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Nothing beats a good haircut for dusting off split ends. But for the scissor-averse, the real battle is to keep hair strong and prevent frayed strands from occurring in the first place.
Before diving into how to get rid of split ends, it’s worth understanding what causes them. Split ends – or trichoptilosis as they’re technically called – are often the result of wear and tear, dryness, hair colour and heat styling. The ends of your hair are also the oldest part of the hair shaft, so understandably they can get weaker over time and splinter.
While it’s impossible to reverse split ends, there are simple ways of minimising the damage our styling habits wreak on hair.
This article originally appeared on glamourmagazine.co.uk
#1: Partially air-dry your hair
The first steps in our haircare routine can affect the health of our ends. Rough drying involves using heat, which can dry out strands and lead to splitting. So if you really want to protect the hair, Steve Robinson, Art Director at the Electric Hair Group, recommends air drying until strands are 50-80% dry and then using the hairdryer to create shape and smooth the cuticles.
“Make sure you apply a good moisturising cream if air drying to reduce frizz,” he says. “It’s also really important to understand how to blow-dry properly. You should never touch the nozzle to the hair directly – instead position it just above the hair and brush.”
#2: Use a detangling brush or wide-tooth comb
Steve says it’s always good to start with a wide-tooth comb, adding that it’s also important to start at the bottom of the hair and work your way up, otherwise you’re just dragging the knots into one place. “There is no harm in splitting your hair into sections and taking your time,” he says. “The hair is most flexible and vulnerable when wet so you don’t need to add pressure to it and brush vigorously.” The Tangle Teaser The Wet Detangler is excellent for all hair lengths as the handle prevents it from slipping out of your hands.
#3: Dial down the temperature of styling tools
“Any hair tool over 180 degrees will de-keratinise the hair,” says Steve. “Healthy hair contains keratin, which dissipates when it’s heated over 200 degrees. Once this process happens, it’s impossible to replace the keratin.” Steve also says it’s a huge myth that the hotter your straighteners or curling wand, the better and longer lasting your blow-dry or curl. “Hair reaches optimum mould-ability at 180 degrees so anything more means you’re just over heating and damaging the hair,” he adds. All Ghd stylers, including the Platinum +, for example, will only heat to 180 degrees to spare your strands.
#4: Don’t pick at split ends
Picking at your spots only makes them worse and the same is true of picking at split ends. Peeling back and snapping off a split end only disturbs the hair cuticle even more, leading to another split end and so on. “The point where the hair stops splitting is where the weak hair ends and strong hair begins,” says Steve, “so this will give you an indication of how much to have cut off.”
In the meantime, there are haircare products designed to temporarily ‘glue’ together splayed ends so they look silky smooth from root to tip – until your next wash your hair, anyway. We rate Philip Kingsley Bond Builder Split End Remedy and Living Proof Triple Bond Complex, which make ends look freshly cut and help to repair the broken bonds that can lead to split ends.
#5: Do have ‘micro’ trims
There is a sweet spot when it comes to getting a trim. If you’re scared to lose your length, you can visit your hairdresser more regularly for smaller trims. Hair stylists can cut cleverly by working in minimal layering, a technique that makes the hair appear long but cuts out the bulk of split ends.
If you’re feeling brave you could also try ‘hair dusting’, a DIY technique that involves twisting dry strands of hair and pushing up the tips to reveal split ends. Using hairdressing scissors, simply snip away any the part of the hair that has split in two.
#6: Use a microfibre towel
Hair ‘plopping’ was never just a flash-in-the-pan trend. While it has gained steam in the curl community, it’s actually a really good way to avoid aggressively roughing up your hair cuticles whatever your hair type. As far as how it works, dab your hair with a Microfibre towel then wrap it on your head to dry. Not only does the material absorb moisture fast but it is also more gentle than your standard Terry towel, which will help to stave off split ends in the long run. Try the Aquis Lisse Hair Turban in Luxe White.
#7: Invest in a keratin treatment
Keratin is a type of protein in the hair that smooths down the cuticles (layers of cells) that overlap to form your hair strands, making strands less frizzy, soft to the touch and easier to style. For this reason, Steve says that in-salon keratin treatments are an excellent option (he recommends Kerasilk by Kerastase). Put simply, it replaces keratin molecules where the keratin is missing to pack out the hair shaft. Once locked in with heat, it will last for a good few months. “This, however, is just a temporary solution and regular trims at the salon are essential,” he notes.
So now that you’re armed with the facts, you can help to see off split ends for good.
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