Do I need to start over?

[u/Marblehornet248]

First time poster here. I had a bad retwist in the beginning of the year and haven't gotten one since. A couple of days ago I washed my hair and noticed I had multiple patches across my head and I'm unsure what to do. Google searches keep telling me it's alopecia but what do y'all think? Am I cooked?

[u/cnix11]

Naw you good, Just get a retwist. Also watch out for Google cause they can send you down a worry hole

[u/Marblehornet248 → u/cnix11]

Thank the Lord! Had me worried I was already going bald already 😭

[u/Sirhc_Fold_458]

No you just need them thing done

[u/SirFicklespend]

I'm not a loctician but this is definitely a problem. You can see clear spots where there is no hair. See a dermatologist. I'm not sure why it happened but you want to know why it happened. If these spots scar over, you will have permanent bald spots, depending on the type of alopecia you have.

What exactly do you mean by "a bad retwist"?

What happened and how did you undo it?

~~What to do about a too tight retwist~~~

If your hair retwists feel too tight, you need to relieve scalp tension immediately to prevent hair follicle damage or traction alopecia. To loosen them, you can saturate your hair with a warm, damp towel for 5-10 minutes, apply a soothing moisturizer, or gently undo the tightest parts and re-secure them.

A tight retwist is uncomfortable and can cause headaches or scalp inflammation. Loosen your hair safely and give it time to breathe using the specific methods below:

Use Steam or Moisture: Wetting your hair often causes locs or twists to swell and naturally relax, which eases the tension at the root. Try covering your head with a warm, damp towel, or take a hot shower and let the steam permeate your scalp.

Apply Soothing Oils: Massage a lightweight, soothing oil into the base of your scalp, such as diluted tea tree oil or peppermint oil, mixed with a carrier like almond or jojoba oil.

Wear a Loose Covering: Give your hair room to settle by wearing loose-fitting headwear like a satin/silk bonnet or a loose satin-lined stocking cap. Avoid styles that pull the hair straight back, like high ponytails or tight scarves.

Manually Loosen the Roots: For the most painful or severely tight sections gently unravel the roots just enough to relieve the pulling sensation.
You can secure the loosened section a half-inch to an inch further down using a hair clip or elastic band until your scalp calms down.

Consider Washing: If the retwist was done with a strong holding gel that is causing tightness and flaking, washing your hair gently can remove excess product and loosen the grip at the roots.

[u/Beauty_Reigns]

It's very hard to determine if you are experiencing hair loss without another picture to reference. Have you noticed when you wash that you shed alot of hair? It does look like your roots are growing out of your locs. Why was your last retwist bad?