Until this year, I believe this is the biggest hurdle that is kept me from my goal of bra-strap. Whenever I'd get just past shoulder length, I'd notice that my ends were straggly, and I think that is less than cute, so I've always chopped it right back to shoulder length (not to mention this is from years ago past damage and bad behavior with coloring). I did this 'cut back' this past summer, July. I can say that my hair has grown past the shoulders and I've kept my ends very even. I'm excited because I think this go around 2004, I'm really gonna hit my goal.
The way I've avoided the thin ends is oiling my ends DAILY, wearing a bun often, tying with a silk scarf OR satin pillowcase every night, using seamless combs and carefully detangling. Oh, and dusting my ends every several weeks. I know that sounds like a broke record, but for me, it was a matter of ACTUALLY doing it, EVERY week...consistently. It seems so simple but in the past I've slipped up somewhere....
Ok, this ended up WAY longer than anyone cared to read, but in summary it is possible to not have thinning ends with proper care.