An after thought...what kind of scissors are you using to dust?
spellinto
Split Ends!
Split and Splitting Ends
Trichoptlosis. Split ends. Nobody likes these bad guys, but unfortunately they are a fact of life. Hair gets old, hair gets manipulated, and hair gets damaged. When the hair has experienced a great amount of trauma or has simply reached a certain age, these little nuisances crop up with the intention of destroying our length and hair health dreams. While our hair will never be totally free of split ends, there are certain measures that you can take to ensure that they don't take the beauty away from your crowning glory.
What are they?
I like to differentiate splitting ends from split ends. Splitting ends are places along the hair shaft where the cuticle is actively breaking apart and the cortex of the hair is exposed. Splitting ends can occur at any point along the hair shaft, but are the most prevalent near the ends of the hair shaft. Some say that splitting ends that go "untreated" will continue to split up the entire shaft, but such an occurrence is not entirely the case. Depending on the angle of the split, the tear can reach fairly high up the hair shaft, but a majority of splits simply peel away or break off not far from or right where they originate.
Split ends on the other hand, are ends where the main split has already peeled away from the rest of the shaft. These ends are no longer splitting, they are already split and broken off. These ends are the thin "see through" type ends that we are so used to seeing. Split ends can become splitting ends again if not treated with a sharp pair of shears.
Other types of "split" ends are small breaks in the hair shaft known as TRICHORREXIS NODOSA these are areas where the actual hair cortex has swollen and exploded within the shaft. You can tell these types splits by the white dot or node, commonly at the very end of the hair shaft. They can also occur mid-shaft where they will appear as a hairs that bend in hard, unnatural 90 degree angles-- ready to break fully away.
For the sake of clarity, I'll stick with the standard term, "split ends" to refer to all types of cuticle splitting.
Do I Have Split/Splitting Ends?
The best way to check for split ends is by simply inspecting the hair shaft. Most splits occur along the lower ½ to 1/3 of the hair shaft with a majority right along the tip ends of the hair shaft. How else can you tell if you may have a problem with split ends?
When split ends are present, the hair:
1.) does not move well
2.) tends to get caught up on itself
3.) does not hold a curl or straighten well with heat
4.) varies in length throughout the head especially when slow, unchecked breakage is allowed to run rampant over time
5.) shows clear areas of dullness or thinness (transparency) along your hair's hemline
6.) shows an increase in overall hair breakage
7.) is redder near the ends
Anytime a hair is broken, the new end that is left behind has a great chance of becoming a new split end because most hairs do not break cleanly when they break off on their own. This is why it is best to trim split ends with sharp shears before they have the chance to break off by themselves. . If left unchecked, these hair destroyers will tangle with healthy hairs, result in more tangling, and lead to more breakage problems.
WHY OH WHY!
Split ends are caused by many types of hair trauma, but are typically the result of a low moisture balance within the hair strand. When hair is allowed to remain dry, brittle, and under-moisturized for extended periods of time, the cuticle begins to crack and unravel, exposing the cortex of the hair.
Heat Use
Heat use is perhaps the number one cause of split ends because heat rapidly depletes the moisture balance and affects the protein structure within the hair shaft. Improper use can take a perfectly healthy strand of hair and damage it beyond repair in one short session! Frequent use of heating tools increases your chances of cuticle damage because dry, unconditioned cuticles are much more prone to chipping, peeling, and splitting. Excessive heat use is also the main contributor to the trichorrexis nodoosa types of split ends.
I highly recommend the use of ceramic or tourmaline heating tools. These tools provide an even, controllable heat, allowing them to straighten your hair with more efficiency in fewer passings. There are also no "hot spots" on the plates to contend with, so styling is fast and easy! Always be sure to use a heat protectant or high temperature serum before any application of heat. Also, only use heat on clean, freshly deep conditioned hair. Do not forget to clean your iron plates after your heat session because products can build up on them and snag your hair as it passes through.
Blowdrying the hair should be kept to a minimum. Hooded dryer heat takes longer to dry the hair, but it is much safer and healthier for the hair than blowdrying. However, if you plan to blowdry your hair, only use the high heat setting if your hair is dripping wet. Once your hair is semi-damp, decrease the temperature to low or use your cold shot button (if your dryer has this feature) to finish the session. Maintain the nozzle of the dryer 8-12 inches away from the hair, and direct the air down (not at) the hair shaft at all times. The closer you get to your hair, and the more you blow the air AT the hair, the more damage you are likely to inflict.
Styling tools
Aside from the frequent usage of heat implements, faulty, poorly made styling tools can also cause our hair to become more susceptible to cuticle damage. Cuticle damage is a precursor to split ends. Serrated combs, rubber bands, metal clasps, hard brushes, cotton headbands and scarves, and sharp hair pins all put the hair in danger of splitting at all points along the shaft.
Combs and Brushes:
I highly recommend the use of handmade, bone and seamless combs for styling. These combs are much easier on your hair than their seamed counterparts. Nylon brushes are also a huge split end maker. If you must use a brush, opt for a natural, boar bristle or baby brush. A final note on brushes: Do NOT brush wet hair! Yes, the hair looks so much sleeker when brushed while slightly damp-- but this practice is extremely difficult on the cuticles.
Daily Wear Tools:
For daily styling, avoid rubber bands and holders made out of fabrics that absorb moisture from the hair. This would basically include any cotton or polyester-type fabrics. Silk and satin holders work best! Also, be wary of holders and clamps with metal pieces or clasps. If you use them in the same spot on your hair day in and day out, you are asking for cuticle damage in that area! Ensure that any hair pin that you use to hold your styles maintains its protective coatings. Do not use pins without those protective tips! Two great websites for purchasing hair friendly hair tools are:
www.hairsense.com (specializes in bone combs and brushes)and
www.tenderheaded.com (seamless combs, hair accessories, hair tools, silk/satin scrunchies, etc.)
Shears:
One other often overlooked cause of split ends is your pair of shears! Make sure that your hair shears are just that, HAIR SHEARS. Trimming your hair with just any regular pair of scissors will damage your freshly cut ends before they even have a chance! You want to find shears that are made specifically for trimming the hair as these will tend to be sharper than other types of scissors. This sharper cutting surface will give you a more precise, cleaner cut to your ends. They are the ultimate in split end prevention. Sharp scissors and straight across trimming are imperative. If you trim splits with dull scissors, or trim your splits at an angle, you will damage the ends further and cause more splitting.
Relaxing and Coloring
Relaxing and Coloring the hair are processes that breach and degrade the cuticle in order to perform their specific functions properly. When the cuticle is broken down, weakened, and compromised, splitting of the hair will soon follow. These culprits are perhaps a major factor in mid-shaft splitting of the hair. Always exercise caution when subjecting your hair to these chemical processes. More protein and moisturizing deep conditioning treatments will need to be done (and more regularly) in order to protect this hair against split end problems.
Continued in Next Post
i am almost full hl, so i'm retaining moisture well...my ends feel soft & moisturized...but for some reason they are still splitting! to take care of my relaxed hair i:
erplexed 
) so technically i haven't used them yet...I will keep that as an option and consider to sunflower/wheat germ oil (i just need to get rid of all the oils I have now!). I dont put an elastic band on my ends, I flatten them and clip them down so they lie smooth. Again, I really appreciate your trying, anything helps!
to combing once a week..
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