What Causes Split Ends & How to Prevent Them

The average woman will spend about six full days per year doing her hair. 

With all of that time spent, many are still surprised to be dealing with split ends. Still, they are one of the most common complaints that long-haired women have. 

Whether you're dealing with split ends in straight hair or split ends in curly hair, now is the time to take control. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about what causes split ends and how to prevent split ends. 

Types of Split Ends

If you're still wondering, "What are split ends?" then you should know that there are several types. If you can identify the type that you have, you'll know what's causing them and how to prevent split ends for good. 

The most common is the double split. This type of split end is usually caused by friction. This can occur from over-styling, restless sleep patterns, and putting a hat on and off.

The partial split is a precursor to the double split. This is usually due to dry, damaged hair, most often caused by heat styling, such as with a blow dryer or curling iron.

A tree split is a sign of damage. It's characterized by many splits that occur up and down the length of your hair strands. Like partial splits, they can usually be blamed on heat styling. 

The fork split tells you that your hair is dehydrated. The split occurs due to a lack of proper moisture in your locks. Fork splits tend to make your hair look frizzy. 

What Causes Split Ends?

One of the best ways to prevent split ends is to know what causes them. Once you know what the culprit is, you can take steps to keep them from coming back.

As mentioned above, heat styling is one of the main contributors to split ends. When you use heat tools they draw moisture from each strand of hair. Dehydrated hair is more likely to split at the ends than healthy hair. 

Your hair accessories may also play a role. Pulling out headbands and rubber bands can cause damage to your strands, resulting in split ends. 

Colouring or perming your hair can also lead to damage that causes split ends. That's because the chemicals used in both treatments suck the moisture out of your hair, which weakens the cuticle and makes splits more likely.

Washing your hair too often removes its natural oils. These oils play a role in hydrating your hair so washing them out leaves hair dry and prone to split ends. 

Overbrushing and towel drying your hair create friction. This friction often leads to split ends.

How to Prevent Split Ends

Now that you know what causes split ends, you can take steps to prevent them. Proper hair care is an easy way to keep them at bay. 

That means washing regularly, but not every day. Most hair care experts suggest washing your hair every other day to preserve its natural oils. 

When you style your hair, brush or comb it gently and avoid using heat tools every day. Experiment with your natural texture and find hairstyles that you can do without a curling iron or flat iron. 

Consider washing your hair at night and allowing it to air dry. This keeps you from having to use your blow dryer, which can lead to split ends. 

If you have dry hair, you can use a weekly hair mask to help keep it nourished and hydrated. The ingredients in a hair mask are concentrated and have a bigger effect than your usual hair care products. 

Sleeping on a silk pillowcase helps cut down on the friction that can lead to split ends while you sleep. 

Finally, prolonging the time between colouring or perming appointments cuts down on chemical exposure and the damage it can cause. 

How to Get Rid of Split Ends

You know how to prevent split ends, but what if you already have them? Since they are a common issue, especially among people with longer hair, it's no surprise that you may be dealing with split ends. 

Once you have split ends, the only way to get rid of them is to have them cut off. When it comes to haircutting tips, we suggest having a professional hairstylist do this job for you.

That's because you'll get a stylish cut that also gets rid of your split ends. Trying to do so yourself can lead to a look that you don't love.

Stay away from the so-called candle-cutting trend. The idea is that you can burn off the split ends, but experts say that the heat sucks the moisture out of your hair and could make the situation even worse. 

If you have split ends, the best thing to do is make an appointment at your salon as soon as you can.

A health care blog, such as Hair Health Blog can keep you updated with tips and tricks for keeping your hair looking and feeling its best. 

Kick Split Ends to the Curb

Split ends are as frustrating as they are unsightly. Even if you can't prevent them altogether, with the right techniques, you can minimize the damage they do to your hair. Knowing what causes split ends is the first step to healing your locks for good. 

Does your hair need some love? We've got you covered. Have a look at our styling tools and let us show you how they can be an effective and healthy addition to your hair care routine.