I give up...
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I profoundly agree with you.
Forum Activity for @borntodie
shrinking.
General Questions
This is part of the process. This is how they lock up and mature into dreads. Mine shrunk too,and I knew they would after I washed them for the first time. I can't wait until mine get really long, but that probably won't be for another year or two.I just want to enjoy the journey, you know? You should too! :-D
good or bad idea?
Introduce Yourself
Retwisting is stupid. It really just hurts your dreads and causes thinning. I've witnessed it myself. I've seen quite a few people with dreads who obviously retwist,and I could see how it was thinning at the roots, but to some it just looks "neat" and "maintained". I personally hate that scalpy look, but I would say this is an excellent idea especially if you want healthy dreads for a lifetime. Natural dreads are the best anyway,and it would look awesome if you let them become real dreads rather than retwisting them causing more damage to your scalp.
Dread update (7/12)
Introduce Yourself
I took this photo today. How are they coming along? I started them using the 2-strand twist method,and now I just wash them and separate them. I wash once per week and moisturize the scalp with oils every now and then. I don't wash very often because my hair doesn't produce much oils and that would just try it out, but I really want them to tighten up more . I can tell at quite a few of them are starting to lock at the roots. So what do you think?
updated by @borntodie: 01/13/15 09:30:03PM
When they tell you to retwist
General Talk
Great point. I wonder why that is. It may have started as a tradition as society's standards change and now it's just become a norm I suppose. The feeling of dreads when they're really tight is very uncomfortable. I don't understand how some want to do it so bad.
My dreads aren't neglect though. I had them started using the 2 strand method,and I just wash them and separate them. I don't think that's considered neglect..... is it??
When they tell you to retwist
General Talk
You know... I think it's more of a cultural thing because I have seen white people with dreads and all of them I have seen looked natural and in my opinion...great. Though, just about every black person I have seen has their dreads retwisted sooo tight. I honestly hate that look and but to them it looks "neat". To each is own but I wouldn't ever want to do that to my dreads. So yeah, I think it's more of a cultural thing if anything at all. People influence each other, especially when you're a minority.
When they tell you to retwist
General Talk
No, I don't think retwisted dreads look better. I like the natural ones much much better. I have pictures of my dreads when I first got them started (which was at a salon) and she did a great job starting them off. Of course, I wash and separate now, but some people want to get the idea that if you don't retwist your dreads that must mean you aren't taking care of them. I told him that I am taking care of my dreads and that natural dreads 'last longer'. I should have said 'are much healthier' instead. As for the thinning and balding... I didn't want to get into that since I haven't really learned much about how retwisting would cause that, but once I get a better understanding, I will be able to explain to others when they tell me to retwist.
As I was saying about my photos of when I first got them done, which was about..4 months ago... I like my dreads now better than when I first got them done. I have lots of dreads, so the scalp look wouldn't have even been noticeable, but that scalp look is what's considered "maintained". My dreads looked really flat and had no volume, but now they do. 
When they tell you to retwist
General Talk
I have received quite a few compliments on my dreads. Of course, compliments are pretty rare... for me anyway when it comes to things like this. Every now and then, I always encounter that person that tells me or even asks me about retwisting. A co worker today was talking about retwisting and what not,and I told him that I like natural dreads (and I forgot to mention that I don't like the look of retwisted dreads.) It really hurt me though. He wasn't trying to offend me, nor do I have anything against him, but it just hurts me a little for some reason. :/
updated by @borntodie: 01/13/15 09:29:28PM