Is it a must that you must cut split ends away?

[Priska]

Is there anybody here, who has only been conditioning dry ends so that they look good enough so that you don't need to cut them? What kind of products do you use?

Cutting makes hair growing so slow... my hair always grows to a certain length and then if I cut all dry ends away my hair never grows long. But If I don't cut, it feels the dry part grows further down and the more moist part of my hair grows longer too.

[milosmomma]

It's not a must to cut out your splits at all. Keeping them around may slow down your growth rate though . Oil and silicone products will definitely help temporarily "bind" and smooth out their appearance and stop them from causing more tangles and damage.
I used to relentlessly search and destroy my split ends but I havent bothered with them for about 6 months now and my hair doesnt seem any worse off than when I was keeping up with them.

[squirrrel]

There is no musts in hair care. Iy is all about personal choice. Some members here have grown out with splits and white dots and have then cut back to above that point to grow out healthy from there. However, you have to know what your hair is like: some people find that their hair will have split ends travel up the shaft. Splits tend to become more damage prone than non split hair. For some it is not worth it as their damaged, splitting hair needs so much more care and protection than the rest of their hair. And some of us come to accept that split ends are a fact of having long hair.

[lapis_lazuli]

I no longer go searching for split ends to cut off. I will always have a few; that's just my hair. My ends aren't dry though. Is your hair really split or just dry?

[illicitlizard]

I no longer go searching for split ends to cut off. I will always have a few; that's just my hair. My ends aren't dry though. Is your hair really split or just dry?

^^ This. I haven't found that my ends break particularly when there are splits so I wouldn't call it mandatory to cut them. My ends also feel different when they're split, they feel raggedy, not dry. Dry usually just means I need a hair mask/different conditioner.

You can also seal the ends with silicone to protect them if that's you're thing. Helps make them feel better if they're splitting.

[Jools69]

I always wondered whether you need to bother trim splits off and if they do indeed travel up the shaft. Over the years, I’ve never seen any of my splits travel that much up - perhaps half an inch or so? Even though I used to abuse my hair in the past. I guess it depend on your hair: how you care for it and whether you want to accept them as part of growing your hair. My current way of thinking is not to be too obsessed about it, because at the end of the day that strand of hair will eventually shed anyway. It just depends whether you’re comfortable with it or not, until you decide it’s time for a trim.

[ChloeDharma]

As others have said, it really is a choice you need to make based on preference and weighing up the pros and cons. Personally I feel that it's best to trim an actual split, not just because of the damage it can bring further up the shaft but because in my experience splits tangle with neighbouring hairs causing more breakage.
I do think though that people often think dryness or roughness are splits and that's not always the case.

You mention that your hair grows to a certain length and then the ends get dryer. It's possible that maybe there is a point where your length is being mechanically damaged. Also it can possibly be a simple case of needing to clarify, particularly if you live in a hard water area or use styling products or ingredients like cones.

That you notice the change in your ends once you reach a certain length really does indicate to me that some changes in routine and/or handling of your hair could fix your problem.

Trimming or not trimming it's a good idea to protect your ends generally, oiling them or even using butters or silicone serums if those are your thing, whatever works to keep them protected well help in reducing the amounts of actual splits and fraying of ends.

[florenonite]

There is no musts in hair care. Iy is all about personal choice. Some members here have grown out with splits and white dots and have then cut back to above that point to grow out healthy from there. However, you have to know what your hair is like: some people find that their hair will have split ends travel up the shaft. Splits tend to become more damage prone than non split hair. For some it is not worth it as their damaged, splitting hair needs so much more care and protection than the rest of their hair. And some of us come to accept that split ends are a fact of having long hair.

This is my experience. In the past when I've had long hair (waist to BCL-ish area) I've been able to be pretty lackadaisical with haircare. I would wear it loose not-infrequently, including for sleep, and I mostly tied it up to get it out of the way as it rarely tangled.

Now I'm growing out some damage and it requires much more careful handling. It's not just that I actually have to use conditioner now, but also that I have to actually be careful to wear it up or it will be a complete mess. I washed my hair on Sunday morning this week and left it loose until Tuesday morning. Two years ago this wouldn't have been a bother, and a bit of finger combing would have sorted it. Yesterday? It was baaaaaad. Before all this damage, the last time I remember it being nearly this hard to detangle was when I had my hair curled for my sister's wedding and I slept on it loose with hairspray in it and tried to detangle it in the morning. And that's now become normal detangling for me if I don't bun/braid it 24/7.

