Hair breakage is stressful, but when your locs meet their maker, the future fate of their counterparts is not beyond your control.
It is possible to avoid dread breakage.
To prevent your locs from breaking, it is important to first understand the reasons why they break.
Why Do Dreads Break?
One of the main reasons dreadlocks break is because they lack moisture. Dryness occurs due to lack of care, seasonal changes, or change in location.
Another reason is because the locs were too thin from the beginning.
The third reason why locs break is because they are pulled too tightly. The friction from playing active sports and lying on your locs while you sleep causes them to pull and break.
Solutions For Dread Breakage
The following tips will help you minimize the damage:
- To combat dryness, use a quality clarifying shampoo to rinse out the grease and follow up with a conditioner to lock in the moisture and keep your dreads well hydrated.
- To avoid thin dreads, when you get dreadlocks ask your loc technician to ensure the spacing and thickness is appropriate for the long term health of your locs.
- Vary your ponytail style when playing sports so that the same dreadlocks are not subject to damage in the same spot.
- Sleep with a silk or satin head wrap to contain your dreads during the night or use a soft satin pillowcase to avoid dreads breaking through friction when you are resting.
- Make sure you are using the right tools to care for your dreads.