Coletta, unfortunately you can't avoid lint entirely. It's the nature of the dreadlock. Since you already tried to pick it out and that didn't work, some people resort to grabbing a sharpie the same color as your hair and going to work coloring the lint or they do a color rinse which colors your hair and the lint or just leaving it alone. The bad thing is...(which you've already experienced) once you try to pick out the lint...you can end up damaging your dreadies.

To help keep lint down...you need to make sure you cover your dreadies when doing yard work, cleaning your house, sleeping (unless you sleep on satin pillow cases), or pulling clothes over your head that could leave lint (like sweathers).

I was never really bothered by the lint in my dreads (or at least I wasn't so aware....) until I put glow in the dark stars in my daughters bedroom and then added a blacklight to make them glow brighter.

STAY AWAY from the blacklight!! it will definitely freak you out to see all the crap glowing in your hair!

then you just have to accept it and realize that no one but you really holds your dreads under a microscope. you have to appreciate them as a whole.

that's where I'm at, at least. and I try to stay away from the blacklight.
8)

i was afraid that was the answer. I won't worry about it too much anymore, thanks!
Next time i have money to spend i'll get some satin pillowcases :)

Every so often I will get out some needle nose tweezers and/or a safety pin and pick out the lint.
it is oddly satisfying.