Understanding and Preventing Split Ends
What are split ends in hair? What causes split ends? Discover the types of split ends and how to prevent them in your hair with tips from Hair Code.
What Causes Split Ends?
Simply put: damaged hair splits at the ends first and then damage travels up the strands. The environment, hot styling, overbrushing and chemical treatments can all affect the health of our strands, but even the most pampered hair can start to split. That’s why stylists often recommend trimming hair frequently, even when we’re trying to grow it out – we want to grow out healthy hair, not hair that’s prone to breakage and frizz.
How to Prevent Split Ends
Preventing Split Ends Comes Down to a Few Factors
- Get trims regularly Cutting off the splits as they happen will help the rest of your strands stay strong.
- Be gentle! Simple swaps like squeezing hair with a towel, instead of rubbing or exchanging your brush for a wide-tooth comb, can have a big impact.
- Choose the right products Quality shampoos, conditioners and treatments can help protect and nourish your strands, potentially resulting in less breakage.
- Style sparingly Don’t forget to give your hair a break from the hot tools. After all, the healthier your hair is, the better it will look in any style.
Types of Split Ends
Not all split ends look alike! Here are a few common ways the shaft can split.
The Y Split
As the name implies, the “Y” split makes your hair look like a Y at the end, meaning one solid strand becomes two thin strands.
The Feather Split
The feather is what happens when a split end gets even more damage. Rather than a single split, like the Y, a feather split has many different, smaller splits, giving it the appearance of a feather.
The Incomplete Split
Sometimes, the strand doesn’t split all the way to the end: it splits further up the shaft and then comes back together. An incomplete, but still annoying, split.
The Knot
While not (knot?) technically a split, a knot in the strand can be caused by the same issues as split hairs and can cause damage down the line.
Want to know more about what makes your hair, your hair? Learn more about the science behind the strands at our Tips & Tricks.
