Why do my ends split despite my proper hair care?

[noahnoah]

I've never had this problem before, always had thick and healthy hair. For the past couple of months / past year my ends are CONSTANTLY splitting, no matter how often I trim or D&S. To be honest my hair is more dry, damaged, split, and brittle than it was when I had bleached it platinum blonde (that was 10 years ago, so the hair I have now is virgin hair) :eek:

It was only 3 months ago I had them cut off 10 cm but still I am seeing split ends and white balls CONSTANTLY. It feels like my hair just wont grow any longer than down to the waist.

What I dont get though is how it is possible that my hair is so brittle and split when I NEVER use heat tools, I always air dry my hair or use cool air. I never use styling gels or anything else than shampoo, conditioner and deep conditioner. I don't brush it rough (always use a soft tangle teezer). I only wear it down or in soft braids - no other hairstyles that'd be damaging or pull the hair. I have not colored it, bleached it, or anything. I dont expose it to sun.

So I'm worried this may be a health issue or vitamin deficiency - as I can't see it beeing damage. I've thinking about starting with Silica. Will this help?

I also need to mention I suffer from SD and sometimes I use a corticosteroids (Betamethasone) for my scalp which gives me some relief (because it's sooo itchy). I know this is extremely drying but I only apply it to my scalp so I can't see how it would affect my ends? I use a normal pair of scissors to trim my hair so I'm also worried it may cause more harm than good (if the scissors arent sharp enough).

Please help!!

[spidermom]

Do keep in mind that the hair at your scalp eventually becomes your ends.

I could never overcome the problem of split ends, either. I was still able to grow my hair out to classic length.

[Chromis]

I still get splits too, but what jumps out at me as some possible things to try for lessening them would be to get a pair of hair shears that you only use for hair and to learn some of the many ways to put your hair up. Hair accumulates a lot more damage when it is down.

When I used dull scissors to cut my hair before, it made my splits worse. I had white dots on *all* of the cut ends! Blunt scissors crush the end of the hair instead of cutting cleanly. Hair scissors don't need to cost a ton, but you do need to be sure they are only ever used on hair.

Taking supplements or improving your diet can have an effect on the hair currently growing out of your follicles, but will not change the ends.

[pili]

It also jumped out at me that you only wear your hair down and in braids. You may be experiencing mechanical damage from chairs, car seat, clothes, just general friction.

[lapushka]

What's good health care? Everyone fills that in for themselves. Some people like to CO-wash, others like sulfates, or sulfate-free, or silicones or silicone-free, and it might be in that product use and use of methods too.

Do you wear it down or bunned and braided and tucked away.

I'd maybe try the LOC method for styling, to see if you can keep those ends more moisturized.
Also, maybe switch up your method for washing to CWC, or WCC, or CO-washing?

[bparnell75]

I remember split ends in High school. I used a lot of bobby pins for pin curls something I no longer do. But for years I cannot remember one single split end. Even now that I micro trim only twice a year I do not see any. I have no clue why. I do not use any special shampoos or conditioners, seldom oil, I just gently comb and brush. So who knows what causes them?

[youngtundra]

I've never had this problem before, always had thick and healthy hair. For the past couple of months / past year my ends are CONSTANTLY splitting, no matter how often I trim or D&S. To be honest my hair is more dry, damaged, split, and brittle than it was when I had bleached it platinum blonde (that was 10 years ago, so the hair I have now is virgin hair) :eek:

It was only 3 months ago I had them cut off 10 cm but still I am seeing split ends and white balls CONSTANTLY. It feels like my hair just wont grow any longer than down to the waist.

What I dont get though is how it is possible that my hair is so brittle and split when I NEVER use heat tools, I always air dry my hair or use cool air. I never use styling gels or anything else than shampoo, conditioner and deep conditioner. I don't brush it rough (always use a soft tangle teezer). I only wear it down or in soft braids - no other hairstyles that'd be damaging or pull the hair. I have not colored it, bleached it, or anything. I dont expose it to sun.

So I'm worried this may be a health issue or vitamin deficiency - as I can't see it beeing damage. I've thinking about starting with Silica. Will this help?

I also need to mention I suffer from SD and sometimes I use a corticosteroids (Betamethasone) for my scalp which gives me some relief (because it's sooo itchy). I know this is extremely drying but I only apply it to my scalp so I can't see how it would affect my ends? I use a normal pair of scissors to trim my hair so I'm also worried it may cause more harm than good (if the scissors arent sharp enough).

