Allow it to grow with little to no manipulation
Due to this, starter locs, in their initial stage are most frail so it is important to touch your hair less and allow it to freely grow out. The less you manipulate your starter locs the better it will thrive and be free of damage.
Should you cover your starter locs? Covering your starter locs is an efficient way to protect the hair from breakage. Cover the hair with a silk or satin scarf and bonnet.
Protect Your Locs While You Sleep
Movement while you sleep and friction against your pillow can cause your locs to unravel. So, protect your locs while you sleep. You can wear a satin cap or scarf. These will also help with moisture retention and prevent hair breakage.
Another reason may be you were not gentle when you washed your locs (yes, you can wash starter locs). Locs can unravel at any time. They may unravel at day one, week 1 or even a month in. Regardless of the reason, do not be dismayed.
Keep hair moisturized
That said, you'll still need to moisturize on a daily basis if you want the protective style to do its job. Be sure to spritz a leave-in conditioner over your hair daily and use hair oil on your scalp to keep your hair soft and healthy.
3. 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.
Oil-based products, heavy creams, waxes, and hair butter leave residue on your locs and scalp. Eventually, they block the new growth of hair follicles, causing thinning and hair loss. Constant hair coloring, particularly, bleach can both damage existing hair follicles and prevent the development of new ones.
Avoid getting your hair wet or washing it with any products in the first two to four weeks, as you may loosen some hairs and negatively affect the neat appearance of your dreads. Once about a month has passed, you are free to wash your dreads as needed.
Don't Put To Much Tension On The Roots Of Your Dreads
Therefore, you want to give your hair a moment to breathe . In any case, if you put to much stress on your hair, you will cause your roots to grow thin. And, this can lead to your dreadlocks breaking off.
In the locs process, the Starter Stage (also known as the Baby Stage) lasts roughly for three to six months. But how long this stage lasts depends on a couple things, such as your hair type and how fast your hair grows.
Mist with a Water-Based Moisturizing Spray
One of the quickest and easiest ways to moisturize your locs is to mist them with a water-based moisturizing spray. You can make your own by adding 1 part water to 2 parts aloe vera juice or rosewater. Add in your favorite oils for a touch more moisture.
In the early months of the locking process, it is important to cultivate or retwist the hair once a month, regardless of the sizing you want the locs to ultimately be. For me, even though I'm aiming for thick locs, I still have been retwisting my locs about every 4-5 weeks.
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.
Contrary to “horror stories” you may hear about thinning locs— locs do not cause your hair to thin. In fact, well maintained locs actually promote hair growth and length retention.
Your Parts and Size Matters
Before starting your Locs, you want to choose your parting pattern and the size you want. This will be the last time parting your hair, therefore, it's important to choose a pattern that looks best for your texture.
Usually, with soft, curly or fine textures of hair, not retwisting your locs is damaging. One of the biggest problems you'll encounter if your texture is not able to semi-freeform is your hair growing away from your locs. As the hair grows away from the locs, you will experience thinning and sometimes breakage.
Frizz is an inevitable part of the loc journey and process. Frizz is a sign that your hair is growing and maturing in a healthy manner. Your frizz is needed to continue to form the loc as the hair begins to take the shape, form and mat itself together.
Your hair will unravel if your locs don't fully dry after you maintain and retwist your locs at home. If your locs are unraveling and you know you have trouble waiting for your locs to dry, then this might be the reason why your locs are unraveling.