Lots of people with curls are obsessed over dreadlocks. This is because dreadlocks themselves can be used as an accessory.
But the frustration begins when you see bald spots due to dreadlocks. You get super concerned and tensed about it.
So you ended up searching, how to fix bald spots in dreads?
Well, you can use cut-off dreads to cover it. Or you may just go for extensions and use them to fix the bald spots. You can also try making knots on the dreads for a good cover-up. Moreover, you can pull hair from thick sections to thin ones.
Well, the details on this are given below. So check the next segments.
Can Dreadlocks Cause Baldness?
Yes, dreadlocks can cause baldness in some situations. But that’s not fully baldness. Because when you tie dreadlocks, the hair stretches from the roots. The stretch is really tight. It’s because you twist the hair to make the dreadlock.
That is why some people have wider hairlines after dreadlocks. Many of them even experience huge hair fall after the dreadlocks are formed. Eventually, some places lose a lot of hair and you can see bald spots.
The bald spots mostly are in the upper forehead section. It’s because dreadlocks pull hair downwards.
Thus, you can see yourself balding clearly.
Why Do You Have Bald Spots in Your Dreads?
Well, there can be several reasons for having bald spots in dreads. We’ve tried to explain them to you. So why don’t you start looking at the reasons?
Locks Haven’t Matured
For different hair types, the dreadlocks need different times to be mature. So here’s a table for you to better understand.
| Curl Type | Time to mature locks |
| Heavy curls | 12-14 months |
| Medium curls | 18-20 months |
| Light curls | 22-24 months |
But if your hair is very thin, it might take 3-3.5 years for the dreadlocks to mature. In between that time, the hair inside the locks might shift its position. Also if you have dry frizzy hair all over the head, the dreadlocks might need a longer time to adjust.
While the hair is still adjusting, some dreadlocks might have bald spots. Because some dreadlocks mature faster than others. So the undeveloped ones can be weak, looping, and bald at times.
But this shouldn’t be for a long period of time. Once the dreadlocks start to mature, they can cover up the bald spots.
Tight Hair Styling & Accessories
You know dreadlocks themselves is a style.
So there’s no need to style it further. If you stretch it and do harsh styling, the hair might get damaged. We often make a silly mistake by styling the dreadlocks tightly.
We know it’s tempting to cover up the frizzy mess of hair. To do that, we eventually end up tying it into a ponytail or buns. But the stretching will pressurize the hair sections. You’ll end up seeing bald spots and the hair won’t be shaped properly.
You might face severe hair breakage as well, although it’s for a short period of time. Once the locks are old enough, it adjusts accordingly. During the time, you can use a loose hair tie or headbands.
But make sure that your headband isn’t a spiky one. Because those can give you headaches.
Other than that, lots of beads are added to the dreadlocks. With time, the dreads get thicker and the beads become tighter for them. This prevents the locks from maturing.
If you keep tight accessories for more than 2-3 hours, it’ll thin out the dreads. This will turn to show up bald spots.
To prevent that, you can just move the beads from time to time. So that you don’t thin out the hair.
Damaged And Dry Hair
Your hair might get dry for a lot of reasons. It can be that you drank less water for the last few days. The weather and lack of care might make your hair dry and brittle. This causes damage as well.
So you need to moisturize your dreadlocks once they’re matured. Because moisturizing hair is needed. However, you should first figure out what your dry hair needs.
If you accidentally damage the hair, that also makes the locks weak. Because dreads follow a pattern. If they get weakened, there’s a little chance for healthy locks in the future.
Once they’re breakage-prone and damaged, bald spots start to show up.
Excessive Lint Picking
What happens is, we do a lot of lint picking from the locks. We all have done that at some point. Because once you see lint between the locks, you want to pick it up. Once you’re done picking from one lock, you start to look into the others. And then it turns into a habit.
So you just keep disrupting the locks by pinching and separating. Digging for lint ends up weakening the locks. After a while, the locks get misplaced. Some places become bald.
You have prevented lint buildup in the first place. So that you won’t have to see lint in the hairbrush as well.
To prevent that, you can wash your hair once a week. You should also avoid excessive dry shampoo usage.
Retwisting The Locks Wrong
When we develop locks, we mainly retwist them. But the twisting should be in the right direction. Everyone’s hair grows in a pattern that can be either clockwise or anticlockwise. That natural pattern is the hair whorl.
So you might not twist your hair according to the hair pattern. Then the locks will get weak. Thus, it may lead to hair breakage and baldness.
Dying The Locks
Well, a lot of us dye the locks to style them. But dying makes hair fragile and dry. So your locks are not in a suitable condition. That is the reason why you shouldn’t dye locks frequently or even before maturing.
Otherwise, the locks will get damaged. Eventually, hair fall and baldness will follow.
How to Fix Bald Spots in Dreads?-5 Alternative Ways!
Bald spots in dreads are common. But fixing it can be tricky. So we’ve mentioned alternatives methods that should work on covering up the spots.
Pull Hair into Bald Spots
If you see bald spots, try to balance between the locks. For example, try to pull some hair from the thick parts. Twist it in a way that it covers the bald spot.
You can use a crotchet needle. A lot of useful crochet needles are available online. We’ve used some that we mentioned later:
11 Pcs Dreadlocks Hook Tool Set
2 Pack Latch Hook Crochet Needle
With the help of this needle, you can easily pull hair from the locks. This will definitely hide those empty spots.
Add Extensions to Cover up The Area
Another thing you should try is extensions. They always cover bald and weak spots. Plus you’ll have thicker locks with the extensions.
So it’s a good choice to use them. Just attach the extension and mix them with real hair. Then make locks of them as well. Finally cover the bald spot with them.
Make Knots on The Locks
So you can try to make a loose knot with your locks. To do that, you can take a fuller lock. And then knot it lightly, while knotting, put hair on the bald place. Once you’re done knotting, it will cover up the spots.
But don’t keep the knots for more than 2 hours. Otherwise, you’ll end up with messed locks. Because knotting makes your hair more tangled.
But you can undo the knots and let the locks rest for 30 minutes. And then redo it if you want.
Sew The Loc with A Thread
Another popular method is sewing threads. So it’s quite simple. Take a thread closest to your hair color.
Then take a sew and sew the thread in your dreads. By sewing we mean, put the thread inside the locks by using a needle. Then keep on adding threads inside the locks.
Once you’re satisfied, twist and tie the dreadlocks.
Reattach Broken Locks
You might have cut off some locks. Or some locks might fell off. But if you keep them, then you can use them just as extensions. So that you can cover the bald spots in dreads.
With that, you can finally have a full head of hair with dreads. Hope this was a good learning experience for you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can over-maintenance of the locks make them weak?
Well, yes. Over maintenance can make the hair disturbed. That means the hair won’t be able to rest and form into a pattern if you keep touching it. So trying to care for the dreads will eventually make them weak.
Can I wear a cap over the dreads?
Yes, you can wear a cap over the dreads. But make sure it’s not a wool or cotton cap. Because then the fabric will stick into the hair. And you won’t be able to get it out.
Is there any other reason for baldness while having dreads?
Yes, traction alopecia can cause baldness in dreads. This happens because the hair gets pulled down in dreads. So the pressure makes it happen.
Bottom Line
So we’re done with the topic – how to fix bald spots in dreads. Hope it was something beneficial to you.
You can share pictures of your dreads in the comment section. Or let us know if your dreadlocks are still causing balding. It might be time to go see a professional then.
Take care of your hair till then!
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