Hey Maleny, your t&r sections are doing exactly what they should be. When using that method to start, it is actually the blueprint to where you want your dreads to be. Those sections will loosen and some will completely fall out. If done too tight, they can't mature properly. In order to mature, they loosen and then begin the journey of looping, zig zagging and slowly shrinking, becoming the thickness of where the hair meets the scalp. With T&R it is one step forward (seeing the sections right away) and then two steps back (loosening, falling out and then dreading). So guess what, you have no worries, your hair is doing exactly as it should. Sit back, relax and just enjoy the journey.....Peace