SPLIT ENDS....

[syze6]

There's nothing I hate more than a woman holding on to long unhealthy looking hair. I would rather have healthy hair over long unhealthy hair anyday. My friend has long brastrap hair and she hates to cut her ends. It is long and thin and it doesn't look healthy at all. I keep my ends trimmed because it helps with the healthiness of my hair. I trim every 8 weeks and it helps a lot!

 

[honeybadgirl]

Agrees with your whole post. I trim once a year, I spend 95% of my time in moisturized buns (until I reach my desired length). It just isnt necessary to trim frequently and I rarely see split ends.

yeah i dont think i'll let my stylist(whenever i'll get back) trim...no matter what she says.

 

[deontaer]

If I see some splits, I clip them and that's about it. Since I've started wearing buns and doing the nightly baggy thing, there's no real reason to trim my hair on a set schedule - especially since I don't wear my hair down for anyone else to notice anyway. Luckily, my ends aren't bad, so even on the RARE occassion when I have them exposed, they don't look rough and ragged.

 

[honeybadgirl]

so let me ask another question. whats the difference btwn your hair being broken off and having lots split ends? if its broken off what actually occurs in the hair strands? then dont you have to get it "trimmed"? or can you build up from the broken off hair? nourish it back to health w/o a trim/cut?

 

[syze6]

I don't worry about broken stands anymore. I figure since you shed strands daily anyway, that sucker will be among the shedders.

 

[honeybadgirl]

I don't worry about broken stands anymore. I figure since you shed strands daily anyway, that sucker will be among the shedders.

thats one way of looking at it!!!

 

[honeybadgirl]

so let me ask another question. whats the difference btwn your hair being broken off and having lots split ends? if its broken off what actually occurs in the hair strands? then dont you have to get it "trimmed"? or can you build up from the broken off hair? nourish it back to health w/o a trim/cut?

BUMPING FOR RESPONSE TO THIS.

 

[chayil0427]

I have one section that the ends are suffering. It's no long breaking because of the nurturing and conditioning I give it. The rest of my ends are wonderful.

This section is on the longest layer of my hair and since I'm growing out my layers I'm just gonna ask my stylist to trim that section about a half inch and even it up with the next higher layer.

From then on I'm using the ounce of prevention. After I cut this section all my ends will be healthy, thick and full so I'm going to make a point of keeping them that way ....moisture, protection, zero heat and see if I can cut my trimming down to one a year.

Chayil

 

[PacificPurinsesu]

You know after having splits in my hair too, I searched for answers and this is the only thing that made sense. I am going to try it and see if it helps some. Take a look!
It is from ouidad.com

Dry
By now, you've learned that curly hair is prone to dehydration. A perpetually open cuticle is a magnet for moisture-sappers such as harsh cleansers, heat styling and environmental forces like wind and sun. A dry mane acts "tense"— strands don't relax and fall into healthy curl patterns. If you spend lots of time outside or are addicted to heat styling, weekly or bi-weekly deep conditioning treatments are vital to maintaining a beautiful set of curls.
Brittle
Your tresses are most likely fragile from repeated permanent hair coloring, straightening chemicals and excessive styling product buildup. Just as you cleanse your face of makeup and dirt to prevent clogged pores, you must rid the hair of outside elements, such as silicones, waxes and oils that may stifle the hair shaft. Styling is a real challenge with brittle hair because it doesn't want to fall into a shape— it behaves lifelessly despite careful blowdrying or use of a curling iron. Give your hair a vacation from any chemical processes and treat it to weekly conditioning treatments to restore its lost moisture and nutrients and rebuild its strength. Fortunately, this level of damage is rare.
Split Ends
Every mane curly, straight, short, long is susceptible to split ends. Strands become dry and "empty" from a variety of assaults, including the environment, frequent heat styling, and harsh cleansers. In this condition, the cuticle remains open and feathery. These tiny raised layers are actually split ends, also called flyaways. They are weightless and lift away from the cuticle creating that halo of frizz. Contrary to popular belief, split ends are found all over the hair and CANNOT be fixed with cutting. The best treatment for split ends is to feed your hair, just like your skin. A nourished hair shaft will have enough internal weight to keep the cuticle closed so that each curl is smooth. Clearly, trimming split ends is not an option— you might as well shave your head. Split ends can appear anywhere so frequent deep conditioning is the only way to prevent them. Note: You'll see the most flyaways in the winter when the hair is prone to extreme dryness. For a quick fix, spray tresses with a leave-in conditioner to quench your manes thirst.

