Thinner hair means there are fewer strands of hair per square inch on one’s scalp. This also means you will have to do larger sections to lock so that the dreads have the right amount of hair to form a solid coil. Hair density also usually varies over different areas of the scalp because of genetics or hair follicles that no longer produce hair. The challenge with uneven density and thinness of hair is trying to balance it while sectioning the dreads so that they have a uniform size.
In some cases, naturally thin or thinning hair can be hidden by dreads, while in others, it is accentuated. The dreads would need to be larger than usual because a loc needs enough hair for it to hold itself together and look decent. If your hair is so thin that you end up with only 12-20 dreads, then it will only call more attention to the sparseness of your hair.
If your hair is thinning, it’s recommended to figure out the reason first before going ahead with getting dreadlocks. If it’s because of age or something else that is inevitable, you can actually use dreads to compensate for the thinning areas.
Like I said, in some instances, proper sectioning will hide thinning hair. This should be done professionally or with the help of others, of course. You will have a really difficult time sectioning it properly if you do it yourself. Also, dreadlocks do not shed, so as silly as it sounds, you can hold onto your remaining hair for longer once you have your dreads. This is not a permanent solution, but several more years of having a full head is not bad.
Will the dreads make me lose more hair?
There are some misconceptions that having dreadlocks will cause thinning hair, but this is absolutely untrue. Caring for dreadlocks is much more intense than regular hair care, considering we use residue-free shampoos and anti-buildup shampoos that prevent product buildup on scalp, a problem that usually causes thinning hair.
Therefore, dreadlocks actually have the opposite effect. The scalp is also stimulated by the backcombing process and the extra moisturizers we apply on our hair regularly, helping it produce more hair.
What should I do?
Having dreads is no joke. Your hair needs to be thick and strong enough to handle the abuse it will get from the locking process. Your hair will also get thicker and heavier as the dreads mature. There are some cases where people’s dreads get so thick that their thin roots could no longer hold the added weight, leading to breaking off.
Thinning hair or not, you want to make sure that your hair grows out strong and thick before you have your dreadlocks. Consider having healthier food choices and add more fruits and vegetables to your diet and take vitamin supplements that can assist with hair growth. There are also tons of oral supplements that are specifically for your hair.
