Pulling Split-Ends Apart - Dirty Habit?

[violet echoes*~]

When I get started peeling apart split-ends (I know this doesn't prevent / banish them by the way!) I can't seem to stop myself..

I have done this in the presence of other people (close people) and I feel like I'm doing something dirty. I don't know if they know what I'm doing - I assume mostly they just think I'm idly "playing" with my hair, but I was wondering what you think?

Do any more of you have some weird fixation peeling split-ends apart? It's a bad habit, no doubt - especially if you want nice hair! but is it "dirty"?... Would you think less of someone if you saw them doing this?

[Ndnlady]

It's not a dirty habit, however your hair will suffer because of that habit. It would definitely benefit your hair to go on S&D (search and destroy) missions instead which means taking a well-sharpened pair of scissors (so you don't damage your hair more) and cutting off the individual splits.
Perhaps you can replace peeling with S&D missions!

[Calista]

Whoa, just reading the title makes me cringe! :scared:

[wendyg]

I don't think it's dirty - and I've run across plenty of other people who've done it - but I'm sure it *isn't* particularly good for your hair.

The worst hair habit I ever ran across was a guy who, over the remains of a chinese meal, probed his quite long hair for split ends and, when he found them, *bit them off*.

wg

[akka naeda]

People of a nervous disposition stop reading now :)

I have done this, I also discovered that if you do it when your hair is wet, then the hair will "split" further than when it is dry. I admit to then wondering if it was possible to totally split a hair in two from tip to root and suceeding. That taught me a lot about hair, and as a result there is no way I would damp bun it - the twisting would put it under too much stress and I'd get increasing numbers of splits up the length.

As for the original question I don't like seeing people S&Ding their hair in public and probably seeing someone splitting hairs would be the same.

[Anje]

I don't see it as "dirty" but it's a bad habit and your hair won't be better for it.

That said, I go through looking for white dots and pull them apart, and will admit to biting splits off if I have no scissors. Also bad habits that will hurt my hair.

Some people (probably both me and the OP among them) are just "pickers" and will do that sort of thing when we're bored. Probably need to carry some small fiddly item in our pockets to twiddle instead. (I've heard it described as a form of hyperactivity. Not sure whether that's true, but I'll throw it out there.)

[marzipanthecat]

No, it does not gross me out! (someone picking their nose in public - that does gross me out. Even worse - and I saw it happen whilst stuck in a traffic queue - a man picked his nose and ATE IT! I had the shudders for ages. Ew ew ew).

Although, as you know, pulling apart your split ends is really not good for the condition of your hair! (Just stating the obvious here...)

[marajade]

When I used to have splits- (I've found a routine that works now and I don't have so many splits)- I had a bad habit of finding them, and the ends were so weak I could just "pull" them apart from the white dot. Sad but true. I have finally gotten my hair healthy where it doesn't do that anymore, so its less tempting.

[spidermom]

I haven't seen anybody do this for a long time, but a year or so ago I was at a party. My hair was up, but a woman with long hair worn loose kept playing with it. She couldn't keep her fingers out of it. After awhile I wanted to take her hands and say "stop!" It was very distracting. It wasn't that I thought it was dirty or anything. I'm not sure why it bothered me.

[marajade]

I haven't seen anybody do this for a long time, but a year or so ago I was at a party. My hair was up, but a woman with long hair worn loose kept playing with it. She couldn't keep her fingers out of it. After awhile I wanted to take her hands and say "stop!" It was very distracting. It wasn't that I thought it was dirty or anything. I'm not sure why it bothered me.

Stop fidgetin'!!!! :rollin: My boyfriend is such a twitcher- I mean its a big joke between us now- he can't sit still to save his life! I can only imagine what our future kids will be like.

[JamieLeigh]

I've never done this, but when I was in high school and my hair was longer than this, and in much worse condition, a girl in my chemistry class would get on my nerves. She sat behind me and when I'd wear my hair loose or in a ponytail, she would sit there and pick at my split ends, trying to rip the ends off. And the funny thing is that she'd be really careful not to pull so I wouldn't notice and so she'd get a bunch done before I yelled at her. Needless to say, I started bunning my hair or braiding it almost exclusively. :rolleyes:

[enfys]

JamieLeigh that's horrible! What an invasion of your personal space!

Not a dirty habit, but one that would make me want to swat your hands away from your hair!

[Schmoomunitions]

Do like I do and pick at your cuticles! And then they bleed and ache . And you cannot stop yourself! But I wouldnt want to hurt my hair more than I already do without trying.

[marialena]

I don't think it's dirty - and I've run across plenty of other people who've done it - but I'm sure it *isn't* particularly good for your hair.

The worst hair habit I ever ran across was a guy who, over the remains of a chinese meal, probed his quite long hair for split ends and, when he found them, *bit them off*.

wg

Ahhh .. a friend of mine used to do that, bite her hair and I found it disgusting. ( hair in the mouth.. bliah!)
As for pulling split ends it's alright, it's not a dirty habit, but not the best thing you can do for your hair. ( they will never grow long if you cut them this way.. don't do it :))

[AmyJorgensen]

I don't consider it dirty or disgusting, but I do consider it too vain to do that kind of maintenance in public....and I am very sorely tempted to just grab scissors and trim a split at work. I feel fine about it in front of people in casual settings like home, but I wouldn't do it at work or dinner, etc.

[Teacherbear]

May I ask how long you've been doing this? Sometimes longtime habits are hard to break.

[Ash]

I used to do this. Now, I cut off the split pieces and then pull them apart. It is much better for the hair and I still get to play with the splits. I don't do this in public though.