 

[honeybadgirl]

You know after having splits in my hair too, I searched for answers and this is the only thing that made sense. I am going to try it and see if it helps some. Take a look!
It is from ouidad.com

Dry
By now, you've learned that curly hair is prone to dehydration. A perpetually open cuticle is a magnet for moisture-sappers such as harsh cleansers, heat styling and environmental forces like wind and sun. A dry mane acts "tense"— strands don't relax and fall into healthy curl patterns. If you spend lots of time outside or are addicted to heat styling, weekly or bi-weekly deep conditioning treatments are vital to maintaining a beautiful set of curls.
Brittle
Your tresses are most likely fragile from repeated permanent hair coloring, straightening chemicals and excessive styling product buildup. Just as you cleanse your face of makeup and dirt to prevent clogged pores, you must rid the hair of outside elements, such as silicones, waxes and oils that may stifle the hair shaft. Styling is a real challenge with brittle hair because it doesn't want to fall into a shape— it behaves lifelessly despite careful blowdrying or use of a curling iron. Give your hair a vacation from any chemical processes and treat it to weekly conditioning treatments to restore its lost moisture and nutrients and rebuild its strength. Fortunately, this level of damage is rare.
Split Ends
Every mane curly, straight, short, long is susceptible to split ends. Strands become dry and "empty" from a variety of assaults, including the environment, frequent heat styling, and harsh cleansers. In this condition, the cuticle remains open and feathery. These tiny raised layers are actually split ends, also called flyaways. They are weightless and lift away from the cuticle creating that halo of frizz. Contrary to popular belief, split ends are found all over the hair and CANNOT be fixed with cutting. The best treatment for split ends is to feed your hair, just like your skin. A nourished hair shaft will have enough internal weight to keep the cuticle closed so that each curl is smooth. Clearly, trimming split ends is not an option— you might as well shave your head. Split ends can appear anywhere so frequent deep conditioning is the only way to prevent them. Note: You'll see the most flyaways in the winter when the hair is prone to extreme dryness. For a quick fix, spray tresses with a leave-in conditioner to quench your manes thirst.

NOW THAT WAS EXCELLENT INFO! THANKS ALIAJP!!!
that just summed it up! that was full of very very helpful info and actually i just started spraying my hair with distilled water and leave in mixed with a little amla oil

 

[Legend]

I've always been an infrequent trimmer, so I just keep my ends conditioned, moisturize my hair frequently with S-Curl, I don't use heat, and I avoid combing and brushing. I haven't trimmed in 8 months, and only had it trimmed 3 times last year after chemical services. If I see a split end--which is infrequent--I just trim that hair, or I'll leave it alone because the damaged section of the hair will break off anyway.

I figure, there are many cultures on this planet that do not believe in cutting the hair, and they are not concerned about splits, so why should I be? *shrug*

 

[honeybadgirl]

I've always been an infrequent trimmer, so I just keep my ends conditioned, moisturize my hair frequently with S-Curl, I don't use heat, and I avoid combing and brushing. I haven't trimmed in 8 months, and only had it trimmed 3 times last year after chemical services. If I see a split end--which is infrequent--I just trim that hair, or I'll leave it alone because the damaged section of the hair will break off anyway.

I figure, there are many cultures on this planet that do not believe in cutting the hair, and they are not concerned about splits, so why should I be? *shrug*

yeah i think i'm just going to leave it alone too with the exception of an occassional dusting or so. i do have an area that is going thru something so i'll give that a little more attention, snip a little more.

 

[PacificPurinsesu]

You are so welcome! I am glad it made sense to u! I know for me it made alot of sense! Good luck! so, just snip what u see, and deep condition.

