Split Ends Demystified

The technical term is Trichoptilosis, but we all know these little guys as Split ends, and they are the bane of our existence. Split ends are the result of a frayed end, usually at the end of the hair but can happen up the hair shaft as well. 

There are a few factors that range to hair type and genetics to the way and frequency that you style your hair to environmental factors. Products you use can have a factor, and of course the biggest cause, heat styling. 

Split ends and broken hair shafts can cause the hair to look dull, dry and flat. The ends will look uneven and you will be able to see through the ends of your hairline. When the cuticle is damaged by any of the factors we mentioned, it will not lay flat with the fibers of the hair strand. This will cause the light to not reflect as well off the hair, causing the hair to lack the luminosity we see with a healthier head of hair. 

Okay, so the million dollar question, how on earth do we get rid of these spilt ends? Well, the bad news is the only way to truly get rid of the split ends is to cut them off. But the good news is when you do that, you can start to build a prevention plan to avoid this issue in the future. 

We recommend a heat protectant spray and limiting the amount of heat you use while styling your hair throughout the week.  When at all possible, air-dry your hair rather than heat drying with a blow dryer.  Wide toothcombs and tangle teezer brushes are the go to for detangling, and ne sure to brush gently, even if your hair is dry. 

Here is the take away, if you see a split end, you know its time for a trim. The biggest mistake clients make is trying to keep their length, but a length that is a majority of split ends will just continue to break, so you will eventually lose the length, but it will look less healthy in the process.