It’s only very lucky girls who have never held up the ends of a bunch of hair strands to the light and grimaced at the hideous split ends. The cuticle of dry and brittle hair often begins to crack, revealing the hair cortex. This is what is commonly known as split ends, and it is not merely ugly and ungainly, it is actually causing you hair to thin out.
An end that has already split cannot be healed; it can only be trimmed off. But split ends can certainly be effectively prevented. Here are eightsimple steps that will ensure you never suffer from split end again.
1. Use really sharp hair shears to trim your hair
Ends become prone to splitting as they suffer the most wear and tear, so it’s a good idea to trim your ends regularly. But be sure to use quality shears that are very very sharp. Dull shears will flatten your ends and make them even more prone to splitting. Don’t use your hair shears to cut anything else, or the blades will grow dull.
2. Condition deeply
Use a high quality hair conditioner every week, that will moisturize your hair and give it some vital protein reconstruction, thus strengthening the cuticle and hair shaft, and preventing chipping, peeling, and splitting of ends.
3. Stop putting chemicals in your hair
While it is tempting to get your hair permed, teased, straightened, colored, or streaked, remember that you are basically putting corrosive chemicals on your scalp. These chemicals will do their work only by dissolving the hair cuticle to make their way inside your hair.
4. Trim your hair only when it is dry
Many hair stylists will spray wet your hair before trimming. But trying to cut wet hair will have the same effect as trying to cut wet paper; it will lead to a lot of unwanted tears and damage. As far as possible, let your hair dry before you trim it. This may make styling a tad difficult, but it will be worth the split ends you’ll prevent.
5. Lock the moisture in your hair
Regular exposure to the elements, like the sun, wind, and humidity, makes your hair dehydrated, brittle, and prone to splitting. Seal the moisture in your hair by rubbing in a bit of hair oil, coconut oil, or olive oil before you go out every day. Make sure you rub near the ends rather than at the roots, because that will just make your scalp greasy.
6. Don’t trim at an angle
Trimming your hair at an angle instead of straight is a mistake as it increases the surface area of the end and enhances the potential for splitting. Make sure you or your stylist cut absolutely straight, without zig zags.
.7. Don’t expose your hair to heat
If you repeatedly use hair dryers and hair irons, be warned, the heat is damaging your hair beyond repair. Heat is one of the biggest causes of split ends, as it ruins your hair’s natural balance of moisture.
8. Don’t sleep with your hair open
This is something your grandma probably told you when you were a kid. If you didn’t pay attention then, now would be a good time to listen. As you sleep, your hair ends rub on the pillow and on each other, and break due to friction. After you have brushed your hair, tie it up in a ponytail, or if it long enough, in a braid.