 

[GoldenBreeze]

Can someone please tell me what causes "knot" split ends? You know, when the hair strand has a knot in it at the end....I sparingly put heat on my hair... Mainly blowdrys every couple months and a flat iron every here and there. I wear cornrows all the time, but I also get haircuts on a regular basis....at leat 4 times a year w/an inch or more clipped at a time...Somehow the knots are still there...At first I thought it was just some of the longer hairs that had been exposed to heat...But I even found a new growth hair in the "kitchen" that had a knot in it! HELP!!!

Although any hair type can get knots, they are a real plague for type 3 and 4 natural ladies. If your strands are naturally rough you get more; if you strands are naturally smooth you get less. We get them because the curls, coils, and/or kinks twist around on themselves as we comb or detangle, and get pulled into knots. It's just like tying a knot in a strand of thread.

Some things that you can do are, use a good deep conditioner that gives your hair as much slip as possible, use leave-in, keep your hair moisturized, and detangle gently from ends up to root. I always detangle in the shower with my hair soaking wet and full of conditioner. Using a widetoothed comb is a must.

 

[meaganita]

Thanks Goldenbreeze! I just couldn't make sense of where those things were coming from. But what you said made a lot of sense. Any suggestions on some good super slip conditioners/detanglers/leave-ins, etc.? My hair gets sooo nappy when wet...with tons of shrinkageerplexed

 

[honeybadgirl]

You are so welcome! I am glad it made sense to u! I know for me it made alot of sense! Good luck! so, just snip what u see, and deep condition.

exactly!! i cant thank you enough!!!

 

[ChocalateDiva]

I go the the salon about once every 2 weeks. She ask me everytime if I want her to trim my ends. I always say no-( cause they dont look like they need it to me and i trimmed them myself about 5 weeks ago.)

I am startin to wonder if she is a scirror happy hair hater or if she is seeing something that I am not. I aint even got enuff hair to be hatin on!!!!!!Sigh, shrug.....take a look at the pic in my siggy and let me know what ya think.

 

[honeybadgirl]

I go the the salon about once every 2 weeks. She ask me everytime if I want her to trim my ends. I always say no-( cause they dont look like they need it to me and i trimmed them myself about 5 weeks ago.)

I am startin to wonder if she is a scirror happy hair hater or if she is seeing something that I am not. I aint even got enuff hair to be hatin on!!!!!!Sigh, shrug.....take a look at the pic in my siggy and let me know what ya think.

from what i see your hair looks pretty and healthy

 

[Poohbear]

I think some people you see with raggedy looking ends, their ends may not always be split...it could be that they just didn't smooth them out to make them look nice.

But when I see splits and split ends in my hair, I can't stand them! As much as I tell myself I don't want to trim, I have to when I get splits, I just can't stand the site of them...I manipulate my hair too much to let my hair go full of splits. There have been times I've forgone trimming by taking extra care of my ends that may have a few splits.

However, I do think there is a way to take care of hair with split ends and still retain length and still make your hair look nice and healthy. I have! In reality, no one is totally split-free. There are splits that are not visible to the eye. Plus, hair is dead and there's no such thing as healthy hair per se...we can just make it look healthy by the way we style it and care for it. So why not aim for length in the midst of split ends?

And we all have different priorities when it comes to hair: some want it long, some want it to look nice, some like doing different styles, and some want their hair to be as maintenance free as possible, and the list goes on.

 

[naicendivine]

Split Ends
Every mane curly, straight, short, long is susceptible to split ends. Strands become dry and "empty" from a variety of assaults, including the environment, frequent heat styling, and harsh cleansers. In this condition, the cuticle remains open and feathery. These tiny raised layers are actually split ends, also called flyaways. They are weightless and lift away from the cuticle creating that halo of frizz. Contrary to popular belief, split ends are found all over the hair and CANNOT be fixed with cutting. The best treatment for split ends is to feed your hair, just like your skin. A nourished hair shaft will have enough internal weight to keep the cuticle closed so that each curl is smooth. Clearly, trimming split ends is not an option— you might as well shave your head. Split ends can appear anywhere so frequent deep conditioning is the only way to prevent them. Note: You'll see the most flyaways in the winter when the hair is prone to extreme dryness. For a quick fix, spray tresses with a leave-in conditioner to quench your manes thirst.

