How to Remove and Prevent Split Ends

Split ends look unsightly and often reappear within a few days of being removed. Fortunately, you can apply many ways to get rid of split ends and take care of them so that they no longer have split ends.

Table of Contents

Get rid of split ends

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Check for damage to your hair. Split ends aren’t the only sign of damaged hair. Dry and tangled hair is also a form of damage. However, if you are looking for split ends, check your hair carefully by looking in a mirror in a well-lit place. Split ends usually appear at the ends of your hair but can appear anywhere on your hair. Split ends and related damage can occur in a variety of ways. You’ll probably want to get rid of the following features from your hair: ^{[1] X Research Source}

The ends of the hair split into two or more small strands.
White dots appear at the ends of the hair
Knots on flaking (usually appearing on dry and frizzy hair)

Trim split ends . If you don’t need to cut your hair yet, you can treat split ends yourself. Trim split ends with small scissors, as regular scissors can cause frizz and increase split ends. Make a cut about 0.65cm above the split ends of each hair. If you cut too close to the damaged part, the split ends will soon reappear. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Some split ends create a small knot just above the damaged hair. Remember to cut on this part.
Remember that cutting split ends can change or damage your hairstyle. For best results, you should treat split ends at the hair salon.

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Cut your hair regularly. Hairdressers can trim split ends, but will also cut 0.5-2.5cm of your hair length. Hair will eventually grow and need to be cut. However, the waiting time for a haircut will depend on the type of hair, the strength of the hair and the condition of the split ends. This period can last from 4 weeks to 3 months.

Not trimming split ends yourself or not going to the barber shop won’t help you maintain the length of your hair. Untreated split ends will gradually weaken and break.

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Take some steps to keep the length of your hair. If cutting split ends is affecting the length of your hair, consider a layering. You can ask your hairdresser to cut the damaged part of the hair in the outer layer, keeping the inner layers and hair length. With frizzy hair, using a gentle softener has the same effect, allowing you to style your hair with ease and avoid cutting off strong hair.

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Be careful when using hair restoration products. Several conditioners and hair care products are on the market that claim to “treat” split ends. In fact, these products only help close the split ends so they don’t come out, but the damage is still there. You can use these products for temporary “fire-fighting,” but relying on them for a long time can dry out your hair and increase damage. ^{[3] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

Wash, dry, and comb your hair to make it healthy

Apply shampoo carefully. Using too much shampoo can strip the hair of good oils, making it prone to damage. Follow these tips to find a treatment that will reverse split ends: ^{[4] X Research Source}

Avoid washing your hair more than 3 times per week (or wash less if you have thick, curly or frizzy hair).
Only massage the shampoo into the scalp and nearby hair. Do not apply shampoo to the rest of your hair, as the soapy water running down will help clean the hair.
Hot water washes away the protective oils from the hair; Therefore, you should rinse your hair with cold water at a tolerable level.

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Use conditioner. After washing your hair, rinse your hair and squeeze it gently to reduce the water on your hair. Next, apply conditioner along the length of your hair but remember to focus on the ends. Leave the conditioner in your hair for at least 3 minutes before rinsing it out.

Gently dry the hair. Using strong force to dry your hair with a towel can cause damage to your hair. Instead, use a microfiber towel to gently squeeze your hair to reduce excess water. After the hair has reduced the water, you just need to dry your hair naturally.

If you want your hair to dry faster, use a blow dryer on medium or low heat, preferably a cool setting. Place the dryer a few centimeters away from your hair to limit damage to your hair.
If you usually wrap your hair in a towel, replace it with a cotton t-shirt.

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Regular intensive hair care. If your conditioner routine isn’t working, try an “intensive conditioner” once or twice a month. However, you do not need to use expensive intensive hair products. The best intensive moisturizing product is coconut oil because it has the right chemical structure that easily penetrates deep into the hair. Here’s how to intensively condition your hair: ^{[5] X Research Source}

Absorb water to moisten hair.
Put a teaspoon of coconut oil in the palm of your hand. If the coconut oil is still hard, simply rub your palms together until the oil comes out.
Apply coconut oil to your hair.
Leave the coconut oil on the hair for about 5-10 minutes for severely damaged hair.
Rinse hair with cold water.

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Choose the appropriate tooth or bristle comb. A comb is a tool that helps you untangle your hair, not make it fall out. People with thick hair should choose a wide tooth comb, a wooden comb or a specialized comb. For thin hair, you should use a close-tooth comb, a wooden comb or a bristle comb or a soft-bristled comb made from natural fibers.

