Dread Shrinkage: Before And After – What To Expect

How long does it take for dreadlocks to shrink?

By week 6 – 8 you should notice them really start to tighten and mature. You may notice them shrink a little more and perhaps get a little lumpy and bumpy as some mature faster than others. Your dreads are basically going through puberty but hang in there, they’re are well on there way to adult hood!

Is shrinkage in locs good?

Your starter locs shrinkage will make it look like your locs are not growing. If you look at pictures of loc shrinkage before and after someone started their locs, you’ll see that the hair is about the same length. Don’t let that deter you, promise you it’s very normal and you can’t avoid the process fr.

Do locs get smaller over time?

If you’re waiting too long between twisting your dreads, you’ll notice your locs becoming a lot thinner. Since new hair follicles need to be twisted into the deadlock, these follicles can eventually fall out if left alone. This results in thinning dreadlocks.

How much shrinkage do you get with locs?

The amount of shrinkage varies from about 10-30%. It occurs over time as your hair is growing, so very often it will seem that your dreads are not growing longer at all. The truth is they are growing longer but shrinking at the same time so it looks like they are just getting wider instead of longer.

Do locs shrink as they mature?

I bet you didn’t think you would have shrinkage with locs! But it is true— loc shrinkage, or dread shrinkage, is normal and to be expected during the beginning stages of the hair locking process. Your starter locs shrinkage will make it look like your locs are not growing.

Do dreads tighten over time?

Thick dreads will change little after the first year but thinner dreads will continue to tighten a bit for up to two years!

What hair type has the worst shrinkage?

Those with 4A, 4B, and 4C hair experience shrinkage the most because the curls are coiled tighter than the other curl patterns.

Does shrinkage mean healthy hair?

Shrinkage is a sign of healthy hair. By its nature, natural hair is curly, compact and coily. Shrinkage just means your hair is able to bounce back to its naturally curly state. This indicates that your hair hasn’t lost its elasticity (strength) and hasn’t been damaged by heat or any form of chemical.

Does conditioner stop shrinkage?

Since shrinkage occurs when water leaves the strands, using products that help your locks retain moisture can prevent your curl pattern from shrinking, especially if your hair is particularly prone to dryness. After all, hydrated curls are naturally more plump and elongated.

Do locs recede your hairline?

Some men will first notice that their braids or dreadlocks will appear less anchored or even begin to fall out. Others will start to see a receding hairline or excessive hair loss after brushing or showering. Over time, hair follicles can become so damaged and scarred that they can no longer create new hair.

What month do locs get thicker?

Stage 1: The Growing Pains Stage (6-9 months) This is the stage where your locs will start to thicken and mature.

Do hair grow faster in locs?

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!

Do locs shrink before they grow?

The hair itself doesn’t grow any faster than undreaded hair and at first even appears to shrink (this is just the process of hair knotting and forming the locs), but once that’s over with and they do start to grow they will get longer faster than normal hair simply because the hair is protected and most likely not …

What causes dreads to shrink?

Dreadlocks are always shorter than the straight hair you started out with, this is because the hair in dreadlocks doesn’t grow straight down, it weaves around inside the dread. As your dreadlocks mature they will get tighter and more compressed causing the dreadlocks to shrink more.

How much does shrinkage shrink hair?

Shrinkage is natural for women with textured hair, and the tighter the curl, the more shrinkage you will experience. Some only have 20% to 30% shrinkage while others can have as much as 75%! Our hair expands when wet and shrinks while drying.

Do locs get skinnier over time?

Will My Dreads Get Thinner or Thicker With Time? Dreadlocks undergo constant transformation — as your hair starts to tangle and knot, each dread adjusts to those changes by becoming loose and thin in some spots and tight and thick in others.

How long does it take locs to fully mature?

You know you’ve reached the mature stage (about 15 to 18 months) when your locs are finally long enough to lie flat or hang down. Faulk asserts that “maturing occurs when your locs are firm and there’s no more reforming,” so you won’t have to re-twist your new growth as often during this period.

Do locs expand over time?

The Growing or Teenage Stage is the next phase. Your locs have expanded to twice the size of the starter lock, and they have started to retain weight and thickness. However, you may find it difficult to get your locks to cooperate at times. They will still experience a lot of shrinkage and frizz in this stage.

How much do dreadlocks shrink your hair?

Be prepared for your hair to shrink at least 4+ inches. It takes time for dreadlocks to matte and lock before they get to a stage of growth. This process and timeframe looks different for everyone, but you can surely expect shorter hair than you began with when you created the dreads!

How do I know if my locs are unhealthy?

1: Scalp irritation The first sign of problematic dreads is the unhealthy scalp. The dreads cause dryness in most hair types, shrinking the dreadlocks. Moreover, extreme dryness indicates a potential sign of harmful growth of locs—the dryness of the scalp results in product residues that cause cleaning problems.

How to fix a loose dread?

If there are any loose hairs floating around these dreads, use a crochet hook to pull the loose hair into the joined dreads. You might also find a dread cuff helpful in binding the two dreads together. Another option is to add undreaded human hair to the dreadlock.

What is the rarest hair type?

Type 1A hair is very straight and fine, with no waves or curls whatsoever. This hair type tends to get very oily and requires frequent shampooing. It is the rarest hair type and is common among women of Asian descent.

Why is 4C hair so thick?

The microscopically tight kinks and coils of 4c hair patterns cause significant shrinkage to occur, which gives this hair type so much volume.

Does shrinkage go away?

“Shrinkage is a sign of healthy hair and means your hair is naturally doing what it’s supposed to do,” she says. “When your curls get wet, they go from a stretched-out form to your natural curl, which is often a tighter curl. If you lack moisture or have some form of damage, your shrinkage will decrease.”

Does 3a hair shrinkage?

Both hair types experience shrinkage. However, type 3 shrinks less than type 4 hair. For instance, people with type 3 hair experience 25-50% shrinkage of their natural hair length. On the other hand, type 4 hair shrinks to about 80% of its original length.

How long does it take for dreads to drop?

You know you’ve reached the mature stage (about 15 to 18 months) when your locs are finally long enough to lie flat or hang down.

How long does it take to loosen dreads?

Detangling dreadlocks takes a lot of time and patience. Be prepared to spend upwards of 15 hours over one or two days completely dedicated to unlocking your hair. Most people see substantial hair loss when detangling their dreadlocks.

How long does it take for dreadlocks to settle?

Typically, it can take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years for dreadlocks to fully mature and lock up. However, some hair types and methods may take longer or shorter periods. It’s important to be patient and consistent with hair care routines during the maturation process.

Do locs shrink when you wash them?

The bad news, which really isn’t bad news, is that, yes, your hair is gonna shrink. That is normal in the beginning stages. Your hair is still learning how to lock up.

What happens in the early stages of growing dreads?

Do dreads shrink after being tangled?

How long does it take dreads to mature?

Why are my dreads thinning?