Great info! this is what I did when I woke up this morning, sprayed Dove moisturizing spray all over cause if trimming was the only answer I'd have to cut my nearly bsl hair to ear length to prevent these middle splits. But this has to be what's causing them cuz I have gone about 3 weeks (and plan to go 1 more) with no washing/co-washing so my hair is probably freaking out since its not used to that. Thanks for posting!!!

 

[honeybadgirl]

Great info! this is what I did when I woke up this morning, sprayed Dove moisturizing spray all over cause if trimming was the only answer I'd have to cut my nearly bsl hair to ear length to prevent these middle splits. But this has to be what's causing them cuz I have gone about 3 weeks (and plan to go 1 more) with no washing/co-washing so my hair is probably freaking out since its not used to that. Thanks for posting!!!

i really make sure i spray my hair everyday after reading that!!!

 

[GoldenBreeze]

Thanks Goldenbreeze! I just couldn't make sense of where those things were coming from. But what you said made a lot of sense. Any suggestions on some good super slip conditioners/detanglers/leave-ins, etc.? My hair gets sooo nappy when wet...with tons of shrinkageerplexed

You'll have to experiment a bit to find what work for your hair. I like Silicon Mix, 10 en 1, and Kenra MC. Leave-ins, MNT Original, Nexxus Headdress, Giovonni Direct (I add oil to all of these). Detanglers, I detangle in the shower with my hair full of conditioner and use the force of the water.

 

[FlowerHair]

Nowadays I trim about twice a year, but I used to trim every 8 weeks. That was before I started moisturizing morning and night
Now I very rarely see a split end.

 

[meaganita]

You'll have to experiment a bit to find what work for your hair. I like Silicon Mix, 10 en 1, and Kenra MC. Leave-ins, MNT Original, Nexxus Headdress, Giovonni Direct (I add oil to all of these). Detanglers, I detangle in the shower with my hair full of conditioner and use the force of the water.

Sounds like adding oil to the conditioner really helps. I read that quite a few ladies do that. I'll have to try it. Thanks!

 

[honeybadgirl]

Nowadays I trim about twice a year, but I used to trim every 8 weeks. That was before I started moisturizing morning and night
Now I very rarely see a split end.

twice a year sounds good. i have a little section that i'm trying to snip a little at a time but other than that, i'm not trimming!!!

 

[GoldenBreeze]

Sounds like adding oil to the conditioner really helps. I read that quite a few ladies do that. I'll have to try it. Thanks!

You're welcome.

 

[lana]

I just trimmed last night after coming home and moisturizing my hair. I noticed that my ends felt dry and they looked kinda frizzed up. I realize that it's partly because the color in my hair is finally at the very last inch of hair. I will be so glad to get all of this color out of my hair. I am never EVER doing permanent color again. It took me a year and a half to grow it out.

Anyways I put it in a pony, covered with a silk scarf and woke up to silky ends, healthy hair! Oh and my ends are blunt cut with two layers (top and bottom). I'm officially in love with my hair and it's the healthiest it's ever been. I'm adding this post to my journal.

 

[honeybadgirl]

I just trimmed last night after coming home and moisturizing my hair. I noticed that my ends felt dry and they looked kinda frizzed up. I realize that it's partly because the color in my hair is finally at the very last inch of hair. I will be so glad to get all of this color out of my hair. I am never EVER doing permanent color again. It took me a year and a half to grow it out.

Anyways I put it in a pony, covered with a silk scarf and woke up to silky ends, healthy hair! Oh and my ends are blunt cut with two layers (top and bottom). I'm officially in love with my hair and it's the healthiest it's ever been. I'm adding this post to my journal.

thats great!! i agree with the no more permanent color. i dont know what i was thinking when i did that last summer!!

 

[mw138]

I go about every six months.

 

[Aveena]

Nowadays I trim about twice a year, but I used to trim every 8 weeks. That was before I started moisturizing morning and night
Now I very rarely see a split end.

wow!!!! beautiful hair