Do you have mid strand/incomplete splits in your hair? What's your regimen?

[FtrDrO]

I've mentioned this before, but my hair is plagued by midstrand splits. I was planning to gradually cut them off (a month every 2 mths or so) but I'm kind of itching to just get rid of them at once. They are mainly in the last 2-3 inches of my hair.

However, I'm trying to figure out what is causing these splits. I have a few theories revolving around strand thickness, cones or lack thereof, manipulation of wet hair, and constant twisting.... but I thought it would be helpful if all of us who have this problem compare notes to see if we have a common denominator in our regimens.

So questions:

Hair type?

Current hair length stretched?

Regimen:

Is this problem recurrent for you? (Not resolved even after cutting)



I'll start:

Hair type? Fine-normal, dense 4b (tightly coiled strands)

Current hair length stretched? APL

Regimen:

Shampoo with CON
DC weekly under heating cap or overnight with moisturizing conditioner, using protein about 1x a month.
Detangle hair in shower while wet using paddle brush (more recently tangle teezer)
Moisturize with my modified version of the Kimmaytube leave in
Style: most often twists, but occasionally other styles with loose hair where I try to protect the ends.

I've gradually trimmed but I don't think I've ever done a BC to get rid of them all.


Let's figure this out!

 

[Aviah]

Been suffering with those a long time.

Hair type? Mostly 4a

Current hair length stretched? Almost SL-Almost APL

Regimen:
Wash once a week, non sulphate shampoo.
DC with heat cap (just switched to ORS replenshing conditioner again)
Comb when damp/ wet wide toothed comb then denman
Airdry mostly in buns
Cantu Shea Butter and Allways Natural Oil moisturizer leave in
Buns, puffs, and braids mostly


I think mine is down to hair dye and/or hygral fatigue-but I'm not sure how to cut that down without just combing my hair less.

 

[FtrDrO]

Been suffering with those a long time.

Hair type? Mostly 4a

Current hair length stretched? Almost SL-Almost APL

Regimen:
Wash once a week, non sulphate shampoo.
DC with heat cap (just switched to ORS replenshing conditioner again)
Comb when damp/ wet wide toothed comb then denman
Airdry mostly in buns
Cantu Shea Butter and Allways Natural Oil moisturizer leave in
Buns, puffs, and braids mostly


I think mine is down to hair dye and/or hygral fatigue-but I'm not sure how to cut that down without just combing my hair less.

Thanks for sharing! I added a question but I know you said that you've been battling this for a long time. Have you ever tried to do a major trim just to have them come back?

 

[Aviah]

Thanks for sharing! I added a question but I know you said that you've been battling this for a long time. Have you ever tried to do a major trim just to have them come back?

I've S&D'ed, dusted, trimmed and cut. Just keep coming back.

 

[testimony777]

I have a few of these as well but mine are the last remnants of hair that was compromised by excessive heat and rough/too frequent combing. I cut off most of that hair (about five inches) last summer. I have 1.5-2 inches of compromised hair left and I am removing that hair with frequent trims (every three months). The cut I did last summer took care of my breakage and the compromised hair that is left is not breaking and it does not affect the look of my hair (that is the only reason I have not just chopped it off). I have not seen any additional damage since I changed my hair care practices (not using heat and extremely gentle handling have been the key for me).

Hair type:
3c/b, med/fine strands, low to normal porosity.

Length stretched:
slightly below BSL

Regimen:
I wash and DC once a week with KCKT and Miss Jessie's Super Sweetback Treatment respectfully. Before I shampoo I apply Treseme Naturals Moisturizing conditioner to my hair. After I shampoo I use Aubrey Organics GPB (a light protein conditioner) as a rinse out conditioner. After I DC I apply Shea moisture Organic Raw Shea Conditioner as a leave in.

I Detangle (very gently) with a denman brush out of the shower using the Tightly Curly method. I wear wash and go's 90% of the time using Miss Jessie's Curly Meringue.

During the week I moisturize daily with Deva Curl Mister Right and use Shea Moisture Raw Shea Deep Treatment to seal. I sleep with my hair in a single braid on a satin pillow case.

 

[Forever in Bloom]

I've S&D'ed, dusted, trimmed and cut. Just keep coming back.

Yep Aviah. They're like the crazy family members you try to avoid, but keep showing up when you least expect them to.

But my hair keeps growing and growing and I keep retaining and retaining. When I flat iron my hair (which only takes place 1-2 times a year), it still looks good.