Please help!!


You may try using aloe juice on your scalp. Maui Moisture shampoos include it as the base ingredient...

My breakage got a lot better after starting to co-wash. I use Maui Moisture or Shea Moisture conditioners.

[lapushka]

You may try using aloe juice on your scalp. Maui Moisture shampoos include it as the base ingredient...

My breakage got a lot better after starting to co-wash. I use Maui Moisture or Shea Moisture conditioners.

Isn't that a newer product? :)

I don't see how AV on the scalp can help splits on the ends that she has *now*.

[Shorty89]

When did you start using the tangle teezer? I know that I found more breakage with my (knock-off) one. :shrug:

[youngtundra]

Isn't that a newer product? :)

I don't see how AV on the scalp can help splits on the ends that she has *now*.

Yeah I hadn't seen it in stores until recently.

Oh it won't, it just helps prevent more of them. I know I've had to just trim my splits, but I noticed I haven't had them reoccur as often.

[Kellylee]

What kind of scissors are you using? Dull scissors can cause split ends. You should only use hair cutting scissors.

[Arctic]

When I used cortisone on my scalp it made my whole hair so tangly it was horrible. My impression was that a) it did travel down even when I tied carefully keep it at scalp and b) it seemed to have effect on how my hair behaved and acted. Not adicing you to give up it of course, but it might have something to do with your splits.

I have liked taking DE (type of silica) occasionally for my hair, skin and nails, but it's usually not something people are deficient of to my knowledge. If you have, say, vitamin D deficiency, silica isn't going to fix it.

[Aphra]

Random thing not mentioned yet - have you moved recently? Type of water can affect hair condition, so if you'd moved from a soft to hard area etc, that might be a contributor.

[rosebridget]

I'm on a never ending quest to minimize split ends in my hair. Here are a few thoughts I had while reading your post...

1. What hair ties do you use? Do they have metal on them (like this (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Hair_ties.jpg/220px-Hair_ties.jpg))? that might be snagging your ends without you realizing. Even without the metal part, however, I've found that some hair ties still create too much friction in my hair
2. Consider using hair sticks...? putting your hair up in a bun with a stick won't bother your ends
3. I recently started sleeping with a silk bonnet on my head and it has been helping SO MUCH. you can also use a satin bonnet for the same effect, I think. It keeps your hair nice and snug with no friction at night. I really feel like my hair got the most damage at night before when I would sleep with my hair in a braid. So, for me, using a silk bonnet has made the biggest noticeable difference
4. As someone else mentioned, make sure to use hair scissors only in the future!
5. I doubt it's vitamin deficiency because if that were the case you would notice in other ways than just through your hair (how do you feel physically, for example?) still it never hurts to take a daily vitamin.
6. look into the different oils a lot of people on this forum use. I really think that using oils has helped my hair a lot too.

[yamsha23]

I use a normal pair of scissors to trim my hair so I'm also worried it may cause more harm than good (if the scissors arent sharp enough).

Please help!!

That's the problem ! :pirate:

[Nique1202]

Firstly, wearing your hair down is causing friction damage over time. Loose and in braids with the tails hanging loose are the two most damaging hair styles to wear. You have to protect the ends from rubbing against as much as possible, and this usually means either pinning up your braid tail or making a bun. I don't know what your length is, but look up the disc bun on youtube and grab a pencil or a pen, and practice until you can get it to sit comfortably. That's a solid first step.

Secondly, while I don't think this is your main issue, you should get a pair of hair shears and hide them from everyone else in your house so that they are only ever used for your hair. They don't have to be expensive ones, you can get a pair from a place like Wal-Mart for $10 if that's all you have in your budget, but the most important thing is that they can't be used to cut anything other than hair, or they'll get dull faster. If you live near a place that offers knife and scissor sharpening services, see if you can save up to have those shears sharpened, just once, and you should never need to replace them again. (Professional hairstylists sharpen their scissors every 6 months, but they cut 6 or more whole heads of hair a day. If you space that out, one pair of decently sharp scissors should last a single person a lifetime.)

Thirdly, consider getting a light serum (with silicones) for use on your ends now and then. Oils help protect hair from friction, and silicones are even better at this. You don't have to use a ton of it (one drop at a time, spread over the hands and then gently worked into the ends and a little way up the length, never so much that it starts to look greasy) and you don't necessarily have to use it often (it depends on how cleansing your routine is, you may only need to use the stuff once every few washes) but serum has helped cut down drastically on damage and split ends for a lot of us around these parts, when used in moderation.

