Split ends are an unsightly, annoying and unattractive hindrance that will get in the way of healthy hair growth. Prevent split ends from occurring in the first place with these 10 easy tips:
Put The Brush Away
1. Some people were taught to believe that brushing the full length of your hair often is good for your hair when it’s actually one of the worst things that you can do. In fact, it’s better to avoid brushing your hair period or at least do so very infrequently. Hard Bristle Brushes are capable of ripping and tearing at your hair, which of course can leave behind some nasty splits behind.
See Also: 4 Signs Its Time For a Trim
Less Heat
2. Keep your heat usage down to a minimum. Use other stretching methods when you can, because heat can dry your hair out and make a split end problem even worse.
Low Manipulation
3. Reduce the amount of manipulation (styling & combing etc.) that you put on your hair. Remember the ends of your hair are the oldest portions of your hair, making it easy for them to break at the slightest bit of strain.
Say No To Hair Accessories
4. Don’t use hair accessories that snag and break your hair. Rubber bands for example have got to be worst one you can use because they can tear and pull at your hair when you take them out. Pay attention to any hair accessory that causes breakage. Opt for elastic bands without metal closures.
Give Them Extra Love
5. Your ends require lots of love! When you moisturize and condition your hair focus heavily on your ends.
Moisturize Ends To Roots
6. Make sure your ends are getting plenty of water from either using plain water or water based products, you will need them to effectively moisturize your hair.
Hand in Hair Syndrome
7. Have a habit of twirling or touching your hair a lot? You may have a case of Hand in Hair Syndrome. Stop it! If you don’t do it all the time no big deal. However, if you find yourself constantly digging in your hair you’re causing some damage.
Keep it Simple
8. Fit some simple protective hairstyles into your regimen like a bun, tuck in roll style, or a low manipulation updo. When you wear your hair out all the time it becomes vulnerable to friction from your shirt collar or your coat. The weather conditions as well can cause its fair share of damage to your ends by drying them out.
Use Hair Shears for Trims
9. Trim your hair with hair shears only or scissors that are designed for cutting hair. Also make sure that you only use these scissors for cutting hair and nothing else. Using dull scissors or ones that aren’t designed for cutting hair will make your split end situation even worse.
See Also: How Often Should You Trim Your Ends
Trim Dry Hair
10. Trim your hair when dry and not wet. Getting your hair cut while wet could potentially cause splits ends and damage in the future. You will also get better results when your hair is cut dry. Remember your hair stretches and has a totally different look while it is wet. When your hair is dry, you can clearly see split, fray ends. You will also get a better shaped cut.
See Also: How To Trim Natural Hair
Great tips, thanks!
so you say not to use rubber bands. Ok. Does that include the tiny black rubber bands that usually you would see on the ends of box briads with extensions or something? I have a bunch of those lying around and used some the other day to section off my hair but are these damaging just the same as the regular beige colored ones? Also, are bobby pins pad for my hair? When I do two strand twists that I intend to wear as a style for a few days, i do the twists, then put a satin cap on, sleep on a satin pillowcase and invevitably a few of the twists will be sticking straight up in the air the next morning 🙁 no bueno. I don’t think bobby pinning it down will be healthy or using the big clips either. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get my hair to be flat/not sticking straight up or straight off to one side when I twist it without damaging my hair/my ends? thanks
p.s LOVE LOVE LOVE this site! it’s my new bible. (i literally just got lost in this for the past hour at work…and am so happy about it) thank you for this resource
I hate split ends with a passion. This is a helpful article; I will put these tips into consideration. Thank you.