Weird splits, far up the hair, what's up with that?

[SHELIAANN1969]

I have been noticing a lot of splits lately, and some that are 2"-3" up from the ends of my hair. I had layered hair when I began to seriously grow it out almost 3 years ago, I have only cut 3 times since then, and it's been very small trims, just dusting really, or to even things up a bit. Most of the layers, have not been touched at all and are just now catching up.

Is it because the hair hasn't been cut and is just breaking? Could it be where my hair tangles and I comb it? Or, could it be my forks and sticks? Or a combo of all of these things? I have also noticed, that some of the ends are fragile and will snap right off if I pull them, they look thinner somehow, and weirdly dry.

I was so po'd last night, I found so many long splits, I was frustrated and vowed to stop looking at my ends. My hair has so many different lengths, I know our hair grows and sheds and all of our hair can't be the same length, but man, I was getting aggravated. If I take a section of hair, many strands graduate in length, I see hairs at all lengths and levels from root to ends. I have never really inspected anyone elses hair, and I assume that most folks hair look like that, but I don't know for sure.

I am still kind of a long hair dummy, I can only do my turd bun and sometimes that looks like :poop: ha ha ha

I have never had hair longer than around shoulder length, or a tad bit longer, and it has always been layered, ever since I first started getting haircuts. My mom had short hair, as well as my Grandma, so I never had experience doing *anything* with my hair, I feel totally incompetent. I can do a pony, and a turd bun, wheeeeeeeeeeeee. :rolleyes: I work with a headset on all day, so I have my hair in a bun during the day, at night, it's loose, and depending on my mood or my hairs' mood, I may bun it if we leave the house.

Of course I use no sulfates, I use poo only onece a week or so, I CO daily and I oil my ends. I don't know what else I can do, or if there is anything I can do to keep my hair from splitting. It's driving me wacko! (it isn't a long drive, believe me) I have never used hair dryers, or flat irons and it's been almost 10 years since I have used boxed dyes. I don't use anything but oils or leave in conditioner on my hair either. What gives?

Any thoughts?

[strawberrywine]

I have the same problem and my hair is only shoulder length! :( Have you read Ktani's article on catnip tea? I started using catnip tea myself but haven't noticed much of a difference in amount of split ends yet.

[Kris Dove]

I have splits at different lengths too- I just search and destroy them and put it down to mechanical damage, hair probably getting caught and snagged or something like that. I think it's normal to have the odd split not at the ends.

If your hair is loose at night it might get tangled too and cause more splits- I wear mine in a simple English side braid at night to prevent tangling(which is apparently highly fashionable atm so I've taken to wearing this style during the day too!).

I'm not very good with hairdos either, I can do beebutt(turd?) buns or english braids and ponies and that's about my limit- I can't do the more complicated braids or buns on my own hair- yet frustratingly I can easily do them on other people's when I can see what I'm doing!

[Carolyn]

My first thought is protein overload. Does your CO condition contain protein? My hair can easily get too much protein and the same thing happens. I just ramp up the moisture and back off the protein.

[spidermom]

That's evidence of splits traveling, which so many here claim not to believe in. A split forms, gets wider, bits break off on the weakest side. I've found splits like that 4-5 inches up from the end.

[elina333]

You say you CO daily? Even though that is gentle, hair is very fragile when wet. I would recommend trying to wet your hair as little as possible since when its wet, it breaks very easily.

Also, braiding your hair at night and sleeping on a satin pillowcase might help :)

Good luck! :flower:

[SHELIAANN1969]

My first thought is protein overload. Does your CO condition contain protein? My hair can easily get too much protein and the same thing happens. I just ramp up the moisture and back off the protein.

It may be, I have about 20 bottles of conditioner and I do think it has protein in it, I got a good deal on it and am trying to use it up, I may need to get something else and use the other sparingly.


I have splits at different lengths too- I just search and destroy them and put it down to mechanical damage, hair probably getting caught and snagged or something like that. I think it's normal to have the odd split not at the ends.

If your hair is loose at night it might get tangled too and cause more splits- I wear mine in a simple English side braid at night to prevent tangling(which is apparently highly fashionable atm so I've taken to wearing this style during the day too!).

I'm not very good with hairdos either, I can do beebutt(turd?) buns or english braids and ponies and that's about my limit- I can't do the more complicated braids or buns on my own hair- yet frustratingly I can easily do them on other people's when I can see what I'm doing!


I do wear it loose at night, I toss and turn more than an insomniatic rotissiere chicken. But, I can't braid at all, I am hopeless at updos.




I have the same problem and my hair is only shoulder length! :( Have you read Ktani's article on catnip tea? I started using catnip tea myself but haven't noticed much of a difference in amount of split ends yet.

I remember the thread on catnip, I am marking that down as a reminder to order some. Anything is worth a try, plus, I'll be a kitty magnet!