^ 6 months without a trim

Then I discovered what hygral fatigue was. I have started using coconut oil before wetting my hair. It does seem to help in the reduction of SSK's.

I truly believe though that they are unavoidable. Considering that the ends are the oldest part of your hair, you'd pretty much have to completely leave your hair alone and be sensitive to your already fragile ends.

I think not properly moisturizing the ends and stying tools causes unnecessary stress on those last few inches, so much so that when the tools are dragged up and down the already fragile strands it punches Morse code-like dots/holes into the hair. This may eventually lead to these bubble-shaped incomplete splits:

Hair type? 4a - normal porosity - medium strands

Current hair length stretched? Almost BSL

Regimen:
-Prepoo with coconut oil overnight
- Detangle hair in the a.m. with conditioner (Yes To Carrots) using fingers
- Divide into 4-6 sections and rinse out oil and conditioner in shower.
- Shampoo with Shea Moisture shampoo section by section. Rinse.
- Apply Joico Moisture Recovery Balm and let it sit for about 15-20 minutes
- Rinse with cold water, then spritz ACV/water mix on hair
- Apply leave in conditioner (choose between: Oyin Hair Dew/Giovanni Direct Leave In/Curl Junkie Smoothing Lotion)
-On top of this add My Honeychild Twist Out! or Bee Mine Luscious Balanced Cream Moisturizer and 2-strand twist.
- Air dry if done early in the day; lightly blow dry if done late in the day.

If I do mini twists, I do this once a month. If I do normal sized twists - once a week.

Is this problem recurrent for you? It's gotten 10 times better. Early in my hair journey, I wore my hair "out" way too much, and that just made the crazy split pop in for a visit all too frequently. I try to keep my hair stretched and in protective styles 98% of the time

Hope this helps us all.

 

[bride91501]

Hey OP- I don't have this issue, but is it possible detangling with the TT could possibly be causing your midshaft splits?

I've noticed a few members complain about splits "suddenly appearing" after adding the TT to their regimen. It may be something you may want to look into.

HTH

 

[Oasis]

yep, i have them everywhere. i have no idea where they come from. i never colored my hair, i never used heat, i DCed regularly, etc. etc. etc. i did all the "right" things but my hair still constantly split. now that i know my hair is going to be damaged regardless i do the "easy" things.

i just think it's not in my cards to ever have healthy hair.

 

[Nonie]

Are there people who never use brushes or heat who still get midshaft splits? I have always suspected brushes to be a cause since they rake over strands. *shudder* I've never understood what makes a brush more superior to a comb when it comes to detangling. Seems to me a comb would be gentler because there's only one row of teeth and you can see them go in-between strands. While a brush has some teeth going between strands and others being right behind the hair that went between the first teeth so that just exert friction along the length of the hair they touch.

There's also the theory of bubble hair: moisture inside strands getting hot and swelling within a strand that is heated up and thus causing splits. Wet-to-dry flat-ironing has been blamed for this but I would imagine blowdrying hair could also cause bubble hair. I also wondered about DCing with heat, which is kinda why I don't DC with heat anymore.

 

[Aviah]

Yep Aviah. They're like the crazy family members you try to avoid, but keep showing up when you least expect them to.

But my hair keeps growing and growing and I keep retaining and retaining. When I flat iron my hair (which only takes place 1-2 times a year), it still looks good.

^ 6 months without a trim

Then I discovered what hygral fatigue was. I have started using coconut oil before wetting my hair. It does seem to help in the reduction of SSK's.

I truly believe though that they are unavoidable. Considering that the ends are the oldest part of your hair, you'd pretty much have to completely leave your hair alone and be sensitive to your already fragile ends.

I think not properly moisturizing the ends and stying tools causes unnecessary stress on those last few inches, so much so that when the tools are dragged up and down the already fragile strands it punches Morse code-like dots/holes into the hair. This may eventually lead to these bubble-shaped incomplete splits:

Hair type? 4a - normal porosity - medium strands

Current hair length stretched? Almost BSL

Regimen:
-Prepoo with coconut oil overnight
- Detangle hair in the a.m. with conditioner (Yes To Carrots) using fingers
- Divide into 4-6 sections and rinse out oil and conditioner in shower.
- Shampoo with Shea Moisture shampoo section by section. Rinse.
- Apply Joico Moisture Recovery Balm and let it sit for about 15-20 minutes
- Rinse with cold water, then spritz ACV/water mix on hair
- Apply leave in conditioner (choose between: Oyin Hair Dew/Giovanni Direct Leave In/Curl Junkie Smoothing Lotion)
-On top of this add My Honeychild Twist Out! or Bee Mine Luscious Balanced Cream Moisturizer and 2-strand twist.
- Air dry if done early in the day; lightly blow dry if done late in the day.

