EEEEEEK!!! Split Ends!

SCARY split end!

Admit it! You hate split ends. But you’re not alone…so do I and everyone else. Split ends cause dry looking hair, breakage, growth inhibition and so much more. What’s worse: there’s no way to “repair” split ends. The only way to get rid of your split ends once they appear is to cut them off. However, reducing and preventing split ends is very possible.
To understand how to prevent split ends, you must first understand what they are. Each strand of hair is made up of coiled protein called the cortex. The cortex is protected by an outer layer of dead cells, kind of like skin. This outer layer is called the cuticle and is what you see when you look at your hair. The ends of each strand of hair are the “oldest” parts of your hair.This gives them the disadvantage of being more prone to damage and breakage (because they are older and weaker). As you move up the strand, the hair gets “younger” and, yes, you guessed it… HEALTHIER.

Ends “split” when something irritates the already fragile cuticle exposing the cortex. When the cortex is no longer protected by the cuticle, its fibers unravel and split. Irritation can be caused by many different things like brushing, heat, dry ends, etc. Split ends are not necessarily a direct result of mistreated hair…split ends happen to any and everyone, no matter what. So, it is important to understand that split ends happen to everyone. Split ends can only be prevented. There is no quick fix. Severe split ends are almost always due to mistreatment of the hair and is a common problem with African-American Hair. We tend to “stress” our hair a lot more than other races with relaxers, heat styling, color treatments, etc. On top of that, our hair already has a tendency to be drier than other races. So, here you have it, a simple guide to preventing split ends:

Moisturize, Seal, and Protect 


The ends of your hair are older, drier, and more brittle than the rest. So when moisturizing your hair it is important to pay close attention to your ends. Use a good water based conditioner on your ends. Remember water is the number one moisturizer. Oil DOES NOT moisturize. Flip your leave in conditioner over and read the ingredients. Water should be the very first ingredient, not oil (or anything else). For more information on these topics, click here. Water/moisture will eventually evaporate from the strand, leaving your hair dry again. To prevent this “seal” in the moisture with oil. After you apply the water based conditioner, apply oil on top to help keep the moisture on the strand. Some great oils for African-Americans (and other hair types as well) are olive oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil…the list goes on and on. There are also some great essential oil blends out there like Africa’s Best Herbal Oil. In my opinion, oil blends are the best. Moisturize and seal your ends daily. The final step is to protect your ends. When you leave your hair down, your ends can rub up against the fabric on your clothing causing split ends. Your ends will also dry out a lot faster. To avoid this, wear hair styles that don’t leave your ends exposed. Ponytails and buns are a great way to do this. I’ll have an article coming soon with some “Fall Protective Styles”.

Use heat styling safely

The fastest way to fry your ends is using too much heat too often. Drastically cutting back on heat styling will greatly reduce the amount of split ends you get. Always buy flat irons that show the temperature. Everyone’s hair is different when it comes to “how hot is too hot”, however no one should exceed 350°F. I recommend keeping your temperature between 290°F-320°F. Remember to always use some type of “heat protect ant” before styling with heat and do not use heat styling appliances more than once a week (less if possible).

To trim or not to trim….that is the question


Many African-American women struggle when it comes to trimming their hair, especially those that want to achieve growth. We are resistant to cutting our hair at all however, when it comes to split ends it IS necessary. As I stated before, there is no way to get rid of split ends other than cutting them off (do not believe products that say they “repair” split ends). Everyone will get split ends eventually, no matter how well you treat your hair; it is a part of the hair’s aging cycle. So eventually, those split or “dead” ends must be trimmed. Why? Other than the fact that they look horrible, split will eventually split all the way up to the shaft OR break off. Trim them instead of allowing them to fully split or break off and your hair will thank you. You only need to trim off ¼” or less each month. Would you rather trim your split ends, or have them break off on their own? I think we all know the answer to that question.

Here are some other tips to keep in mind when protecting your ends:

• When styling your hair use a 100% boar bristle brush. Boar bristles are gentler for human hair because they are similar in genetic makeup.
• When relaxing, avoid getting your relaxer on the ends of your hair. This can really weaken them! For more information on safer relaxing, see Relaxing 101.
• Coloring your hair is very damaging. I would suggest avoiding coloring all together. If you must color, try Henna.
• Eat healthy and work out. A healthy diet is ALWAYS they key to long and healthy hair.