So if you're choosing to grow out damage rather than cut it off, you may well find you need to be much stricter about wearing it up and carefully detangling than you would with healthier hair (this is a lesson I apparently still need to learn :p ).


I always wondered whether you need to bother trim splits off and if they do indeed travel up the shaft. Over the years, I’ve never seen any of my splits travel that much up - perhaps half an inch or so? Even though I used to abuse my hair in the past. I guess it depend on your hair: how you care for it and whether you want to accept them as part of growing your hair. My current way of thinking is not to be too obsessed about it, because at the end of the day that strand of hair will eventually shed anyway. It just depends whether you’re comfortable with it or not, until you decide it’s time for a trim.

I don't know if they're travelling up the shaft, but I have definitely seen splits a couple of inches up the hair shaft, with the ends of the split their own split ends, and the ends of THOSE were split, like my hair was literally fraying.

Now imagine how much tangling that causes with the surrounding hairs and, yup, I need to trim those off.

I also agree with ChloeDharma that it could be a routine/handling issue if it's always happening at the same length.

[Finda]

I mainly ignore split ends and it is possible to still let your hair grow, but I'm also very careful at handling my hear. I put it up in buns daily, sleep with a braid at night and I'm super careful with a brush. I also make sure that my hair has as little friction as possible. When I didn't do all of the above my hair broke off in chuncks underneath the neck area (with the culprit beeing probably a combination of hoodies and backpacks)

Recently I rediscovered coconut oil, I put it ony my ends the night before washing. In the morning I put conditioner on it, drink my coffee and then wash everything out with shampoo. I finish with a conditioner again. There is a thread here called CWC. That way my ends are so soft that I don't need any additional leave in. But I do have some leave in sprays with silicones for emergencies ;)

In case your hair tangles a lot during washing it might also help to look into ways to wash your hair with as little handling as possible.

And as someone else mentioned, having dry hair doesn't necessarily mean you have a lot of split ends. Then it's important to add a lot of moisture. Maybe look up haircare for high porosity hair. I still have my dry ends, but I also notice the healthy part growing down.

[cat11]

Its a personal choice like others have said. For me, it is a must. I don't s&d but do need to trim at least twice a year to keep the splits at bay, splits at the ends cause my entire hair to tangle more and they do travel up, for me. More tangling equals more broken hairs, more detangling, more handling, more damage.

[JasminxCat]

Its a personal choice like others have said. For me, it is a must. I don't s&d but do need to trim at least twice a year to keep the splits at bay, splits at the ends cause my entire hair to tangle more and they do travel up, for me. More tangling equals more broken hairs, more detangling, more handling, more damage.

Exactly this I agree. I have tried to forget about them but I can't no longer. All where I notice splits, I notice tangles that can be almost impossible to brush out. And when I do, I hear some rips and see fairy knots that eventually break off. My hair is noticeably shorter where this happens, it is all underneath where I used to wear Bobby pins to keep my bun up for work a year ago. Finally going in with some shears I ordered today to S&D

[Dark40]

Is there anybody here, who has only been conditioning dry ends so that they look good enough so that you don't need to cut them? What kind of products do you use?

Cutting makes hair growing so slow... my hair always grows to a certain length and then if I cut all dry ends away my hair never grows long. But If I don't cut, it feels the dry part grows further down and the more moist part of my hair grows longer too.

No, there is no must or need to cut off dry ends. If your ends or hair is just dry it just needs a product to give it moisture. Yes, cutting away dry ends definitely slows down the hair growth rate. I very rarely have splits. That because I use products to prevent them from coming on.

[GordonMurphella]

No, there is no must or need to cut off dry ends. If your ends or hair is just dry it just needs a product to give it moisture. Yes, cutting away dry ends definitely slows down the hair growth rate. I very rarely have splits. That because I use products to prevent them from coming on.

Hair grows from the root.

[lapushka]

Personally? I have never been in a hurry to snip splits off. I just gave up looking for them. I maintain classic, so need to cut off about 6 inches of hair yearly. So I don't bother, but every situation is different.

As long as you don't go overboard with it and "dig in" to your hemline. Too much = too much. Better always to pace yourself with S&D missions.

