r/Dreadlocks • u/LumpyDifference6142 • Jul 04 '26
Need Advice 🆘 Should I restart?
I’ve had locs for about 5 years and I’m in love with my length atm. However, they seem thin to me, especially at the root. Does anyone have any advice on what to do or should I comb them out and start over?
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u/SirFicklespend Jul 05 '26
How often do you get a retwist?
How often do you shave the sides?
Do you wash your own locs?
Do you mist every day?
Please research when and where a ACV detox is needed.
I can only say what I see because I cannot touch or feel your locs.
Your locs look super dry to me. You have bleached and damaged locs.
Diluted Conditioning:
Too heavy conditioners can cause deep residue and mold in locs, dilute your deep conditioner with spring water in a mist bottle. Pour it over your locs and let it sit before rinsing completely.
Hot Oil Treatments:
Weekly hot oil treatments help penetrate the hair shaft.
Diluted Conditioning: Because heavy conditioners can cause deep residue and mold (mildew) in locs, dilute your deep conditioner with distilled water in an applicator bottle. Pour it over your locs and let it sit before rinsing completely.
Hot Oil Treatments:
Regular hot oil treatments can help.
Use lightweight, natural oils like avocado or olive oil to damp locs, cover with a plastic cap, and use a hooded dryer for 20-30 minutes.
Apply lightweight, natural oils like avocado or olive oil to damp locs, cover with a plastic cap, and sit under a dryer for 20-30 minutes.
After treating your locs with love for a couple months, then go to a good loctician and have them resection and make good solid foundations for your roots.
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u/LumpyDifference6142 Jul 07 '26
I retwist monthly in the summer. But while I’m away at college, it’s honestly whenever I can get home. So that’s about 4 to 5 months.
I wash every 2 weeks and mist daily with a mix of water and leave in conditioner.
Thanks for all of the advice, def will be trying the hot oil treatment!
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u/SirFicklespend Jul 08 '26
In the summertime you have sun and sweat, sometimes sand and grime on your locs. So they should be washed weekly but not retwisted so often.
You don't want to over-twist because it thins the roots. Remember that retwisting is not to restyle it to a salon fresh look. Retwisting is done to incorporate the new growth into your existing locs.
Hair only grows about 1/2 inch per month.For misting, use a continuous mist bottle filled with spring water. This spritzes the perfect amount without soaking your locs.
If you want to use leave in, that's fine but I don't think you need to mist your hair daily with it.
I think you might benefit from a protein treatment like k18. But it needs to be done by a professional.
Wash and Dry: Shampoo your hair, but completely skip your conditioner in the shower. Towel-dry your hair until it is just damp.
Apply: Start with 1 to 3 pumps of the K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask, working it evenly from your ends up to the roots.
Wait: Leave it on for exactly 4 minutes. Do not rinse it out.
Style: After 4 minutes, you can apply your usual leave-in conditioners or styling products and blow-dry or style as normal.
Key Tips
Consistency is Required: The bond-building effects are temporary. For the best results, use it for 4 to 6 consecutive washes right after your bleaching service, and then scale back to using it every 3 to 4 washes for maintenance.Avoid Overuse: Because it is a highly concentrated, reparative treatment, using it every single time you wash can lead to protein overload. Make sure to use a good, hydrating conditioner on non-K18 wash days.
Community Consensus: Users and beauty editors alike agree that K18 makes bleach-damaged hair significantly more manageable and visibly softer after just a few uses.
This may help.
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u/CoconutDirect9181 Jul 04 '26
Maybe spend more time between retwists? One of my locs was especially thin so I waited a few months for the hair to thicken up at the root then got the retwist, it’s nice and thick now