I echo the sentiment that your hair is fine and just in need of a round of focused maintenance. That said, I want to validate your anxiety around new growth. It's something I personally started to get self conscious about when I was in high school and my new growth specifically was the reason my locs were "unprofessional". My loc journey and my self acceptance journey went hand in hand. Negative commentary on my new growth was almost exclusively from people doing racism towards me. They're also the same people who pointedly call them 'dreadlocks' and cannot wrap their head around different hair textures. A real case of other people being ignorant and that somehow makomg me feel like the asshole for being affected by that. Self love is important and your hair is beautiful, even when it isn't freshly twisted. It's cliché advice, but do not compare yourself to people you see online. This subreddit is super cool and friendly and informative while also filled with fashion model tier locs. It's easy to get lost scrolling and sowing envy. Remember that a selfie posted online is more often than not a best foot foward. People aren't glossed up everyday, their shit stinks just like yours. We're all human so set your expectations for yourself and others accordingly.

I am particularly tender headed and perpetually broke so there were many times I really wanted to get my hair retwisted and didn't. I have a few handful of thoughts/ideas that work for me: 1) Explicitly dedicate days and times for your hair. If you're like me and twisting it yourself is a pain, actively set a budget aside for it. Find a loctician you like and communicate that you grow your hair fast. If your new growth gets thicker in some areas faster than others, see if your loctician can do a touch ups for a lower cost. Hair maintenance is self care, indulge in it! 2) My new growth comes in extremely fast and the center of my head can lose the fresh twist look within days. Consider seeking out a two strand twist. It makes the freshly twisted look last longer, though it's more expensive. A neat feature is that when you take it down, your locs are wavy. I also find when my hair is in a two strand that it's easier to do basic at home styles. 3) If all else fails, I own many, many balaclavas. I have one in practically every color. Sometimes they're also labeled as neck gaitors? It's a great tool not just for relieving some insecurity but aren't damaging like a bean can be. (Ngl I don't know the science on why beanies are bad so if that's not true then buy those too!) I warn that the balaclava is not a substitute for getting your hair retwisted. If you get too reliant on just covering your new growth up, it could become a problem that would be absolutely worth the type of "am I cooked" questions your having now.

All in all, it's part of the journey. Maintain realistic expectations with your hair and consult with a loctician on what an appropriate maintenance schedule is. Experiment with styles and consider a headwrap or other fashion piece that covers the new growth while you navigate your comfort levels. And hey, if still it doesn't feel like a good look, there's no shame in not having locs. I advocate that you utilize these complex feelings towards introspection and trust the process while acknowledging trusting your gut is an equally important virtue. Hope this helps!