[Reyesuela]

Steroids won't cause it. If your hair is longer, it's probably friction from wearing it down. I can't believe how much healthier my hair is now that I wear it up.

[lapushka]

That's the problem ! :pirate:

Yes, never use "normal" shears for hair, you need special hair shears and they can be gotten from drugstores at a reasonable price already, so no need to use regular shears at all.

[Grow]

Hello guys, I also have a question in regards to hair care.

I learned some great tips from here like sleeping on silk and the wonderful kent woodyhog brush, but after 2 years of trimming my hair finally needs a big cut. :( It's like the last two months it just became a ratty mess. (I have fine) I use Noah and Green People shampoo/conditioners to avoid parabens but I feel they seem to not do my hair or scalp any good. (Green people used to be great for me.) My hair is just very dry with high split ends.

When I go to the hairdressers, what should I ask for? Layers? How do I chop all the bad off while still retaining a good length?

Also, my hair is very frizzy these days, but it is thin so I don't know what to use as with too much product it looks greasy.

The length I have right now is Just above chest, In Oct 2015 I had it cut to shoulder.

[lapushka]

Hello guys, I also have a question in regards to hair care.

I learned some great tips from here like sleeping on silk and the wonderful kent woodyhog brush, but after 2 years of trimming my hair finally needs a big cut. :( It's like the last two months it just became a ratty mess. (I have fine) I use Noah and Green People shampoo/conditioners to avoid parabens but I feel they seem to not do my hair or scalp any good. (Green people used to be great for me.) My hair is just very dry with high split ends.

I think I'd try changing up the products you use *before* going to the hairdressers. You might be in need of a good clarify-wash! And that could be all it is!

[Reyesuela]

You shouldn't ever need a "big cut" if you trim regularly. Something else is up. You're either badly damaging your hair or, more likely, you need different hair products.

[noahnoah]

Do keep in mind that the hair at your scalp eventually becomes your ends.
I could never overcome the problem of split ends, either. I was still able to grow my hair out to classic length.

I know but I've only recently started using that stuff in my scalp and it'd take at least 10 years until the hair at my scalp becomes my ends :/ What is considered classic lenght?

[noahnoah]

THANKS SO MUCH for all the helpful replies here! I think the scissors might be the culprit. I'll try to get professional hairdresser scissors (anyone know where to get these) and if I can't find that, I'll just try to buy a new pair of quality scissors that I only use for my hair.



When I used dull scissors to cut my hair before, it made my splits worse. I had white dots on *all* of the cut ends! Blunt scissors crush the end of the hair instead of cutting cleanly. Hair scissors don't need to cost a ton, but you do need to be sure they are only ever used on hair. .
I almost feel like my hair starte to split MORE after I started S&D!




What's good health care?
When you do nothign to your hair basically. Just keep it natural or as natural as you can. For example I never use hair spray, mousse, gels, or heat styling tools on my hair. Dont dye, bleach, relax my hair. I just wash it. That's it. I'm fairly careful when I detangle it. And I simply dont do much with it at all. That's what I meant by good care.

I absolutely hate CO-washing. Will never ever try that ever again. Didn't work for me. I also tried other methods, nothing works. I've tried so many different shampoos/conditioners. I'll google the LOC method (never heard of it before), thanks!


When did you start using the tangle teezer? I know that I found more breakage with my (knock-off) one. :shrug:
A year or so. I could never have thought it'd be because of it! :O Mine is a knock off too haha. But I seldom hear my hair split when I use the teezer, but whenever I use a regular comb I can always hair multiple hairs splitting.



When I used cortisone on my scalp it made my whole hair so tangly it was horrible. My impression was that a) it did travel down even when I tied carefully keep it at scalp and b) it seemed to have effect on how my hair behaved and acted. Not adicing you to give up it of course, but it might have something to do with your splits.
THIS! You cannot imagine how matte and tangled my hair has become! I was tro post another thread on this but the forum died and I lost my message. I was to say that my lenghts have become soooo dry, brittle, matte, and tangled. Like, it's INSANE how matte and tangled they are (all whilst the scalp is still stinky and oily). But I didn't think the tangly issue was because of the cortisone because I only use it in my scalp and have for a year or two (don't recall exactly) and it wouldnt affect the lenghts!

