what do split ends look like?

[ShadowSwallow]

I haven't cut my hair since October, but it's only just gotten long enough for me to look at it. I've only been kind to it since the beginning of January/February, but when I looked through my ends I couldn't find any split ends.

I'm not sure if I should be thrilled that my hair is so nice or disappointed that I have not a clue what on earth a split end looks like!

[Feisty Redhead]

Basically a split end looks like a fork in the road - one strand of hair going along nicely then all of a sudden it splits in to and goes in two different directions. Best analogy I could think of. :) Sometimes there will be multiple splits, too.

[lora410]

It will be split like a V or a fork at the very tip of your hair. if you see little white balls at the ends of you hair that means it's getting ready to split

[Mary <><]

May you never see one first hand!

[atlantaz3]

Not to hi jack but to those of you who S&D, do you trim off bent hairs? I have hair that has a definite bend (45 degree angle for example) and wonder if the split broke off.

[ShadowSwallow]

Ok, then... I suppose I don't have any split ends! :happydance:

And, thanks, Mary. :D

[Mary <><]

atlantaz3 -- Yes, I cut off the bent ones too. Can't be too carefull IMHO! I say, just get rid of it!

[Alaskanheart]

I cut the bent ones too...But Ive been wondering for a long time, what the bent hairs are from?I dont have splits usually, but I do get quite a few hairs that are bent at the bottom, or squiggle a bit towards the bottom with no sign of white spots or weakening.Does anyone know what causes these?

[Anje]

I often cut off the bent ones too. I think they often weren't split before, but the kinks cause all kinds of tangling and splits in their own right.

That said, it does depend of the severity of the kink. I get kinks when I find hairs in tight little tangles that need to be picked apart, but wetting them down often changes most of the hairs back to normal, or they go back to normal in a few days. The ones that are bent double, on the other hand, are just plain trouble.

[Forever_Sophie]

Ok, then... I suppose I don't have any split ends! :happydance:

And, thanks, Mary. :D

Lucky ;) I remember when I used to wonder, I couldn't imagine what they look like, haha.

[Kirin]

hehe yes a split looks like a serpent's tongue at the end. Myhair is just long enough too to look at, and i havent found a single one, i take that as a fortunate thing

[eadwine]

I remember there was one who had drawn various split end possibilities. Might be worth posting it here again if someone still has it?

[birthmarkie]

I used to have a link in my old private journal, may it rest in peace. There are all sorts including ones that are split like a serpent's tongue, ones with splits off the sides, three-way splits, bends, and breaks where the split is further up between two unsplit parts: __--__ something like that :p I hate those kinds and also the ones that are "baby splits" - like they are about to start splitting. I should make a rule never to go hunting for them without my S&D scissors.

[LuXious]

After so much S&D'ing, you're going to get a scraggly hem. It looks to me like scraggliness happens naturally, anyway, like how the branches of bushes grow unevenly. I started an S&D campaign the other day (meaning I started paying attention to my ends once a split happened to catch my eye, so I could start chopping them off) but looking at my hair as a whole today, I realized it was scraggly at the bottom even though I think it's pretty healthy, no or almost no splits. So I trimmed off that .25" of shag, and it feels and looks GREAT-- fresh!

[MadPirateBippy]

If you go down a single shaft of hair and, at any point, it stops being ONE SOLID single shaft of hair, you have a split.

I have plenty to show off if you need to take a peek!

[waidz]

Just a warning from someone that had had split ends or breakage on almost every singlehair on her head ! The lighting is VERY important. I've looked at my hair in 2 different lighting conditions at the same time on the same day. No.1 - My bathroom which is fairly well lit with some sunlight coming in - my ends loked perfectly fine.
No 2. I then moved to the study which is very well lit with bright light and large windows. I was horrified to see all the split ends and breakge (white dots at the ends or on the length of the hair).

I am now a firm believer in S&D as it has helped ALOT. My hair is however not long enough to really get the back hairs - but I'm waiting for those suckers !

Here's a link to what split ends look like under a microscope:
Under a microscope : http://aic.stanford.edu/jaic/img/jaic28-02-004-fig003.jpg

[jojo]

heres some close up pictures of split ends;

http://www.pg.com/science/haircare/hair_twh_67/hair_twh_67_03.jpg

http://www.tanagra.co.za/images/chem_damaged_hair.jpg

on the hair they may look like split hairs, or hairs which go off into a right angle, you may see white dots. Your hair may feel knotty at the ends.

Keep it conditioned and tied up most of the time, keep away from heat.
normally fine haired people get them more often, my friend has coarse hair and doesnt have one!

[addikted]

On splits, does anyone have ends that taper i.e grow lighter towards the end? Is this normal?

[Alaskanheart]

On splits, does anyone have ends that taper i.e grow lighter towards the end? Is this normal?

I do find those often. I think I read on another thread here awhile back that it is normal, and the hair has never been cut or broken, like a new hair. Is this correct or did I get it mixed up?

[Cinnamon Hair]

Anyone remember this?
http://classiclength.googlepages.com/splits.jpg
Bonus points if you remember who created it (not me).

Here's a page (http://splitends.bebto.com/) that tells about how splits happen and shows real photos of them up-close.

[eadwine]

That is what I was referring to Cinnamon Hair :-)

Only thing I don't agree being there is that taper and that healthy end. That is not a split after all. :-)