Comb your hair gently. Start brushing from the ends of your hair and work your way up to the top of your head. When you encounter tangles, you will stop and detangle with your fingers before continuing to comb.

Stop tangling or combing your hair backwards. This movement exerts force on the hair roots, causing the hair to break easily.
Don’t brush your hair more than necessary. After the hair is no longer tangled, you do not need to comb it further.
Hair is very weak when wet. You should only brush your hair when it’s dry, unless you have curly hair that needs to be brushed while still wet.

Protect hair

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Protect your hair while you sleep. Placing your hair in a braid or bun at bedtime can help you avoid tangles and breakage. Sleep hats or pillowcases made of satin also work the same way.

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Choose a balanced diet. You need to supplement the necessary amount of vitamins and proteins to ensure that your body has enough nutrients to maintain strong hair. Healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids also give hair volume and shine. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Vitamin E is extremely useful. This vitamin is found in many foods such as seeds, seeds, avocados, vegetable oils, green vegetables and some fish.

Oil hair care. Choose oils with high nutritional content such as almond oil, argan oil, egg oil, castor oil, extra virgin olive oil. The oil will lubricate the hair shaft, avoiding split ends. You should use the oil twice a week to cover your hair overnight with a protective cap and rinse your hair in the morning. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Avoid products that contain paraffin or kerosene as these are ingredients that cause hair dryness.
Apply the oil from the center of your hair downwards. Applying oil near the scalp can cause dandruff or damage the roots.

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Use the right hair accessories. Elastic bands that tie your hair tightly or have metal parts can cause damage to your hair, especially when used for a long time. Fabric-covered hair elastics and ribbons will not have a strong impact on the hair.

If you need to use an elastic band to tie your hair, make sure not to tie it too tightly so it doesn’t break.

Use a hair mask. Using a hair mask once every 1 or 2 weeks will hydrate, prevent damage and help strengthen hair. You will apply the mask to your hair, but avoid the scalp and leave it on for about 30 minutes. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Try making a hair mask out of olive oil, honey, and conditioner.

Prevent damage

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Protects hair from heat. Heat changes the properties of the keratin (protein) in the hair, making it weak and prone to split ends. Heat treatments are the main cause of hair damage and split ends. Some examples include blow drying, heat styling, straightening, curling, and steaming. If you use these methods, keep the following in mind: ^{[9] X Research Sources}

Do not straighten your hair or apply high heat methods more than once in two weeks, only once a month.
Choose a straightener or other device that allows you to precisely control the temperature. Always set the temperature lower than 180ºC.
Let your hairdresser know you want to use a low heat source.

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Protect your hair before entering the pool, sea or lake. Consider applying a special hair conditioner before swimming. Or, you can use a dry conditioner, hair conditioner, and/or a swim cap. Rinse your hair before swimming can reduce the ability to absorb harmful chemicals. Remember to rinse your hair and wash it right after swimming.

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Protect hair from sun damage. Ultraviolet rays not only damage the skin but also damage the hair. Therefore, you should bun your hair when wearing a hat or using a dry conditioner with effective sun protection.

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Minimize the use of hair dyes, curlers, and bleaches. These are extremely harmful products for hair similar to other industrial products. Try to limit dyeing, perm and bleaching. Instead, you should choose to re-color your dyed and bleached hair from time to time, such as once every 6-8 weeks.

For example, if you have dyed or bleached your hair, you should only color the roots when needed. Don’t re-dye your whole hair every time the roots grow out.
If you have curled your hair, you should only curl it when absolutely necessary, or consider stopping curling when your hair is damaged.

Advice

Don’t separate split ends, as this will only make it worse.
Drink plenty of water to keep your hair healthy.
Do not bleach your hair often to avoid damage.
Try using a wide tooth comb to comb your hair.
Don’t brush your hair in a hurry. Start at the ends of your hair and carefully untangle your hair, then work your way up.
Some people lighten their hair color with honey. Although this makes only very small changes, it is less damaging than using industrial dyes.
Don’t wash your hair every day to avoid drying out your oily skin and stripping your hair of its natural oils.

Things you need

Trim your hair regularly
Weekly hair mask
Conditioner
Dry conditioners and smoothing products
Wide tooth comb
Matching headband (if needed)
Wire-haired

Steps