Split ends, how do you get rid of them – cut them off!
You should be focused more on how to prevent them, because once you have them, there is no cure. They are the bane of every woman’s existence. Split ends start to appear when the protective cuticle is stripped away from the hair shaft and are more common on longer, dryer hair.
As your hair grows, the natural oils from your scalp can fail to reach the ends. The ends of your hair are considered to be aged once they reach about 10cm and in one year your hair has been exposed to the sun, most likely every day, been shampooed an average of 180 times and been overheated by hair dryers and straightener’s. All these factors combined cause dry brittle hair resulting in split ends, and once the protective cuticle is removed, it is impossible to replace.
In the 70s women use to burn off their split ends themselves, times have changed, and prevention is the best cure. By following the general rules of Hair Dressers you can ensure your hair is in the best possible condition.
1. Be sure to use good quality Hair Care. Cheap supermarket lines are full of bad silicone’s and various ingredients that build up in your hair, and whilst the instant result may be silky smooth hair, as soon as heat is applied to these ingredients, damage is actually being caused.
2. Invest in a good quality brush and wide tooth comb. NEVER brush your hair when it is wet. If you need to, only use a plastic comb. Try brushing out combs before shampooing or combing through tangles when you have your conditioner in.
3. Regular trims are a must. In general you should have a trim every 6 weeks. This keeps the hair healthy. If you are trying to grow your hair long, the biggest mistake is to ignore split ends and not have a trim. The longer your leave it, the larger the splits get and the more is going to snap off through brushing.
4. Avoid excess heat if possible, and if using any heated styling tool, use a protector to seal the cuticle.
5. Try to use an intense treatment once a week to put back some moisture and proteins.
6. Use good quality styling tools. Straighteners, curlers and hair dryers have come leaps and bounds in the last 5 years, and it is worth investing in one to suit your budget.
Look for ceramic curlers and straighteners, the plates will not pull or catch your hair.
The top of the line hair dryers are ceramic and Ionic. Working similar to the ceramic compound on straightener’s, combined with an ionic processor means the best hot air on your hair.