But I can definitely relate to what you're writing, it's scary! My hair has also changed how it's behaving and the texture is so different too. Geesh, maybe it IS that stupid cortisone?!

I just dont know what to do. My scalp issues are HARSH. Nothing works. The cortisone hardly works but at least it alleviates some of the itchiness.

Did you stop taking the cortisone?





1. What hair ties do you use? Do they have metal on them (like this)? that might be snagging your ends without you realizing. Even without the metal part, however, I've found that some hair ties still create too much friction in my hair
2. Consider using hair sticks...? putting your hair up in a bun with a stick won't bother your ends
3. I recently started sleeping with a silk bonnet on my head and it has been helping SO MUCH. you can also use a satin bonnet for the same effect, I think. It keeps your hair nice and snug with no friction at night. I really feel like my hair got the most damage at night before when I would sleep with my hair in a braid. So, for me, using a silk bonnet has made the biggest noticeable difference
4. As someone else mentioned, make sure to use hair scissors only in the future!

1. hair ties w/o metal. I'm still looking for scrunchies.
2. I didn't know that was a thing! Sounds hard! Have to learn how to do that. I suck as styling/hairdo's haha.
3. Would a silk bonnet have a negative impact on the scalp? Derm told me I need to let it breath. My hair def. looks like a mess when waking up, despite having braids.

[Reyesuela]

Cortisone has been shown to increase hair density (overall) and thickness (individual). It isn't causing these problems.

Is your hair a little finer than it used to be, meaning individual hairs? If so, it's likely that mechanical damage is just bothering it a lot more than it used to. There can also be issues if your hair is longer than it was. Finally, aging does affect the quality of the individual strands for many people.

You'll just have to treat it like it's more fragile and minimize protein loss and friction damage with coconut oil, silk pillowcase/headscarf, a slip agent (silicones or a slippery oil for the length), and more updos and less wearing it down.

Clothing friction alone is enough to give be that kind of damage on hair over 4 years old will my active lifestyle!

Trying for a more HELPFUL answer than my first one.

You may have changed conditioner, maybe? If you are using products with fewer slip agents, that alone could entirely account for it!

[Arctic]

THANKS SO MUCH for all the helpful replies here! I think the scissors might be the culprit. I'll try to get professional hairdresser scissors (anyone know where to get these) and if I can't find that, I'll just try to buy a new pair of quality scissors that I only use for my hair.

THIS! You cannot imagine how matte and tangled my hair has become! I was tro post another thread on this but the forum died and I lost my message. I was to say that my lenghts have become soooo dry, brittle, matte, and tangled. Like, it's INSANE how matte and tangled they are (all whilst the scalp is still stinky and oily). But I didn't think the tangly issue was because of the cortisone because I only use it in my scalp and have for a year or two (don't recall exactly) and it wouldnt affect the lenghts!

But I can definitely relate to what you're writing, it's scary! My hair has also changed how it's behaving and the texture is so different too. Geesh, maybe it IS that stupid cortisone?!

I just dont know what to do. My scalp issues are HARSH. Nothing works. The cortisone hardly works but at least it alleviates some of the itchiness.

Did you stop taking the cortisone?


Yes I stopped using it. It was a 3 month use, 2 week on, two weeks off by doctor's orders. I didn't see any help for my issues and the way it made my hair feel was just horrible. I even started a thread about it here (which tells something about how bad it was as I rarely start threads). I might not have been cortisone itself, but some of the other ingredients of the liquid, but I have no clue what: I have since used other alcohol based scalp treatments which have not had the effects cortisone medication had.

Sorry to hear about your scalp problems, they sound very difficult. I have super sensitive, borderline problem scalp myself although probably much milder case than yours (I have SD and very sensitive, reactive scalp skin to products and to sebum). I have had very good, almost life changing experiences with active ingredient called piroctone olamine, in shampoos I mean. This ingredient really seemed to same my life and I have been using it for 10 year of not more. It is enough to keep my scalp happy for 95% of the time. Of course your problems might be completely different to mine, but I just put this ingredient out here because it's been powerful in my experience (even on market brands using it) and it's not very well known.

I'll come back in a minute to add a link to my old thread.
ETA: Here it is! http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=135008 I am not mentioning the cortisone there as I am sometime fiersely private person to a point not being helpful, but this medication I'm talking about there is cortisone liquid.

