Split Ends: How to End Split Ends!
Split ends are a common hair nuisance. These wish bone shaped, or more fittingly, devil-forked ends can cause the ends of your hair to look damaged and dry and also make a style appear unkempt. Sadly, whatever you may read or hear, it’s impossible to heal a split end. You can mask split ends with leave-in conditioners, which may temporarily glue them together. But as soon as you pass a comb or brush through your hair or shampoo it, the split ends unglue. The only cure for split ends is to cut them off.
Longer hair is more prone to splitting because of the ‘weathering’ effect on hair that has been there for longer. If you want to grow your hair long or maintain your length, the thought of cutting it can be distressing. But having ends that are uniform and healthy help to give your hair the appearance of being both thicker and longer. Cutting off half an inch of damaged, split & brittle ends can actually have a hugely beneficial effect on your hairs’ appearance!
The biggest problem with split ends is that trimming the ends off your hair will not remove them all. This is because hair is of different lengths throughout your head due to the growth phases of each hair follicle. You trim the ends about half an inch thinking the split ends will be removed, which they will be, but the next layer of hair will be exposed with their split ends. Consequently, you may think that cutting off all split ends will result in very short hair. But thankfully, this is not the case.
To fix split ends throughout your hair, while at the same time sparing your length, all you need is a patient and friendly hairdresser or close friend to help. Separate small sections of your hair and twist it from the ends like a cork-screw. The various lengths will stick out along each section showing exactly where the split ends are and you just have them snipped off. It takes forever, but if you want to grow your hair long without split ends, it’s very effective.
Tips to avoid getting split ends:
- Do not brush your hair too roughly or too often.
-Always work knots and tangles out with a wide tooth comb starting from the tip and working up to the root of your hair.
-Towel dry your hair gently. Roughly rubbing your hair can cause breakage. Simply press your hair with a towel to remove excess moisture.
-Never over-dry your hair with the blow-dryer. Stop when hair is ‘just dry’. Use a Vented Brush to help avoid over-heating.
You may also want to try a weekly pre-shampoo conditioning treatment, such as multi-award winning Philip Kingsley Elasticizer, to keep hair moisturized and supple. Furthermore, using protecting serums like the award-winning Philip Kingsley Straight Hair, Smooth Cream and Preen Cream through the mid-lengths and ends of your hair can be very helpful.
