8 Effective Ways to Remove and Prevent Split Ends

Split ends can be a real pain especially if you want to grow long hair. Even if you feel like you treat your hair well, there are still many little and seemingly unimportant things which can cause your ends to split. I can bet that this article will turn your attention to some of these things and teach you about new ways how to remove and prevent split ends.

1) Protect your hair from the sun. Don’t be afraid – you can still spend your days outside in the sun, just be careful because too much of those ultraviolet rays can mean brittle and dry hair. As we all know, there is a big possibility that it will result into split ends, so if you want to sunbath then at least protect your hair by wearing a cap or a hat.

Tip: Be aware that some reflective hair sprays can make the situation even worse because they facilitate the heating process and make your hair become hotter than a cat on a hot tin roof.

2) Don’t brush wet hair. Make sure that your hair is always dry when you brush it. You should do it because your hair is very vulnerable and easily breakable right after you get out of the shower. Feel free to do some gentle combing when your hair is wet but no brushing.

Tip: Remember that brushing (and back combing) can still cause split ends even if it’s done on dry hair and a lot of depends on be the type of brush you’re using – make sure that it’s suited for your hair type.

3) Trim your hair regularly. Most hair care experts suggest to trim around half an inch of your hair approximately once every two months. Unless you get a new haircut every few weeks, trimming is absolutely essential if you want to get rid of split ends. If you’re trimming to remove split ends then make sure to always cut a few millimeters above the split.

Tip: You can go to a hair salon if you’re afraid to do it yourself but it’s actually not that complicated if you have a pair of quality hair shears.

4) Constantly nourish your hair. Split ends usually occur when the person’s hair is dry and brittle therefore it’s very important to keep it moisturized. Deep conditioning and nourishing hair masks are definitely some of the things which can help with that. Warm oil is another effective remedy that you can use to keep your hair hydrated and healthy.

Tip: Don’t forget that it’s not only about things that you put on your hair but also about the things you eat. Unhealthy diet can do bad things for your hair and split ends are one of them.

5) Fix split ends with a conditioner. There are conditioners that reportedly can pull at least some of the split ends back together. Most of these split end menders contain both negatively and positively charged chemicals that can stick the split ends back together by reacting with each other. Some of the most popular conditioners for split ends are Nexxus Pro Mend, Suave Damage Care, Tigi Bed Head and Sunsilk Hydra TLC.

Tip: You should apply a conditioner to your hair not only when split ends have already occurred but also on regular basis in order to keep your hair strong and prevent split ends.

6) Be careful with heat. You probably already know that you shouldn’t use blow-dryers, flat irons, curling irons and other similar devices every day because they are literally frying your hair and making it weak and dry. It means that if you’re afraid of split ends then try to use lower temperatures – don’t ever set your flat iron above the 200 degree mark (which is 392 degrees Fahrenheit) and always keep the blow-dryer a few inches away from your hair.

Tip: There are some products which can protect your hair from the heat to some extent. Those serums, sprays, lotions and other products create a protective layer around the hair cuticle so that the heat doesn’t dry out your hair too much.

7) Beware of alcohol. While drinking alcohol is also something that you shouldn’t do too often, this time we’re talking about using conditioners and shampoos which contain alcohol. The problem is that it can easily make your hair brittle and more likely to split. Most of hair serums and gels contain at least some alcohol.

Tip: Regardless of what kind of shampoo you use, you still shouldn’t wash your hair with it more than once every two days. Too frequent shampooing is one the most “effective” ways how to strip your hair of its natural oils.

8) Don’t rub your hair. If you usually dry your hair by tirelessly rubbing it with a towel then it may very well be the reason why you tend to suffer from split ends. It’s because the rubbing creates a friction which causes the hair ends to split. You must be gentle and use a towel only for squeezing out the water that’s dripping down your hair and after that just let it air-dry.

Tip: The type of towel you use is important as well, so make sure that you have one which absorbs water very well. A microfiber towel would probably be a really good choice because in general they are extremely absorbent and soft.

Summary

There are so many things that can lead to split ends and there are not so many things you can do when you already have them. So, it’s quite obvious that you should be really careful when brushing your hair, drying your hair, going out in the sun, using any styling tools and choosing a shampoo or a conditioner. Basically, whenever you’re doing anything hair-related.

By following the tips that were given in this article you will not only reduce the chance of getting split ends but also improve your general hair health and that’s definitely something worth the hassle.

Discussion

Can you add anything to this list? If you can, then feel free to do it in the comments section.