How to Stop Split Ends in Their Tracks
As a hairstylist, I deal with split ends on a daily basis. I know you don’t want to hear this, but the only way to treat split ends is to cut them. Yep, just get rid of them!
There are tons of products on the market that claim to repair split ends but what they are really doing is disguising them and coating them with product to make your hair feel good. These products only prolong the inevitable, the trim to come. But don’t stress, because after your trim, there are plenty of ways to prevent them from coming back.
What is a Split End?
Your ends are the oldest part of your hair. Depending on the length, your ends could be between 5-7 years old. Your ends endure the most wear and tear from styling, your clothing, and the weather. Without proper care, the ends begin to dry out and degrade your hair cuticles while exposing the inner hair cortex. This results in split frayed ends.
Your ends can split in multiple ways, from a classic two split to almost looking like a tree with multiple branches. If you don’t cut these ends then you run the risk of the split traveling up your hair shaft and damaging the rest of your hair and causing breakage, tangles, requiring a bigger cut later.
What Causes Split Ends?
Physical damage- Constant manipulation such as styling, brushing and touching your hair can wear down your hair cuticle.
Heat- Frequent heat styling such as blowdrying and flat ironing can dry out your hair causing split ends as well as heat damage.
Friction- Your clothes and pillow case can also cause damage to your ends. The consistent rubbing and pulling dries out your hair and wears down your cuticles.
Environment- Harsh weather such as in the winter with wind and dry climates affects your hair as well. Exposing your ends in this weather can cause damage.
Internal factors- Your health also is a huge factor on the health of your hair. If you have a poor diet it will reflect in your hair. If you are dehydrated your body will pull moisture from your hair as well.
How to Prevent Spilt Ends?
Always be gentle with your hair when you’re washing, detangling, and styling to prevent damage to your hair cuticles.
Avoid frequent heat styling. If you are going to use heat tools, prep your hair before by deep conditioning your hair for added moisture and using ALWAYS using a heat protectant. Always use a lower heat setting.
Protect your hair by using satin or silk on your clothing or pillow cases to prevent friction and drying out your hair and ends.
Use protective and low maintenance styles especially in harsh weathers to prevent split ends.
Maintain a healthy diet with nourishing foods and lots of water to keep your hair healthy and hydrated from the inside out.
Deep condition your hair every 1-2 weeks to provide your hair with moisture and strength. Deep conditioners ensure that nourishment stays in your hair longer, preventing damage.
Lastly, ALWAYS keep up with your trims. About once every 8- 12 weeks, trim off any dead ends. The more you keep up with your trims, the less you have to cut off every time because your hair will be strong and healthy.
If you are looking to grow your hair to lengths you’ve never experienced, keep up with your trims and protect those ends!