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Top 10 split end busters


One of our fave forums for hair facts is The Long Hair Forum. If you want to grow your hair longer, it is THE site to see. They have a great list of tips that we’re sharing with you in today’s post. Click here to read their orginal list: “Keeping Splits At Bay: Secrets of Gently Handling Your Hair”

split-ends.jpg1) Move Your Mane

If your hair is long enough to get caught under coat collars or under shoulder straps (for Messenger bags, back pack, etc) then be sure to move your hair before putting on that bag.

2) Keep Air off Your Hair

Does your hair whip in the wind? Wind knots up hair. Knots damage length. Damaged length causes more splits. Eventually the damaged length splits. Restrain your hair when you are going to be in a lot of wind.

3) Wash Warily

Only apply shampoo to roots where it needs it. Avoid washing the dried out ends.

4) Be Picky About Piling Hair On Top

Do you pile your hair on top of your head when you shampoo? This creates MANY opportunities for splits. Shampoo really only needs to be applied to your roots. That’s where the grease/oil is. Personally, I condition the length of my hair, apply shampoo to my scalp (down to ears), rinse, then apply conditioner again, rinse. This is called CWC (Condition Wash Condition). All the while, the length of my hair just hangs down my back.

5) Towel Drying is Treacherous

When you dry your hair, do you scrub your scalp with a towel? It feels great, but it will rip, strip, pop, snap and fry your hair in no time! Many of us use some sort of a turbie type towel/turban for drying our hair. Others put a towel on their back and let the hair drip onto the towel.

6) Blow Off Blow Drying

Do you blow dry your hair? The heat and the wind created by the blowfryer (no that isn’t a typo) really damages hair, too. Any heat styling tool can potentially damage hair. If you feel you must use them, keep the temperature low and exposure time to your hair short.

7) Subdue Your Shampoo

How often do you shampoo? Regardless of HOW you shampoo, how OFTEN do you do it? Many of us have found that 2-3 shampooings per week is sufficient. It takes a few weeks to train your scalp to have fewer washings, but it helps protect the ends. Not everyone has success with fewer shampooings, though.

8) Condition, condition, condition

Do you use conditioner or a cream rinse when you shampoo? My personal belief is, if you want long hair you need to condition it EVERY time you shampoo. If nothing else, it helps detangle my hair. You also might consider using a leave in conditioner, especially one that helps detangle (and gives slip).

9) Oil Often

You can oil the length of your hair daily. Many long hairs do this. They put a small drop in the palm of their hand, rub their hands together and lightly apply the oil to the ends only of the hair. There is an abundance of oils that you can use, some are quite exotic. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is probably the most common, but there is a long list of oils everyone has tried and ones that each person likes/doesn`t like.

10) Consider Combing Cautiously

After you’ve shampooed, when/how do you brush/comb your hair? Generally, brushing wet hair is bad for the hair. Hair is most delicate when wet. Brushing tends to stretch the strands. Stretching the strands puts wear and tear, which causes damage, which causes splits.

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Joan January 20, 2015, 3:52 pm

    My Favorite is Pro Naturals

  • Jay of Relaxed Thairapy March 18, 2015, 10:28 pm

    I love avocado, hemp, wheat germ and argan. Avocado is my favorite.

  • Erickah - Audacity to be You(nique) February 20, 2016, 4:01 am

    YES! Conditioner is a must! It is almost a solution for anything when it comes to hair.

  • Sonya August 22, 2016, 10:21 am

    I have much healthier hair thanks to this website and the long hair website you mentioned! I stopped brushing my wet hair; minimize blow dries; switched to a more gentle turban (I use the Terry Top), more gentle hair ties, wide toothed comb, and silk pillowcase; and use coconut oil on my pony tail every other day before my workout. Thank you to everyone who educated me!

  • thyme September 16, 2017, 11:54 am

    I have very dry hair, so it gets tangled easily and just now I realized I have a lot of split ends, so more hair falls happening too. Can you kindly suggest what type of shampoo and deep conditioner could be good for me? I come from a place where it’s basically hot most of the year. Thanks for the great post!