When the ends of the hair split, it is called split ends. It is favored by various factors such as too much heat and lack of care. To keep your hair healthy (and looking good), you need to remove split ends regularly.
Split ends are something completely natural, especially with longer hair, but the split tips still make the once beautifully grown mane look dry and shaggy. And the worst part is: it cannot be reversed. What is even worse, however, is that the splintered tips can expand upwards and thus permanently damage your hair. It is all the more important that you remove the split ends (or have them removed). How you can do this yourself with a split trimmer without incurring major losses in length is explained as follows. You can also find out here which methods are used by the hairdresser – and how you can better prevent split ends in the future.
Removing split ends: How to treat broken ends
At the hairdresser’s, the dry tips are usually removed by cutting off the hair. Because of this, many women avoid visiting to protect their mane from being trimmed. Your hair doesn’t necessarily have to be long in order to get rid of split ends: with a so-called the broken tips can be removed without noticeably shortening the hair. Or you can use a special one made of plastic for your hair clipper or an electric razor, which is also used to trim the splintered tips.
Regardless of which variant you choose, the approach always remains the same:
- First straighten your hair and then divide it evenly into as many sections as possible.
- Take the split trimmer in your hand and run this strand by strand along the hair from roots to ends.
- Repeat this process for each strand up to five times in a row for a clean result.
- Then treat your healthy tips with a nourishing hair oil to protect them from new split ends.
Since the split trimmer only removes the damaged tips, your hair length remains largely unchanged. A big advantage over the classic lace cut. But many master hairdressers are now also using other methods. You can find out what these are in the next paragraph.
Comparison: hairdressing techniques to remove split ends
Nowadays, many hairdressing salons use different cutting techniques to remove split ends without shortening the hair too much. Some of the most popular methods include the following:
- Twist Cut: With this technique, the hair is twisted in strands up to the scalp, so that only the broken hairs stick out and with one can be cut off.
- Hair Dusting: First the hair needs to be straightened. The hairdresser then pulls strand by strand taut so that the damaged tips stick out and can be clipped.
- Care Cut: The hairdressing scissors are heated up to 140 degrees before the actual tip cut. Then the tips are cut with the hot scissors so that they are virtually sealed.
- Candle Cutting: This method is extremely radical, because here the split ends of the hair are removed strand by strand with the help of a burning candle. Only a real professional should go to work here.
These are the most common causes of split ends
When hair is badly damaged, it can break – not just at the tips, but anywhere. Split ends, on the other hand, only occur at the ends of the hair, as these cannot store moisture well and thus dry out more quickly. This process is facilitated by frequent hair straightening, blow-drying and the use of a curling iron. The heat removes moisture from the tips and makes them look brittle. But too much sunshine and inadequate or incorrect care (for example through an overly aggressive shampoo) can promote split ends. And that’s still not all: friction, rough hairbrushes, stress and hair ties with elements made of metal can damage the hair.
Preventing split ends: These are the best care tips
For daily hygiene, you should only use shampoos and conditioners that have been specially developed for dry or damaged hair. They provide your hair with sufficient moisture and give your tips more shine and suppleness. In addition, a conditioner is then used to comb with a much easier because less hair becomes tangled together.
To prevent your tips from drying out in the first place and getting split ends, you have to constantly care for your mane. Apply one once a week on: It moisturizes and supplies your tips with important minerals and vitamins. Most products also contain valuable oils, shea butter and aloe vera. This not only makes your hair nice and soft and supple, but also protects it from split ends.
Also a so-called hair serum or should ensure that dry and dull hair feels smooth and healthy again. The argan oil it contains provides your tips with important nutrients, and it also leaves a soft film on your hair – but only until you wash your hair again. However, when using it, be careful not to rub too much oil into the ends of the hair. Alternatively, there is also natural an.
Last but not least, you can use your own behavior to prevent split ends by not brushing your hair too often and especially not wet or rubbed dry with a towel. You should also avoid regular heat sessions with a hair dryer and straightening iron. It can be helpful to braid your hair (with a ) – and sleep on a silk pillow to reduce split ends.
And one more tip at the end: moisturize your hair with every stroke of your brush by adding a few drops of the put on the natural bristles. Then comb your hair very lightly so that it is only slightly moistened. Otherwise, if you have used too much of the hair serum with argan oil, your approach may well appear greasy faster.
