Serious split ends (not me)

[RancheroTheBee]

My boyfriend has asked me to trim his hair, but there's a slight problem. In the back near the crown is a spot that's super split, more so than the rest of his hair. Some of the splits reach up to the scalp, and I think it's what makes his hair tangle so badly in the back.

I'm not really sure how to take care of this spot without making it shorter than everything else, because he only wants to lose about an inch or two of hair (he's at about collarbone).

Should I try to individually trim the really bad splits, and just dust the rest, or should I just tell him to go get it all cut off?

[spidermom]

My boyfriend has asked me to trim his hair, but there's a slight problem. In the back near the crown is a spot that's super split, more so than the rest of his hair. Some of the splits reach up to the scalp, and I think it's what makes his hair tangle so badly in the back.

I'm not really sure how to take care of this spot without making it shorter than everything else, because he only wants to lose about an inch or two of hair (he's at about collarbone).

Should I try to individually trim the really bad split, and just dust the rest, or should I just tell him to go get it all cut off?

I believe that I would try to dust the tips off the worst areas and let it go at that.

[Carolyn]

I'd section off the damaged area and go to town dusting it (cutting off one split end at a time). Then if needed give the length a small trim. See how that goes and if necessary do more later. Have you figured out the cause of the splitting? Preventing more splitting is the key to a better grow out.

[Anje]

I suppose you can S&D the area, but I wouldn't want to trim it.

Is he sleeping on that spot and thrashing about? Maybe he needs a satin pillowcase.

Does he wear a lot of ponytails that would stress that area? I got tons of splits there from ponytails and just swore them off. Possibly harder for a guy, but maybe if you got him some soft, wide, dark hairbands he'd have less damage. Like these (http://www.walgreens.com/store/catalog/Hair-Accessories/No-Damage-Ponytail-Holders/ID=prod363953-product) or these (http://www.walgreens.com/store/catalog/Hair-Accessories/Mini-Scrunchies/ID=prod378253-product).

[RancheroTheBee]

There's sort of another dimension to it. He's very opposed to haircare in general. I don't know why. This will sound like the weirdest thing ever, but if I didn't brush his hair for him it wouldn't happen at all*. The main cause of the splitting just seems to be general neglect. Other than the splits, though, his hair is pretty shiny and his scalp is fine, so that's really the only issue.

I think I'll go the route where I dust all of his hair and then S&D the back, because there's splits in the front, too, just not as many.

As for maintaining it... Yeah, that'll be a challenge. Again, he's not huge on haircare. I don't think he'd stop me if I just randomly snuck up behind him and started trimming his hair, though.

(Why do I care, you may ask. Simple. When I try to run my fingers through his hair, it gets stuck in his little dreadlocks.)

*: In a way, he's like the cat I can't have.

[missfortune9335]

lol at the cat comment! If he's not planning on growing it really long do you think he would let you do one of those treatments that's supposed to sort of "glue" the splits together? (like ion's 3 step emergency hair repair kit) ?

[Anje]

Hmmm.... Maybe you should steal his shampoo and fill the bottle with conditioner instead? See if he notices that he's CO washing?

[Tabihito]

Hmmm.... Maybe you should steal his shampoo and fill the bottle with conditioner instead? See if he notices that he's CO washing?
Bwahaha, I actually like this idea. Do it slowly, make it only about a quarter conditioner at first, then half, then three-quarters, until one day he's CO and doesn't know it.

[GRU]

*: In a way, he's like the cat I can't have.

Why oh why do I never learn not to have a beverage when I'm reading LHC?:confused:

I literally had to put my hand over my mouth to keep from :spitting: water all over my desk!!! :lol:

[RancheroTheBee]

Hmmm.... Maybe you should steal his shampoo and fill the bottle with conditioner instead? See if he notices that he's CO washing?

That's a great idea, except that he only washes his hair about twice a month, and usually then with water. Hahaha, I'm afraid you're all imagining him as a caveman now.


Why oh why do I never learn not to have a beverage when I'm reading LHC?:confused:

I literally had to put my hand over my mouth to keep from :spitting: water all over my desk!!! :lol:

:3 Hee hee!

[akosei]

Ranchero, you've just described my greatest hair challenge! I have a small section, just below the crown, where the ends split constantly. No matter how much I S&D, condition, oil, cut drastically, that hair section just won't play nice with the rest of hair. As soon as it gets nicely cut or trimmed, spronk! the ends start splitting again...and ONLY in that section. I just started the SO method and for the last several days, I preened and massaged and preened that section over and over. After days of working on that section I can clearly see that it's like a whole different type of hair sprouting from that area. While the rest of my curly hair "zigs" that section "zags"... It's maddening and I wish I had a solution!:sad

[RancheroTheBee]

Ranchero, you've just described my greatest hair challenge! I have a small section, just below the crown, where the ends split constantly. No matter how much I S&D, condition, oil, cut drastically, that hair section just won't play nice with the rest of hair. As soon as it gets nicely cut or trimmed, spronk! the ends start splitting again...and ONLY in that section. I just started the SO method and for the last several days, I preened and massaged and preened that section over and over. After days of working on that section I can clearly see that it's like a whole different type of hair sprouting from that area. While the rest of my curly hair "zigs" that section "zags"... It's maddening and I wish I had a solution!:sad

If I can figure out solution to his problem, I will let you know!

[RancheroTheBee]

Okay, it cannot be done. I think I got the worst of it, but it's like... some little wizard went through it and went over the shaft of every other hair, so that like a million of them are really short and just...

Ugh.

It cannot be done.

I'll harass him about maintaining it, though.

Thanks, folks!