Dreads completely matted at roots?!

Hi, hope somebody can help me. Ive had my dreads for nearly 5 months now and all is good except ive developed a massive matt at the back of my hair. I have an inch thick of matt growing outwards and then my dreads growing off that. so technically i have dreads growing off the matt and not from my actual root?! my friend has tried to comb through the sections to separate hairs but no use as its too thick and tight also ripping it apart doesnt work for me!would conditioning my roots help? or has anybody got any ideas for me because i am getting worried and anxious!Thanks, Lucy x
updated by @lucylocks: 02/14/15 07:28:54AM

I'd have to see a pic to see what you actually mean, but it sounds like you are saying that the root is matted and that the locks is forming from the root down to the tip instead of from the tip to the root.

I a I right?

A 1 inch section of matted hair isn't terrible. It's a bit big. You wouldn't normally want it to be any bigger. But it's not the end of the world.

Can you post a pic so we can see what you mean?

i think she means the whole backs a matted megwa dread extending 1 inch out from the scalp wich certainly would be dificult to seperate so heres what u do..in order

if 1 step fails move to the next

1. with drencged wet dreads try pulling them apsrt
2. try slipping a finger or knitting needle under sa few hairs af a time and pull up and oit after releasing a few go back to step 1
3. apply olive oil and or conditioner to the area yoir trying to seperatee go back to step 1 and 2
4. if youve made absolutely no progress take either tiny cuticle scissors or a straight razor or exactlo knife , while pulling the dreads away from eachother to put tension on the matted roots ..caredfully..and i mean carefully like you would if doing brain surgery..slice through just a few hairs at a time after cutting into it bout a 1/8 inch or less go back to repeat steps 1 2 and 3 do the bare niminumum of cutting u can fget away with try to do most of it by rilpping

it may hurt but ..get tbrough it

from notw on be aloit more vigilant with seperating to prevent this in the future

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

I feel your pain. I am around 5 months in as well and have the same exact issue as you! I have been more aggressive ripping them apart for about a month now and they are so interwoven it's impossible. My main issue is the side of my head, the dreads that have formed there is pulling hair from the front all the way to the back so I don't know how I would fix this without cutting it away from the root, which will then leave me with short loose hairs.

Because these dreads are connected to hairs over a large area of my scalp, they are being pulled in every direction and my head feels tight. I even resorted today to trying to cut some apart and see how that goes. The problem is when cutting two apart near the root, I now have otherwise cut hairs that are only hanging on because they are worked into a dread. This is a disaster. I am considering attempting to brush my hair out or cut it all off and start the long process over again

I'm nervous too.. keep us updated on how it goes and if you find a solution for this problem!

Yikes! It really does seem like there is a fine line between separating too much, and not separating enough!

Could...wearing your hair up in a pony be a contributing factor?

my dreads are just nearly a month old, but some of my roots are really matting. I tried to separate it but it's too hard D:

I'm going to attempt conditioning only my roots everyday for a week to two to see if that loosens up the knots, then ill probably have to re-dread the roots a little... Im guessing? Ahhh disaster haha! I will keep you updated thank you

I fear that the same thing may be happening to me. I'm almost 3 months in but i have a lot of hair that are worked into multiple dreads. Not sure what to do.

Wow..I came here to find help for basically the same thing. I am 2 1/2 months in and always separate after washing (every 2-3 days) and sometimes a lot more. My hair is kinda long, I have a lot of hair that won't knot and the rest is dreading pretty fast. It almost feels like I have a net on my scalp that I can't keep under control.I have a lot of hair that is attaching to random dreads, and not necessarily the dreads that are close but all over my head. I wish I knew how it would look in the end. I don't mind the wait as long as I'm not waiting to look like a cave woman. Help! Thanks!!!

It's not so much about how you look, it's that it can be very painful as your dreads grow and the congos join more. Just separate them more often. Instead of every two to three days, do it every day and then keep on it until you don't need to do it that often. If you're separating every few days and they're still causing you problems, you need to do it more. But don't worry, as your dreads mature, you'll find you won't need to separate as often.

Brandi Wilson said:

Wow..I came here to find help for basically the same thing. I am 2 1/2 months in and always separate after washing (every 2-3 days) and sometimes a lot more. My hair is kinda long, I have a lot of hair that won't knot and the rest is dreading pretty fast. It almost feels like I have a net on my scalp that I can't keep under control.I have a lot of hair that is attaching to random dreads, and not necessarily the dreads that are close but all over my head. I wish I knew how it would look in the end. I don't mind the wait as long as I'm not waiting to look like a cave woman. Help! Thanks!!!