What Causes Split Ends?
Before we get into what causes them, let’s answer a more important question – what are split ends? Strands of your hair begin to develop split ends when the hair cuticle (outer protective sheath) gets damaged and begins to wear off. This leads to the delicate inner layer of your hair getting exposed and weakened or dehydrated, which, in turn, causes split ends (1). Unfortunately, there are a ton of factors that could be contributing to your split ends malady. While you could blame some of it on the harsh environment that you subject your hair to every time you step out of the house, you also need to take a long, hard look at how you yourself are treating (or rather, mistreating) your hair. So, here are a few of the most common factors that lead to split ends…
Detangling your hair aggressively when it is dry (1) Detangling your hair when it is wet (1) Sun damage caused by stepping out in the sun without covering your hair (1) Using heat styling tools like straightening irons, curling wands, and blow dryers excessively (1) Not trimming your hair regularly Not conditioning your hair regularly Washing your hair daily (1) Undergoing chemical treatments like hair color, relaxers, and perms (1) Using too many styling products like gels, mousses, waxes, hair sprays, etc.(1) Using cheap quality synthetic brushes, combs, and other hair tools and hair products Sleeping on rough or cheap quality pillowcases Unhealthy diet and not getting enough proteins, minerals, and vitamins
Instead of wondering how to cut off split ends, start with baby steps: trimming your split ends.
Why Do You Need To Trim Split Ends?
Besides making your hair look dull, damaged, and lifeless, there are a ton of reasons why letting your split ends persist and leaving them untreated is a bad idea. Here are some things you need to be aware of:
Split ends don’t go away on their own: Split ends don’t just magically fuse back together when you start conditioning or taking care of your hair. In fact, the longer you put off trimming them, the more each end splits into 2 or 3 “feathers.” This, in turn, seriously hinders your hair growth.
Uneven pigmentation: The color of split ends is usually a bit lighter than your natural hair color. This can make your overall hair color look discolored and uneven.
Robs your hair of its shine: Split ends rob your hair of its lively glow and make it look brittle, dull, and lifeless. No amount of conditioning, hair masks, and spa treatments can restore the shine back in your hair unless you trim off the split ends.
How To Trim Split Ends
The easiest, quickest and most convenient way of getting rid of split ends is by trimming them off. Now, wait a minute! Before you rush off to set up an appointment with your hairdresser, hear me out. You can easily trim off split ends yourself in the comfort of your home! All you need is a pair of hair cutting scissors and you’re good to go! There are 3 different methods that you can try out to get rid of split ends. Let’s look at each of them step by step.
I. Hair Twisting Method
Hair twisting is a traditional method of trimming split ends and is actually the method even professional hairdressers use!
Hair trimming scissors
II. Hair Sliding Method
Hair sliding is a more unconventional method that not many people know about. This is probably because it requires a little more effort as you have to straighten your hair before you cut off the split ends.
Heat protectant Straightening iron Wide toothed comb Hair trimming scissors
III. Trimming The Ends
If you don’t have the time (or the patience!) to follow the twisting and sliding methods, you can simply trim off the ends of your hair to get rid of the split ends.
Hairbrush/wide-toothed comb Hair trimming scissors
While it is fairly easy to snip off your split ends, you need to know that they are an indication of the poor health of your hair. So, it’s best that you start taking care of your hair and restoring its health to prevent any split ends from developing in the future.
Ways To Prevent Split Ends
Yes, split ends can wreak havoc on the health and appearance of your hair. But, lucky for you, there are a ton of things that you can do to prevent them from forming in the first place. Here are a few tips and tricks that you can try out:
- Trim your hair regularly: Your hair goes through some wear and tear every time you wash and comb it – this causes split ends (1). So, how often should you trim your hair? It’s best that you get your hair trimmed every 2-3 months.
- Reduce use of heat styling tools: Regularly using heat styling tools like blow dryers, flat irons, and curling wands robs your hair of its moisture and leaves it dry, brittle, and susceptible to split ends. So, avoid using them as much as you can, and when you do use them, make sure you apply a heat protectant to your hair first (1).
- Don’t wash your hair every day and avoid using hot water: Doing either or both of these things can strip your hair of its natural oils and dehydrate and weaken it.
- Dry your hair gently: Vigorously rubbing your wet hair with a towel can cause intense damage and split ends. Instead, wrap your hair in a microfiber towel until it has absorbed all the excess water and let it air dry the rest of the way (1).
- Apply a leave-in conditioner: Leave-in conditioners make your hair more manageable and easier to detangle, thus reducing the risk of split ends (1). So, apply a leave-in conditioner (or a bit of natural oil) after you step out of the shower.
- Use a wide-toothed comb: Use a wide-toothed comb and work your way up from the ends towards your scalp to prevent further knotting, breakage, and split ends.
- Wear a hat/scarf while stepping out: Leaving your hair exposed to the hot sun or cold winds can make it brittle and more prone to split ends. So, make sure you put on a hat or wrap a scarf around your head to protect your hair while making a cool fashion statement.
- Deep condition regularly: It’s important that you deep condition your hair every 2 weeks to restore moisture into your hair and nourish it from within (1).
- Use products that contain PEC: PEC or Polyelectrolyte Complex is a new component that has been found to repair split ends by penetrating the hair shaft and sealing it from within. So, pick a conditioner that contains PEC if you want to fix split ends as well as prevent them from forming (2).
- Use soft hair ties: Rubber hair ties or ones that have a metal clasp in the middle tend to break your hair and ultimately lead to split ends. So, use soft hair ties that are gentle on your hair.
- Oil your hair before swimming: Swimming regularly in harsh chlorine-infused water can cause untold damage to your hair. So, apply a protective layer of coconut oil all over your hair and put on a swim cap before you jump into the pool.
- Eat a balanced diet and drink lots of water: Eating a balanced diet full of proteins, vitamins, and minerals and keeping your body well hydrated is essential for maintaining the health of your hair (3). What can happen if you don’t cut your split ends? Your hair can look dull and dry and your hair growth can slow down if you don’t cut your split ends. Is it better to cut your hair when it’s wet or dry? It’s better to cut straight hair when it’s wet and curly hair when it’s dry. Do split ends slow down hair growth? Yes, split ends do slow down hair growth. Which haircut is best for split ends? A textured look, complete with layers or waves, can help one temporarily deal with split ends. Does trimming promote hair growth? No, hair trimming does not promote hair growth. However, it helps get rid of split ends or damaged, frayed parts of the hair. Your hair would look healthier as a result.