If I do mini twists, I do this once a month. If I do normal sized twists - once a week.

Is this problem recurrent for you? It's gotten 10 times better. Early in my hair journey, I wore my hair "out" way too much, and that just made the crazy split pop in for a visit all too frequently. I try to keep my hair stretched and in protective styles 98% of the time

Hope this helps us all.

This is the case with me, I could go for long periods without a trim and my hair will still retain length overall. However the SSKs and flat ironing= popping hair strands. The splits are annoying but don't seem to hinder my length. SSK's however...

I agree that the ends are the oldest part of your hair but when I was relaxed (and taking care of my hair) my ends were great.
*makes note to stock up on more coconut oil*

My photo was before my big haircut and it was full of splits and SSKs

 

[FtrDrO]

@Nonie: I wonder the same thing regarding hair tools. But in terms of combs and detangling, that doesn't work for me either. It's actually worse becomes my hair seems to get more curled around the teeth leading to snagging and breakage. As for DCing with heat, I was kind of wondering if the proximity of the heating cap to my hair might be leading to swelling and splits. So, yesterday I decided to just sit under a hooded dryer instead.

@bride91501 Thanks for popping into the thread. I can't blame it on the tangle teezer though. This has been a problem for me for over a year now.

@Oasis Don't be so hard on yourself!! You CAN have healthy hair. You just have to figure out what your hair likes

@Forever in Bloom & Aviah: Both of you have hair that looks nice and healthy so I see that they certainly aren't affecting your overall hair health then.

 

[Tiye]

It's been years since I had them but they used to be a big problem. I took care of the problem internally with vitamins. I wasn't using brushes or heat tools when I got them so I blamed relaxers and nutritional deficiency. After I started taking vitamins they went away and never came back so I say it was the right diagnosis.

 

[faithVA]

Thanks for this thread OP. I have heard people speak of mid shaft splits but had never seen one. Thanks @Forever_In_Bloom for posting a picture.

 

[Aviah]

@Nonie: I wonder the same thing regarding hair tools. But in terms of combs and detangling, that doesn't work for me either. It's actually worse becomes my hair seems to get more curled around the teeth leading to snagging and breakage. As for DCing with heat, I was kind of wondering if the proximity of the heating cap to my hair might be leading to swelling and splits. So, yesterday I decided to just sit under a hooded dryer instead.

@bride91501 Thanks for popping into the thread. I can't blame it on the tangle teezer though. This has been a problem for me for over a year now.

@Oasis Don't be so hard on yourself!! You CAN have healthy hair. You just have to figure out what your hair likes

@Forever in Bloom & Aviah: Both of you have hair that looks nice and healthy so I see that they certainly aren't affecting your overall hair health then.

Thanks, but they are still VERY annoying...

 

[Forever in Bloom]

Thanks, but they are still VERY annoying...

I second that emotion

 

[Duchesse]

Yes! I also have so many splits in general..and I don't do any of the usuals...heat-I lightly flat iron maybe 4 times a year..rarely blowdry, stopped using color over a year ago, don't use brushes or fine tooth combs.

I'm actually going to try to find alternate ways of pinning up my hair. I have a sneaking feeling that maybe my usage of cheap (not broken though) bobby pins/hair clips maybe part of the cause. I have fine 4a natural hair btw.

I really think it's a fine hair thing tbh.

 

[steffiejoe]

There is a theory that curly hair has holes in it . Check out the link to this blog
http://thebunnyhutch.wordpress.com/2010/11/18/holey-moley-my-hair-is-full-of-holes/

I think this may explain the reason so many naturals have this problem.

HTH

 

[steffiejoe]

I faithfully pre poo over night with coconut oil once a week. Since I started doing this there are no longer any holes in my hair mid-shaft. I do see a few holes along the last 2 inches of my hair , but not very many. I think this is because the ends are the oldest part of my hair.

So yes coconut oil has helped my hair . I also shampoo my hair with a non sulfate shampoo.

 

[Nonie]

There is a theory that curly hair has holes in it . Check out the link to this blog
http://thebunnyhutch.wordpress.com/2010/11/18/holey-moley-my-hair-is-full-of-holes/

I think this may explain the reason so many naturals have this problem.

