Feeling scruffy

[hoglockedyogi]

Recently I feel like my locs make me look scruffy, make me look unprofessional and like a scarecrow. I used to love having my hair down but I always have it up now. I'm debating brushing them out but my hair is so thin and fine I think it'll just snap. I'm pretty unhappy with my hair right now. I don't know what to do.

[Dreadlocktruth]

Hey, sorry you're feeling that way. A lot of us go through something like that at some point with dreads. May I ask how old your locks are and what particularly it is that you don't like about them? For example is it loose hair, loops etc.

[hoglockedyogi]

Hey! Thanks for replying. They're a year and 3 months now. I think it's a combination of how much they've shrunk, how loopy the ends are - they're like dread balls at the end and a lot of them have twisted back on themselves blunting themselves with a whisky tail sticking out about an inch from the end. I've always had long hair and loved to braid it and curl it and I think I'm just missing that right now

[james]

Yeah we all feel like that. Just stick it out and keep being awesome. Because you are.
I hate my mess as much as I like it. I keep nearly cutting it. But then remember my hair was shit before. So each month and year that passes you get more awesome and individual. If you want to play that long game, stick it out. You are in good company.

[Dreadlocktruth]

Depending on their length, maybe it'll help to comb out an inch or so at the tips so that they look a bit healthier/less blunted? If you have curly hair then those ends will go a bit curly, as mine have, an add a bit of extra character.

I don't know if this is an issue from what you wrote (I'm going more from the thread's title) but you can tidy them up with aloe vera gel which is temporary and washes out really easily. Good for controlling frizzes etc if you need to look a bit smarter.

[missyannie]

I second james. I think too often people assume once we have dreads, were immune to days when we just don't like our hair. when I had normal hair I hated it a lot of them. Now with dreads there are definitely times I want to get rid of them - i feel like they don't look nice all the time, there hot as hell in the summer, and sometimes they pull a little painfully when they're wet. I still love them though.
I started with long hair and I had the same clubby ends. I actually chopped them off and it worked great. However, seeing other people's cool loopy ends makes me regret it lol. They will become more uniform as time passes of course.
I find that dreads down don't look professional but up in a ponytail looks great with professional attire! Even a half ponytail looks great. I think dreads and business attire create a really cool contrast. I work in an office and I get a lot of compliments on my hair from clients and co-workers.
BUT i can say for sure, I think if I did brush them out, I would have a lot of regret when I can't see the awesome progress that's going on slowly but surely.

[hoglockedyogi]

Thank you so much guys 💖 I've combed some of the clubby ends out and I feel better about them already! Thanks for the advice and support. It really is a dread community isn't it 💖💖💖

[saralcat]

I regularly get fed up with mine. Up they look great, but down it's a fine line between looking good and giving off a scruffy, lives under a hedge vibe. I've always had loose tips, which I think has helped if I needed it to look more normal, but even the bad days don't really make me want to get rid of them.

It does get better with time and length. I started mine out at shoulder length, now they're below my waist so I have all the updo options. Hang in there