Split ends. Everyone gets them and nobody ever wants them.
Unfortunately for most of us, they are simply unavoidable, no matter
how hard we try to prevent them. There are, however, some little
known facts and tips about split ends that can help prevent more
split ends from occurring and also make sure your current damaged
ends don’t become worse.
Read on to learn what you may be doing wrong and how to change
up your hair routine to avoid the hair epidemic that is split ends for
as long as possible.
1. You can’t undo damages: Once your hair is split, it can not be
repaired. There are definitely tricks to make the split ends appear
healthier and less noticeable, but the only real fix is to snip off the
split end.
2. Trim your hair: We all know that getting regular trims every 6 to 8
weeks is the best way to maintain healthy hair, but many of us don’t
have the time or budget for that. So, if you notice a split end in
between trips to the hair salon, don’t wait until your next visit and
just trim the strand yourself. If you don’t, the hair could split all the
way up to the root, causing further damage.
3. Don’t over-wash your hair: Washing your hair every other day
allows your hair to repair itself with its own natural oils, leaving your
hair smoother and better protected. If you wash your hair every day,
you are stripping your hair of these oils which can make your hair
more susceptible to breakage and split ends.
4. How you shampoo and condition makes a difference: Shampooing
your scalp and conditioning your ends is the best way to do it. Don’t
pile your hair on the top of your head and start scrubbing away; that
will lead to split ends. Instead, just shampoo your scalp and let the
remaining suds rinse through your strands. Also, when conditioning
the ends of your hair, make sure you give the conditioner some time
to really soak into the strands before rinsing it out.
5. Seal with cold water: Rinsing your hair with colder water will not
only help seal the hair’s cuticles and ends, but also add some glossy
shine to your luscious locks.
MORE: 8 Masks to Repair Damaged Hair
6. Be gentle: When towel drying your hair, make sure you are not
rubbing and pulling your hair in a harsh manner. Instead, wrap a
towel or old t-shirt around your wet hair and gently squeeze out the
excess moisture.
7. Use the right brush: If you are brushing wet hair, be careful
because hair is most prone to breakage when wet. With that said,
using a wide tooth comb is the best way to detangle wet hair. A wide
tooth comb will slip through your strands with ease and cause little to
no damage in the process.
8. Dry hair thoroughly: Always make sure to dry your hair thoroughly
when you have split ends. Frizzy hair will only make your damaged
ends look worse. If you don’t have time to let your hair fully air dry
and using a hair dryer is your only option, putting the dryer on the
cool or low heat setting and using a heat protectant are two musts.
9. Fake it until you make it: Adding a serum or an oil to the ends of
your hair after styling is a great way to mask your split ends from the
public and make them a lot less noticeable.
10. At-home treatments: If expensive shampoo and serums or trips to
the salon are out of your price range, there are many at-home
remedies you can try to aid in your split end dilemmas. Try DIY hair
mask once a week for healthy hair results.
