Balding is scary to dread heads. However, your dreadlocks are like plants as long as your roots are healthy, your dreads will continue to grow healthy.
Like plants, if you damage the roots, then the leaves would deteriorate. So, do dreads cause balding? To answer that, let’s explore the factors that contribute to dreads thinning and balding.
A common factor of dreads balding is ageing. There are no surprises here since many people suffer from hair loss as they get older.
Natural hair loss affects dreadlocks the same way they affect non-dread hair. While you wouldn’t notice your hair shedding, natural hair loss affects the roots of your dreads leaving them thin.
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Traction Alopecia
While natural hair loss is unfortunate, sometimes you increase the rate of dread balding: this is called traction alopecia. Traction alopecia is hair loss that occurs when you pull on your hair too tight.
This affects not only dread heads but anyone who puts too much stress on their scalp with that said, dread heads, in particular, are at a higher risk of traction alopecia because of the various dreads styles.
The situations that cause stress on your scalp are intensive root maintenance, extreme dreadlocks’ length/weight, and styles that lead to your dread pulling tight, at the roots.
First, let’s look at dread roots maintenance. I’m not a fan of frequent re-twist(I’m a Semi Free-from and I re-twist my hair every six months) while they look beautiful, excessive- pulling and heat after styling increases your chances of hair loss.
Can Having Heavy Dreadlocks Cause Hair Loss?
Yes, heavy dreadlocks can cause hair loss. As you grow older, your dreads grow, in turn becoming heavier. Did you know wet dreadlocks are heavier than dry dreadlocks?
So, if your locs are past your bum, and they are heavy, they will stress out your scalp. As a result, your hair part becoming wider and your roots begins to thin. But, this only affects people with extremely long dreads.
Symptoms of Dreads Balding
- The Roots thin.
- Redness of the scalp.
- Scalp Blisters.
- Bumps and itching.
- As the roots get thinner your dreads become weaker.
With dread balding, your roots become thinner, the dreads that are lock already maintain its original weight and will continue to pull as it did with your healthy roots. In time, your dreads will fall out since there is no support at the roots to hold the loc.
Essential Oils Encourage Hair Growth and Prevent Dreads Balding and Dreads thinning At The Roots
Dreads thinning refers to a minor loss of hair, that cause your dreads to thin and break off. This process happens gradually but, lucky for you if caught in time, you can fix the problem.
Genetics, or caring poorly for your dreadlocks are some reasons for thinning at the roots. Here are other problems that may cause this:
- Over process dreads– This occurs after frequent colour treatments.
- Pulling your dreads to tight– this leads to both balding and thinning of the dreads.
- Lacking iron and folic acid in your diet– Helps produce hair follicles naturally.
- Too much stress– Stress affects dreads since they kill new hair that is growing from your hair follicles.
Lavender Oils
Adding essential oils are a natural way to encourage hair growth, especially if you are experiencing balding. Oils such as Coconut, Lavender, Peppermint, and Tea tree oils are some natural dreads oils that do not require washing after applications.
A little goes a long way, when using essential oils on your dreads, they promote hair growth by increasing blood flow to the scalp.
These essential oils have amazing regenerating properties that increase your hair follicles, deepens hair follicles and thickens the thermal.
They also promote the growth of healthy cells and reduces the amount of stress on your scalp. I love mixing essential oils with water since each has a delightful smell, and I wouldn’t want to change the scent by adding other oils to them.
I only apply three drops to a cup of water to my spray bottle to the roots and hairline.
Check the price for:
Scalp Massage
Scalp massage is done best before washing and re-twisting your dreads because no one wants to mess up a fresh re-twist.
Gently applying pressure with your fingertips to the scalp, promotes hair growth. This technique is one of the cheapest methods to prevent thinning of the dreads.
These handheld scalp massagers work great and are affordable.
Multivitamins
Healthy locs need iron, folic acid and zinc for thick long dreads. While you can care for your dreads by moisturizing daily, one of the most important things you can do for your body and hair is to make sure you are not malnourish.
There are some vitamins that cater to hair growth and have worked for me.
Biotin
Adding biotin to your hair or diet stimulates hair growth and prevent dreads thinning. Without them, studies have shown it will lead to hair loss.
Similarly, biotin is found in the food you eat such as liver, nuts and lentil or in biotin supplements and even hair products.
Consistently taking this vitamin leads to amazing results, especially when you are in the shrinkage stage of your dreads journey.
Further, you can find biotin at drugs stores, online or at Walmart. Read more on biotin and hair growth at Brydie.com.
The Good news is you can prevent traction alopecia by reducing your re-twisting and styling session. Also, don’t allow your dreads to grow long by trimming your dreads to reduce the weight on the scalp.
This also means there are less dreads to soak up water; therefore, relieving stress at the roots of your hair.
Also, apply essential oils, take multivitamins, scalp massage and biotin promotes hair growth and decreases dreads thinning.
With natural balding, you can’t prevent this, but you can accept your situation and make the best out of it.