[noahnoah]

Cortisone has been shown to increase hair density (overall) and thickness (individual). It isn't causing these problems.

Is your hair a little finer than it used to be, meaning individual hairs? If so, it's likely that mechanical damage is just bothering it a lot more than it used to. There can also be issues if your hair is longer than it was. Finally, aging does affect the quality of the individual strands for many people.

You'll just have to treat it like it's more fragile and minimize protein loss and friction damage with coconut oil, silk pillowcase/headscarf, a slip agent (silicones or a slippery oil for the length), and more updos and less wearing it down.

Clothing friction alone is enough to give be that kind of damage on hair over 4 years old will my active lifestyle!

Trying for a more HELPFUL answer than my first one.

You may have changed conditioner, maybe? If you are using products with fewer slip agents, that alone could entirely account for it!


Are you sure? The derm said the corticosteroid was proper drying? I dont know the difference between corticosteroid and cortisone. It's weird if it would be drying to skin and scalp but not hair? Yes, actually, now when you mention it, it almost feels as if my strands ARE finer + more matte + dry + brittle + tangled + frizzy + stiff than they used to be. Before they used to be more "slippery/soft", whereas now they feel more rough/matte/stiff and it causes a lot more friction. I don't even know how to describe it, but think the opposite of slippery and soft. The texture is completely different.

I occassionally do use hair oil, because I find it makes the hair more slippery and that doesn tmake it tangle as much. But the hair oil is still a short term fix and doesnt do much in the long run. I do have a silk pollowcase.

I'm not sure if I agree that clothing friction alone is enough to give that kind of damage because I'm had long hair for almost all my life and I've never, ever had this weird issue. I've even had it longer than now and never had these issues. There was even a period when I bleached my hair and it was still more soft than it is now (and after a long period of over-bleaching it turned stiff and I cut it off hehe). Sure, my hair has been frizzy and such, but never like THIS. I feel something is seriously wrong with my hair.

I switch up and change shampoo and conditioners all the time so I don't think it's that either? May I ask why many recommend silicones? I thought that was bad for hair?

This is a pure mystery ... Thanks for helping me out!=)





Yes I stopped using it. It was a 3 month use, 2 week on, two weeks off by doctor's orders. I didn't see any help for my issues and the way it made my hair feel was just horrible. I even started a thread about it here (which tells something about how bad it was as I rarely start threads). I might not have been cortisone itself, but some of the other ingredients of the liquid, but I have no clue what: I have since used other alcohol based scalp treatments which have not had the effects cortisone medication had.

Sorry to hear about your scalp problems, they sound very difficult. I have super sensitive, borderline problem scalp myself although probably much milder case than yours (I have SD and very sensitive, reactive scalp skin to products and to sebum). I have had very good, almost life changing experiences with active ingredient called piroctone olamine, in shampoos I mean. This ingredient really seemed to same my life and I have been using it for 10 year of not more. It is enough to keep my scalp happy for 95% of the time. Of course your problems might be completely different to mine, but I just put this ingredient out here because it's been powerful in my experience (even on market brands using it) and it's not very well known.

I'll come back in a minute to add a link to my old thread.
ETA: Here it is! http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=135008 I am not mentioning the cortisone there as I am sometime fiersely private person to a point not being helpful, but this medication I'm talking about there is cortisone liquid.
Yeah, my scalp issues just came overnight, literally, and won't go away. Thing is I don't even know if I believe it's SD anylonger because it just behaves differently. I think I started a thread about it 2-3 years ago but I'm still in the same situation - no solution found. piroctone olamine - haven't heard of it but will look into it. I've tried so much and nothing helps. It's super itchy, gets super oily and stinks, yes, stinks, of yeast. Does that sound like the problem you had?

[beneaththetrees]

Thirdly, consider getting a light serum (with silicones) for use on your ends now and then. Oils help protect hair from friction, and silicones are even better at this. You don't have to use a ton of it (one drop at a time, spread over the hands and then gently worked into the ends and a little way up the length, never so much that it starts to look greasy) and you don't necessarily have to use it often (it depends on how cleansing your routine is, you may only need to use the stuff once every few washes) but serum has helped cut down drastically on damage and split ends for a lot of us around these parts, when used in moderation.
Do you have a certain kind you like? I have similar issues with splits, and this seems like a great idea!