HTH

Is there any scientific reference to the statement that curly hair has holes? I ask because there are a few folks on the forum with natural (curly/coily) hair that is not porous at all. In fact, some seem to have trouble moisturizing their hair because its strands are so tightly closed and once they do get moisture on their hair, their hair gets overly greasy again because their non-porous/low porosity hair holds moisture so well it's easy to overdo.

What I do know about curly hair is its cross section ranges from oval/elliptical for big curls to flat like a ribbon for kinky hair, which is why it coils in one direction. Straight hair has a circular cross section which is why it is straight. The flat-ish cross-section of kinky hair does mean that the edges where it's pointed the cuticle is vulnerable to damage. Think about it, cuticles is made of tiny scales that are layered over each other. In a circular shape, they are not bent but in a flat ribbon shape, the ends are kinda kinked and so easy to damage. Hence the reason our hair is weaker than others. Not to mention that the thickness of the strand varies along its length being weaker in the narrower sections.

The images below show the cross-sections of Asian, Caucasian and African hair respectively:

Source

Now there is the theory that the cuticle on the outside bends of curly hair is stretched and exposed by virtue of sticking out (Kinda like how bending over and sticking your booty out puts it out there making it vulnerable to spanking while if you're standing straight and not putting it all out there it doesn't really face as much risk of being tapped. ) and so it's easy for the scales at the bends to get caught when combing or brushing leading to damage.

 

[Forever in Bloom]

Are there people who never use brushes or heat who still get midshaft splits?

I don't use heat [anymore; 4 months, but not enough to have a complete turnaround], but I do every once in a while use my Denman or Tangle Teezer. I truly do think brushes are the culprit. I don't know why I gave up finger detangling. I did start using my rake comb again; however, it doesn't get rid of all the shed hair - but I still love this comb!

I like playing in my hair, so I am the perfect candidate for using my fingers as detangling/styling tools. Once I come out of these crochet braids, I plan on going back to finger detangling along with avoiding heat. I have no problem staying away from heat in the summer anyway.

I'll see if taking care of my hair this way will help reduce midshaft splits even further.

 

[FtrDrO]

I did a trim of about 1 -1 1/2 inches this weekend. I'm debating about if I should go ahead and cut the rest of the ends with these splits at one time or gradually trim it off. If they are just going to come back though,then I don't want to keep making my hair shorter and shorter. Thoughts?

 

[Nonie]

I did a trim of about 1 -1 1/2 inches this weekend. I'm debating about if I should go ahead and cut the rest of the ends with these splits at one time or gradually trim it off. If they are just going to come back though,then I don't want to keep making my hair shorter and shorter. Thoughts?

That's a tricky question. If you leave splits, they continue to wreck havoc on your hair. If you trim, you create a strong end, but it's still an end will therefore start split anew in due time because that's the nature of living things: They wear out with time.

A newly trimmed end after you remove an entire split is less vulnerable than a tiny split left behind in the name of holding onto length. I think you will understand what I mean about a "vulnerable" vs "less vulnerable" end if you read my analogy with tear notches in this post: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showpost.php?p=12878839&postcount=46

The thing to keep in mind is if you dust regularly...and then practice good hair care that doesn't encourage splits, then you will find you trim off less in the long run, because if you remove the damaged end as soon as it happens, then you will tend to have more durable ends that can withstand trials of haircare and so better retention.

 

[steffiejoe]

Nonie
There is no scientific reference that I have come across. But if I were up to it , I think it would be an interesting topic to research. I'm just to lazy to do it myself. However , I have heard curly hair has holes in the strands more then once. In my case kinky curly hair. One stylist stated it made no sense to keep cutting to get rid of the holes because they will simply return.
I think there maybe some truth to the theory but who knows. Back when I was trying to find more information about these holes, the information I came across was very limited.

 

[Nonie]

Nonie
There is no scientific reference that I have come across. But if I were up to it , I think it would be an interesting topic to research. I'm just to lazy to do it myself. However , I have heard curly hair has holes in the strands more then once. In my case kinky curly hair. One stylist stated it made no sense to keep cutting to get rid of the holes because they will simply return.
I think there maybe some truth to the theory but who knows. Back when I was trying to find more information about these holes, the information I came across was very limited.

steffiejoe I am not sure what you understand by holes. Does she mean splits like at the ends. Coz splits are inevitable and while cutting them helps with retention, they will develop again.

