't beads be harmful to young dreads if they're left in or too tight? Something along those lines?

the dread above and below the bead thickens more then the bead hole so it becomes trapped and unable to move up or down much

nah several in the back were sarted by simply putting beads in straight hair and letting it dread.. the only risk is as i said them becoming stuck fr years

peyote sleeves are a good alternaive  easy to make cheaply and if need be easy to snip the line and take them apart

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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1