How much length do you lose when you dread your hair?

When you dread your hair, you can lose anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of length, depending on your hair type and the method used for dreading. This shrinkage occurs because the hair coils and matures into locks, causing it to appear shorter than its original length. Additionally, the tighter the dreads are formed, the more length you may lose. Over time, as the dreads mature, the hair may also gain some length back due to the natural stretching of the locks.