However, when dreads mature throughout the stages, they will get thinner and thicker at different points. In addition, the length and thickness will fluctuate during the first couple of years as your hair becomes matted. Healthy dreadlocks are typically a little thicker when they mature than when you started them.
They Sometimes Get Thicker Over Time
No matter what your locs look like when you install them, they'll most likely look radically different in a couple years time. A lot of the time, the locs will thicken up as they mature.
After you decide to have locs, the next big decision is what size you'll choose. However you section your hair, your locs will grow a little smaller than that. Over time, you may find that your locs compress even further.
Give Your Locs a Break
They shampoo and groom their locs, including palm rolling or interlocking far too often, resulting in tighter, slimmer locs. If you want to grow thicker locs, you'll have to groom them far less frequently. Your locs don't need to be retwisted any more often than every six weeks (at least).
Thinning dreads can be a result of many different factors such as health challenges, medications, hormonal changes, stress, excessive hair products, tension, chemical hair coloring, dryness/dehydration, over manipulation or neglect.
Throughout the stages in which dreads mature, they will get thicker AND thinner. The thickness and length will fluctuate a lot during the first year or two because the hair is becoming matted. Healthy dreads should be a little bit thicker than when you started them once they're fully mature.
The Budding Stage (also known as the Sprouting Stage), occurs roughly six to twelve months into your locs journey. This is when you'll start to notice that your hair isn't unravelling when you wash it and notice your new growth, which will look a bit fuzzy and fluffy.
However, when dreads mature throughout the stages, they will get thinner and thicker at different points. In addition, the length and thickness will fluctuate during the first couple of years as your hair becomes matted. Healthy dreadlocks are typically a little thicker when they mature than when you started them.
Hair that is normally shed in the growth process and hair that breaks off at the ends due to manipulation are all retained within the loc. Your locs get to hold that whole ½ inch every month! With care and an avoidance of harmful practices, your locs could potentially grow up to six inches in one year.
Helps with Hair Growth- Brushing your locs stimulates the hair follicles just like a hands-on scalp massage would. This stimulation causes more blood to flow to the scalp, delivering tons of oxygen and nutrients to your follicles for quicker growth.
Well, not retwisting your locs can actually cause thinning if your hair texture and hair health cannot withstand the process. In fact, it is a common misconception—one that I've subjected myself to in the past— that not retwisting creates thicker locs.
If you're constantly pulling your locs into the same style or using hair accessories that are too tight these are quick ways to damage your hair follicles and cause thinning. Also, excessive tension at the roots, especially with interlocking maintenance that's performed too frequently, will also cause thinning locs.
You'll know your locks have left the budding stage once they begin to swell, and maintain their shape on their own while looking more cohesive in texture. Teenage locs may seem to stand on end all over your head and go in whatever direction they want as the matted hair thickens and becomes taught at the root.
Was that a spoiler? If you're considering trimming your locs because you feel like they'll grow faster and longer, it's not really the case. Though that may have been true for your loose hair, trimming locs isn't necessary. So no, you don't need to trim your locs to maintain healthy locs.
Classic dreadlocks are usually 1,2 - 1.5 cm thick.
Once your locs are mature, we recommend you deep condition every 1-2 weeks to keep your locs healthy, strong, and moisturized. NaturAll's Fresh Frozé Treatment Deep Conditioners not only keep your locs moisturized, but consistent use will keep your locs strong, healthy, and vibrant.
6 to 12 months: Budding phase of the Loc Journey
Also known as sprouting, the budding phase is the miraculous moment when the magic starts becoming obvious as you might notice your new growth is puffy.
Generally speaking, it could take anywhere from 10 months to two years to get to the maturest stage of locs." The process of hair "locking" and the process of these locs maturing are different.
It's worth noting that hair in dreadlocks grows just as fast as undreaded hair, it's only the speed that the dreadlocks gain length that changes compared to the speed that undreaded natural hair gains length. In other words, when your hair is in dreadlocks, it grows at the same speed, it just has further to go!
Traction alopecia is hair loss caused by the hair being pulled in the same way for a long time. Traction alopecia can happen to anyone who wears their hair pulled back tightly, whether in braids, dreadlocks, or a ponytail. It can also occur when tight headwear is used in the same way every day.
Your hair follicles constantly need to be hydrated in order to promote healthy growing locs. Water makes up one fourth of the hair strand, without water, your body won't be able to reproduce strong and healthy cells for strong and healthy locs.
That being said, a typical retwist should/could last anywhere from 4-6 weeks. But again, it will depend on how you take care of your locs. Your retwist can last longer, it can even last for months, if you make all the right moves to make your retwist last longer.