How To Get Rid of Split Ends (and Prevent Them!)

Split happens. Split ends, I mean. Do you know the ends of your hair are old? Depending on the length of your hair, they could be several years old. So, it’s not surprising that those old ends are starting to show some wear. The good news is, there are ways to prevent split ends and even treat them as they happen. I’ve learned some tips and tricks on how to get rid of split ends, and I’ve put them all together for you here.

First- What Exactly are Split Ends?

Split ends are what they seem- ends of your hair that, due to damage, began to split, leaving the ends of your hair brittle, frizzy, and weak. This causes your hair to look dry, scraggly, uneven, and overall, just unhealthy.

The most common causes of split ends are:

• Heat damage
• Chemical damage
• Mechanical damage
• Lack of moisture and nutrients

How To Prevent Split Ends

I never knew all the things I did on an almost daily basis were damaging my hair and causing split ends. I also have learned some tips and tricks on preventing split ends, so let’s go over those.

Be Gentle With Your Hair

Did you know towel drying your hair can cause some pretty severe damage? It can- so make sure you dry your hair gently when using a towel- or better yet- use a t-shirt or softer fabric when drying.

Also, when your hair is wet, make sure you use a wide tooth comb or wet brush to brush it out. These tools will protect your hair as you brush. And make sure to brush from the bottom, up! If you brush from the tip down, forcing it through your hair, you will create microdamage, and that’s not good. If your hair gets pretty tangled, I would suggest using a detangler.

Reduce Heat

Turn the heat down on your styling products or hair dryer. Access heat is so bad for our hair, so make sure your hair tools are not on high-heat, and that you use a heat protectant before heat drying or styling. If you air dry, crab yourself a good air-dry cream.

Don’t Wash Your Hair Every day

Going longer in between washes helps your hair stay healthy. You can do this with dry shampoo (check out my blog on how to pick a great dry shampoo).

Protect Your Hair

Use a heat protectant that protects up to the temp of your dryer and irons (use tools that have a temperature setting). This one works on temps up to 450 degrees.  Protect your hair from the sun and elements, including chlorine. A leave-in conditioner is a great barrier, look for one that provides UVA and UVB protection. Wetting your hair before getting in the pool also helps (hair absorbs fresh water so it will absorb fewer chemicals and chlorine).

Keep Your Hair Hydrated

Choose a mild shampoo and focus the lather on the scalp. Using a harsh cleanser can strip your hair of the naturally produced oils meant to keep it healthy. Always use a conditioner to smooth the hair strand and keep it moisturized. Apply your conditioner from the ears down to nourish those dry ends that the scalp oils can’t reach. If your ends tend to dry out in between washes, apply a leave-in conditioner. Find one that isn’t heavy and won’t weigh your hair down.

Watch Out for Pony Tail Holders

If you wear your hair in ponytails at any point- you know how rough they are on your hair. Most of us ladies can’t avoid using a ponytail holder, so here are some tips when using them:

• Don’t tie the ends up in a messy knot. This is horrible for your hair because getting your hair out in a way that doesn’t pull and tear the hair is near impossible.
• Use the phone cord looking ties- these things are amazing and don’t pull on the hair as much, and you don’t get those pesky dents.
• Overall- wear your hair down more than up if you can stand it. This is just a great practice to get into for the health of your hair and to avoid split ends.

Now that we have gone over how to prevent split ends let’s move to how you can treat the split ends you do have.

How To Treat Split Ends

If you have split ends and aren’t interested in chopping off your hair, I have good news. There are ways to mend and heal the damage. The following is what I have found works best for me, so if you have tips or things you do that have helped make sure to leave them in the comments.

Use a Split-End Mender

I use Rejuvabeads after every wash. It uses a charged oil particle to work like little magnets and glue the split ends back together permanently and heal all the little microdamage along the hair shaft. It also reduces breakage and frizz and makes hair shiny!

Use the Right Products

There’s no point in trying to mend split-ends all while using other products that are only drying the hair out. It’s like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos- doesn’t make sense. If you’re not sure about your products, reach out, and I can help you decide- you would be surprised how many products out there do the exact opposite of what they’re supposed to.

Use a Hair Oil

The further the ends of your hair are from your scalp, the less likely they are to be nourished by your naturally produced oils. So, consider applying those oils to your hair as needed. My hair oil mimics natural oil, and my hair soaks it up like a sponge. I prefer to use it at night before bed and then wash it out in the morning. Since adding overnight oil treatments to my hair routine, I’ve seen a considerable improvement in the overall health of my hair.

Take a Hair Quiz

If you’re not sure where to start, I suggest taking my hair quiz so I can see what you need to mend those split ends and have healthier hair. Once you fill that out, I get an alert so I’ll be in touch. Can’t wait to help your hair.