Split Ends: Causes, Types And Tips To Prevent Them

8 min read

Many people often notice that their once silky strands are separating. This ongoing anxiousness suggests that you might probably do better with the way you take care of your hair. Unfortunately, reversing split ends is practically impossible, much as reversing bleached hair is.

Broken ends can only be "minimized," not "healed," but they can still be fixed in the future by taking preventative measures. Following a few dos and don'ts will help you avoid splitting ends.

Split ends

You can probably easily assume that almost everyone who has hair has come across split ends, but do you actually know how they occur inside the hair shaft? The cuticle, the hair's uppermost layer of protection, weakens and wears away as an outcome of chemical processing, heat style, and harsh environments, which leads to split ends. When the internal protein core of the hair is left exposed, it is at greater risk of splitting. Despite their name, splitting ends are more like a sharp tearing of the hair's core.

Different types of splitting ends

There are many different ways that your hair could split, so it's crucial to know what damage to watch out for.  Discover the various types of split ends and how to avoid them.

1.  Baby Split

Similar to Y Splits, this type of split ends is common and denotes the early stages of split development. When it splits in half, the tip forms a little fishtail shape.

2.  Split Y

This type of split end is typical and easy to spot. The Y Split happens when a hair strand evenly splits into two parts, making the shape of a Y. This type of split end is probably the most common.

3.  Incomplete splitting ends

When a strand of hair becomes weaker but does not entirely split, it is said to have anend split, which gives the appearance of a needle. It has not yet split, but it is headed in that direction.

4.  Note Split

Knotted split ends are the ends of the hair that begin to look knotted. This frequently happens as a result of rough brushing, friction, and hair tangling. This can disturb the growth of hair.

5.  Split Feather

Your split hair ends have so many splits that they seem like feathers or an ocean of frizz. Your cuticle can still hold the hair in place, indicating that it is time for a trim.

6.  Split Tree

The hair tips in this particular case include several splits that are like tree branches. This also suggests that trimming is necessary.

7.  Taper Split

Despite not being full splitting ends, taper ends may nevertheless signal that you should trim your hair. If the tips of your hair begin to get particularly thin, it's time for a haircut.

The causes of split ends?

Depending on how you treat your hair, the products you use, and if you use heat styling tools, the degree of severity of split ends may vary significantly. In addition to heat and chemical damage, split ends can also come from environmental factors like weather, pollution, and lifestyle choices.

Utilizing hair products and applying chemicals like bleach, color, and perms frequently can also cause breaking ends. However, they frequently occur after hair has been curled, straightened, or exposed to extreme weather.

  • Using heat tools

The outermost layer of your hair can become harmed as time passes by the heat you use to straighten, curl, or blow-dry it, which can lead to split ends. Hair is virtually cooked if heat-protecting treatments aren't used.

  • Color and chemical treatments

Hair coloring, bleaching, straightening, and perms are typical sources of chemicals that could remove your hair's cuticle and make it split. If you regularly receive these types of treatments, you are probably familiar with Split ends.

  • UV rays and the environment

Although we are careful to include activities like going outdoors on the list, our environment has a huge impact on how our hair is affected. Overexposure to the sun can damage hair with UV rays, making it brittle and prone to breakage. Antioxidants and pollutants damage our hair every day.

  • Drying towels and friction

A wide range of materials and fabrics can produce hair ends. These consist of scratchy scarves, caps, towels, and pillowcases.

Splitting ends are frequently caused by physical harm to the hair shaft, such as harsh brushing, which cracks the strands and causes them brittle and prone to splitting.

  • Excessive hair washing and drying procedures

Because most hair care products contain drying chemicals and alcohol, tips can split by over-washing or by using treatments that dry out your hair. Additionally, frequent shampooing can strip your scalp of its natural oils, leaving your hair extremely dry and brittle.

  • Dry conditions

Lack of moisture is a common factor in hair damage dehydrated, dry hair not only encourages splitting ends but additionally makes hair weak and prone to break. If you think your hair has stopped growing or is growing too slowly, dryness is probably the cause.



Tips for preventing hair from splitting in the first place

1.  Continuous hair trimming:

If you want to prevent your long strands from thinning out, trim your hair every 6 to 8 weeks to prevent breaking ends. Between half an inch and one inch is a reasonable starting point.

Additionally, if your hair is currently experiencing damage, removing split ends may help prevent further damage. The hair shaft will keep getting split if split ends are not quickly removed, necessitating more trimming. 

2.  Use high-quality products:

Always remember to use a high-quality product that is appropriate for your hair. The majority of hair products have a chance to dry out your hair and harm it. For instance, hair colors that include ammonia can damage your hair, while shampoos containing sulphate can strip protein from your hair and cause frizz. 

An excellent substitute is to use keratin complex shampoo and conditioner. Your hair gets keratin and hydration from it, becoming silky and strong, which may help you avoid split ends. You can color your hair without hurting it if you use ammonia-free hair color.

3.  Use heat less regularly or less frequently than before:

The heat from straighteners, blow dryers, curling irons, and hot rollers could harm your hair. These tools cause your locks to lose hydration, split, and break.

4.  Maintain a balanced diet:

A nutritious diet is essential for beautiful hair. To encourage healthy, strong hair, consume meals high in vitamins, minerals, and proteins including fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and legumes.

5.  Remain hydrated:

A sufficient amount of drinking water keeps your hair nourished from the inside out, reducing breakage and dryness. Aim to consume 8 glasses of water or more each day.

6.  Intensive conditioning procedures:

Hair needs moisture to be healthy. Frequent deep conditioning treatments for your hair will moisturize and restore lost moisture, decreasing the possibility of split ends.

7.  Use a cotton t-shirt or a microfiber towel:

When hair is towel dried harshly, the cuticles can become damaged, leading to split ends. Instead, use a soft cotton t-shirt or a microfiber towel to gently squeeze out the extra water from your hair.

8.  Brush with care:

Hair breakage and broken ends can result from aggressive brushing. In order to minimize damage, begin untangling at the ends with a wide-toothed comb or a brush with soft bristles.

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Saqlain Khan 2
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