That's evidence of splits traveling, which so many here claim not to believe in. A split forms, gets wider, bits break off on the weakest side. I've found splits like that 4-5 inches up from the end.


I am living proof! I also had a really funky split that had 7 branches, it was exceptionally cool, and I would have been more excited if it wasn't a split. :( At least I know I am not doing something too odd to cause them and there is someone else who knows what I'm talking about.

Thanks so much everyone, I am definately going to try some catnip, I meant to do that awhile back and spaced it out.

[SHELIAANN1969]

I know that I probobly do wet my hair too much, but I can't stand taking a shower and not weting my hair, unless I am going outside and it's cold, I always wet it, and if I wet it, I have to CO, or it's a mess.

I think I will look into the pillowcase as well, although I hang my hair over the bed behind me, and I toss like crazy. I need to learn how to braid, or go back to banding my hair at night, I shower at night and my hair is still wet when I go to sleep, so I never band it for fear that it will damage it.

Thanks so much for your advice. :)



You say you CO daily? Even though that is gentle, hair is very fragile when wet. I would recommend trying to wet your hair as little as possible since when its wet, it breaks very easily.

Also, braiding your hair at night and sleeping on a satin pillowcase might help :)

Good luck! :flower:

[Kaijah]

I'm going to back up Carolyn and Spidermom's ideas. I think the combo of protein overload and damage from past straightener use are what caused crazy-splits for me.

I used to get a *ton* of those super long splits or crazy tree branch/feather types when I was using a really high-protein content conditioners. I think the protein exacerbated the problems my already heat damaged hairs had until they went 'splodey (I know you said you hadn't used heat, but it could just be some other stress factor contributing...). When I finally figured out how much my hair loathed protein and cut it out, they dropped off quite a bit - not completely of course, I do still find some splits - but there's much more of the normal-looking little Y type splits than super branched monsters.

[Carolyn]

It may be, I have about 20 bottles of conditioner and I do think it has protein in it, I got a good deal on it and am trying to use it up, I may need to get something else and use the other sparingly.
Could you get some cheap VO5, Suave or White Rain and give that a whirl?

[spidermom]

I would advise that you at least arrange your hair over the top of the pillow at night. And get a shower cap so that you can let water run over your head but keep your hair dry. It really and truly isn't a good idea to get it wet every single day because it's more fragile, as was said above.

[rags]

If you can't braid, could you try a sleep cap at night? I haven't got the courage up yet (afraid DH will laugh at me) but it would be a good way to protect it without braiding.

ETA: Oh, and I second or third the protien thing. My hair splits like crazy with too much protein.

[SHELIAANN1969]

Could you get some cheap VO5, Suave or White Rain and give that a whirl?

I can no longer use shampoo or conditioner with synthetic fragrances. It breaks out my scalp, causes severe dryness and then I pick at it and it bleeds and is just terrible.

I have to use the natural line of conditioners that are scented with EOs. I use Jason/Natures gate/ Avalon/ etc.

I wish I could use the cheap stuff again, my conditioner is expensive, that's why I stocked up on the ones that I did buy, but now I have that protein issue.


I would advise that you at least arrange your hair over the top of the pillow at night. And get a shower cap so that you can let water run over your head but keep your hair dry. It really and truly isn't a good idea to get it wet every single day because it's more fragile, as was said above.

I know, I am going to have to suck it up if I expect to save my hair.


If you can't braid, could you try a sleep cap at night? I haven't got the courage up yet (afraid DH will laugh at me) but it would be a good way to protect it without braiding.

ETA: Oh, and I second or third the protien thing. My hair splits like crazy with too much protein.

I have a scrub cap, I need to utilize it! ;)

[LadyVictoria]

I agree with the fact that it could be a protein overload, that is was caused my last trim. Keep practicing self braiding, I am no good at it either and I still can't french braid my own hair no matter how much I practice. But I can finally english braid decent enough to sleep on. Also try a satin pillowcase as others mentioned.

[jivete]

I get high splits like this on my canopy, which is, of course more damaged. Splits don't really travel up my hair. My hair is far too fragile and baby fine for it, especially the old damaged bits. I also get white dots anywhere from 1/8" to 2" up the length and I know that hasn't traveled. I figure it's just the old damaged hair. I haven't trimmed my layers in 2 years either and they're looking much rouger than the parts that have been trimmed.

[Anje]

I've got a fair number of splits like that too. Can't really tell you a cause, though I suspect that it's damage from tight little tangles. It might be leftovers from protein overload that haven't all been S&Ded out yet, but I really have no idea. I'm currently protein-free, as my hair can't stand the stuff and gets weird after about 2 washes with anything containing protein.

FWIW, I contain my hair in a sleep cap at night and only CO it every few days. Catnip doesn't seem to do much for me, but I haven't stuck with it consistently. (My hair feels the same as if I had just wet it, and I prefer CO for washing, so catnip probably doesn't stick.) I usually keep my hair contained in a braid or updo, though it tends to come down eventually in the evening.