I'm always wary of just trusting things said to me no matter how often they are said unless one can back up what they say with evidence. There are a lot of old wives' tales floating around...but no one can back them up. Like saying that pores on your face will close if you splash your face with cold water. You'll find that myth all over the Web but pores don't have muscles that control opening and closing so that hot water would make them open and cold close.

So just coz so-called "experts" say it, doesn't make it true. What I shared is the only info I've been able to find in all my research.

 

[divachyk]

Nonie - does brushing on wet hair, dry hair or both that can cause splits?

 

[Nonie]

@Nonie - does brushing on wet hair, dry hair or both that can cause splits?

@divachyk I just think brushing is the debil regardless of when you do it. All I think of brushing doing is exerting friction down the length of the strands like you're trying to start a fire. Why would you want to do that? Smoothing your hair with your hand like when putting it in a pony is gentle friction. Raking a brush through it just seems like such unnecessary abuse. It's like rough friction along the length. It's not separating the strands like a comb does where the teeth go between strands, but just basically scraping your strands. Some teeth go between strands but the staggered teeth right behind just scrub down the strands. In the name of all that is sane, why would anyone want to do this???? Isn't other manipulation bad enough that one must resort to such roughness? I just don't get it.

 

[divachyk]

Thank you, @Nonie, well since you put it that way. I brush (on dry hair only) to smooth top layer before doing a pony. I sometimes use my hands or sometimes rake across with a fine tooth comb. Ok, ok, ok, I know...the debil.

 

[Nonie]

Thank you, @Nonie, well since you put it that way. I brush (on dry hair only) to smooth top layer before doing a pony. I sometimes use my hands or sometimes rake across with a fine tooth comb. Ok, ok, ok, I know...the debil.

@divachyk See, I don't even think a fine-tooth comb is as evil as a brush. It's that teeth running over the strands thing that makes me wanna holler. A seamless fine-tooth comb used to comb hair back seems like its one row of teeth would find their way between strands. A brush's bristles are all over the place that while some might do what a comb does, others just caress the strands in a rough sort of way that a man with callouses and scabs on his palms might stroke your cheek. Yuck!

 

[Chromia]

I have midstrand splits. I started using a Tangle Teezer a few months ago, but I had midtrand splits way before I even heard of the Tangle Teezer. I started using a seamless comb about 6 years ago and I started using a Denman brush about 3 years ago.

My comb is great for detangling but not good for getting shed hairs out.

Hair type?
4a

Current hair length stretched?
APL in front, BSL in middle & back of head

Regimen:
-Wash hair with sulfate-free shampoo (unless I'm using my clarifying/chelating shampoo)
-Apply conditioner (most of the conditioners I have right now have cones) and heat protectant
-detangle
-twist
-sit under dryer
-do twistout
-sleep with silk scarf on hair every night (I don't retwist my hair before bed. My twistouts last 1 - 2 weeks.)

 

[CrueltyFree]

The tangle teezer cannot cause these types of splits. I BC'd to about 2 inches earlier this year because of this and I wasn't using the tangle teezer. I'd been struggling with these splits for a long time and I was trying to gradually trim my hair but it just wasn't working. I was using the Mason Pearson comb, which is seamless, for most of my detangling needs. I introduced the Denman into my regimen mid last year so I can't say the Denman caused the splits, but it most certainly didn't make them better. I've tossed the Denman. I don't think a brush or comb is capable of causing holes in individual hair shafts. It just doesn't make sense to me. If anything, they are more likely to rip your hair out, which I don't think the TT does but the Denman definitely does.

Since I've BC'd I've been protective styling, which is actually more convenient since I'm busy with school and my health, but I've used the tangle teezer intermittently and I've not noticed the incomplete splits or broken hairs. I'm keeping my hair moisturized as best as I can while it's in extensions, I DC as often as possible. I'm not sure why I had them so bad, I just know that since I've BC'd I want to prevent them so I'm consciously doing that by being more considerate to my hair.

Hair type: My curl/coil pattern is mostly 4b. I have coarse, thick and wiry strands.

Current length: Not sure. I may be about 4 inches.

Regimen: I'm PS'ing with twist extensions. I wash my hair on average of 2 times a week. I deep condition twice a week. Sometimes I leave in a bit of the conditioner to keep my hair moisturized. I oil my scalp after I wash (I'm loving sapote oil right now). I spritz my hair daily with Oyin Juices and Berries with MSM powder.