But before you reach for those scissors, take a deep breath – help is on the way. Here’s how to prevent and, if it’s already too late, to repair those pesky split ends. Follow these simple tips and frayed ends will be out of the picture for good.
Stopping split ends before they start
The good news is, pound for pound, healthy hair is stronger than steel, because of the unique protein structure that makes up more than 80% of your hair. The bad news? Damage causes hair to lose the proteins that help hold fibres together. Once these proteins are lost, the weak end of the hair fibre begins to unravel, leaving you with a jagged, rough fringe instead of the crisp, fresh ends we all covet. #hairfail. There are three main ways to combat this:
Go Easy with the Heat: high heat can quickly take hair to the breaking point. Give that flat iron a break, but if you just can’t part with it, always use a heat-protecting product on your hair first to protect your strands. Avoid Over-Styling: Teasing, tugging and pinning your locks can put added stress on your hair. Just because hair is strong doesn’t mean it should go through a daily torture test. Help maintain hair’s elasticity by avoiding harsh styling products—and harsh styling.
Be Gentle! Don’t aggressively brush your hair. Tangles are a pain—not just on your scalp, but because they’re a leading cause of hair breakage and split ends. Don’t force the brush through your hair (especially if it’s wet) and use a wide-tooth comb when possible.
Before you throw out your straighteners, brush and hairdryer, you should know that using a strengthening shampoo and conditioner can help prevent split ends from forming by using technology proven to moisturize and smooth split end prone hair. They’ll also target and reinforce weak spots along the hair fibre, fortifying tips to help prevent split ends before they start!
If breakage has already occurred, don’t worry! You can still stage an intervention to repair weak hair. Although the only permanent fix for split ends is a haircut, using a split-end treatment can bind split ends between washes. Its advanced technology (read: positively-charged ingredients that help hold the negatively-charged ends together) works by ‘gluing’ the interior components of your hair back together.