[cat11]

Exactly this I agree. I have tried to forget about them but I can't no longer. All where I notice splits, I notice tangles that can be almost impossible to brush out. And when I do, I hear some rips and see fairy knots that eventually break off. My hair is noticeably shorter where this happens, it is all underneath where I used to wear Bobby pins to keep my bun up for work a year ago. Finally going in with some shears I ordered today to S&D

I hope the s&d helps you and you are able to grow out the damaged parts soon. Bobby pins have caused me damage too, In the past.

[0xalis]

I don't think it's a must at all lol, but it prevents tangles, which can prevent more breakage. I choose to S&D because it is too damn satisfying!! :rollin:
And have you seen super-long hair that is practically devoid of splits? It's so nice! I want that, theoretically!

There are people for whom their religion asks they not take any sharp implement to their hairs ever, and many of them grow their hair to ankle length or longer.
They wear it up and don't abuse the heck out if it, but a lot of them aren't as intense about their hair quality as we are either lol.
Of course, those same people would likely grow MUCH longer if they trimmed, and with thicker hemlines, because breakage (mostly from tangles and friction rather than just simply split ends) causes false terminals.

[esmeralda80]

Is there anybody here, who has only been conditioning dry ends so that they look good enough so that you don't need to cut them? What kind of products do you use?


I damaged my hair severely all the way to the root about 6 months ago - everyone thought I had gotten a perm - that’s how dry and frizzy my hair was!

To counteract the dryness, I have faithfully used the SMT treatment I learned about on this site (basically mix a hydrating conditioner with aloe and honey). After shampooing, I use It’s a 10 leave in followed by a small amount of oil (either coconut or jojoba). I also wear my hair so the ends are protected.

Although the underlying damage can’t be reversed, I’m happy that after all this time my hair no longer looks or feels dry! So, yes, with the right products and treatment it is possible to get your ends to look good enough so you don’t have to cut them!

[maborosi]

Splits can travel up the hair shaft if you don't cut them. I find personally that my hair gets very tangled if I don't trim splits as soon as possible

[Shorty89]

Some people's hair can handle splits more than others. For me, I find that splits, fairy knots, and white dots create more tangles and breakage as the roughened hairs catch on each other. My hair is fine and fairly fragile though. People with more coarse hair might have more luck with not trimming splits.

[Dark40]

Hair grows from the root.

Yes, I already know that.

[shelomit]

To my mind, it is a matter of priorities + the behavior of your individual head of hair.

1. In your hair, do split ends generally herald coming breakage? (If so, do you care?)
2. In your hair, do split ends make your hair more susceptible to mechanical damage by "velcroing"? (If so, do you care?)
3. Do you not like how split ends look in, e.g., the tassel of your braid?

In my case, it is no to nos. 1 and 3, yes to no. 2. I do try to keep split ends down for that reason--when I have too many of them, I often get some breakage at the tips when putting a part in dry hair--but I also can't be bothered to worry about it too much. I tend to cut them out when I have a sick day or am otherwise bored and inactive. I think I've spent some time cutting split ends on three different occasions this year (not looking exhaustively at any of those times). It works okay for me.

[morrigan*]

Personally, i grew my hair to almost hip few years ago, with damaged ends, it was wispy and knotty and no matter how i babied it to me it never looked or felt good. I needed to use a ton of product for it to feel and look okay, and i rather mostly wore it up. For the past two or three years i kept my hair shortish, in between when my hair was not dyed at all, so it was the healthiest possible with minimal care it also looked and felt the best. And most importantly it grew faster. So yes if you want hair to grow fast you need to keep ends as healthy as possible. So this means keeping split ends to minimum. But if you had bigger cuts every so often and still find that you get a lot of damage you need to find why. And when you will solve this it will be easier to grow hair longer.

[Feral_]

Cutting splits won’t alter the hairs overall growth rate, just the aesthetics. As others have said, rougher grabby ends are more prone to tangles / breakage, as you have to do more mechanically to sort them. Products do not fix split ends, scissors do.

[lapushka]

Splits can travel up the hair shaft if you don't cut them. I find personally that my hair gets very tangled if I don't trim splits as soon as possible

It usually takes a while to do that, and worst case scenario, that hair is beyond saving. But it's just 1 hair. Or a couple, not like half of a head of hair. If I were to have that many, I'd trim!!!