what causes hair breakage and split ends?

[mintyhot]

i don't use any heat on my hair, but lately i have been getting a lot of split ends! and i was wondering what causes them and how to treat and prevent them?

[BrightEyes7]

A multiple amount of things... Super tight updos. Wearing your hair down and letting it rub against things/ get whipped in the wind. Brushing wet hair, it should be carefully detangled.

Maybe give a little more details on your daily routine and we may be able to give better advice.

[NuclearMosquito]

I agree, it could be a lot of things, even something as small as how you wear your hair when you sleep. Yours is not much longer than mine. Do you wear it in a ponytail or updo very often?

[nicolezoie]

In my case, it's just because my hair is prone to breakage and being brittle. I have two very different hair types - the more coarse and less wavy stuff towards the back of my head and the finer, curlier stuff towards my face, and it's the middle ground between the two textures that gets the worst of the breakage. There's never been anything that I could do about it, but even with all that being said, I guess I'm testament that if you're gentle with it, it WILL grow.

[Loreley]

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79

Check out this article! It's very useful. :puppy:

[elina333]

As everyone has pointed out, it can be a number of things! After joinging LHC in January I've changed my routine dramatically and I've seen great results so far. Here is a list of some of the things I've done:

- Sleep on a satin pillow case
- Dont sleep with my hair loose (braids or buns)
- Wear protective updos (NOT ponytails, the ends get damaged)
- No heat styling. Ever.
- No brushing
- Combing only with a wide tooth wooden comb
- Eating better (more protein, more vitamins, more fruits&veggies)
- S&D a couple times a week
- Heavy oiling with coconut oil the night before wash (which for me is every 2-4 days)
- Coconut oil as a leave-in after wash
- No damaging hair toys (soft elastics with no metal, smooth wooden hairsticks without any sharp edges etc)

Good luck and happy growing! :pegasus:

[Aquamarine]

As everyone has pointed out, it can be a number of things! After joinging LHC in January I've changed my routine dramatically and I've seen great results so far. Here is a list of some of the things I've done:

- Sleep on a satin pillow case
- Dont sleep with my hair loose (braids or buns)
- Wear protective updos (NOT ponytails, the ends get damaged)
- No heat styling. Ever.
- No brushing
- Combing only with a wide tooth wooden comb
- Eating better (more protein, more vitamins, more fruits&veggies)
- S&D a couple times a week
- Heavy oiling with coconut oil the night before wash (which for me is every 2-4 days)
- Coconut oil as a leave-in after wash
- No damaging hair toys (soft elastics with no metal, smooth wooden hairsticks without any sharp edges etc)

Good luck and happy growing! :pegasus:Wow, those are great tips Elina!:)

[cmnt831]

Just to add to Elina's good advice. I would suggest no ponytails because the area that is chafed by the elastic that holds the ponytail gets damaged, as well as the ends. Also be careful tucking the ends in when you bun your hair. I get bends and splits on the ends from being careless and just mashing the ends in and mashing a stick or pins in.

[Anje]

I'll add "comb slowly and carefully" to the list. If you're ripping through tangles, you're going to break hairs and/or cause kinks that create new tangles.

Also, make sure your hair doesn't get dry, rough, or overly tangly in a hooking-to-itself way. For me, protein causes that effect and is effectively countered by avoiding protein and doing deep moisture treatments occasionally. Buildup can cause similar effects. Many folks have protein-loving hair, so it's best to find your own balance.

[mintyhot]

all of that information is very useful! thank you :) and unfortunately at the moment i don't have a hair routine, but i need to get going on what work best for my hair. Does anyone know if wearing hair up when it's wet causes damage?

[ktani]

You may find the links at the end of the Catnip Article helpful.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=118