Split Ends and possibly the dumbest question ever

[ladylovecraft]

So I have recently been aggressively S&Ding in hopes of getting my hair in the best possible condition and preventing any breakage. Now, I thought I knew what a split end looked like, but I'm confused lately.

Do splits actually look like the chart on here in real life?:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_urMaQ5o3ZUY/TR5nSey6SaI/AAAAAAAAAP4/lfW9Ax4HOIA/s1600/Split+Ends+Chart.gif

As in, a standard split, if you will, is split down the middle and fairly even? as if you were to cut a piece of hair in half?

Because the splits(?) I have been finding are much more like this:
http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g405/villainspiration/39df18e3.png
Not even at all, they're probably 1/100th or less of the thickness of the rest of the strand.

They're incredibly hard to see, even though I have good vision and out in sunlight. Also, they appear white to me, and my hair is red now...

And, I'm not sure if you're able to do this with a split or not, but if I touch them with my scissors/fingers they disappear.

Help please!

[HintOfMint]

It's probably a little lint and not a split, if they not only disappear when you touch them but are white while the rest of your hair is red.

And as for your other question, I've had splits that look like ALL of the pictures. Bless your lucky heart if you haven't :-)

[christine1989]

Split ends come in a variety of forms. From what I gather from LHC it seems that the classic split and the so called "white dot" are the most common types. It sounds like yours are similar to the classic split. By touching them you are probobly smoothing the two peices together which create the appearence of a normal hair. What helps me see splits is to S&D in front of my computer screen with a paper towel over the keyboard to catch the ends. The lit up screen makes the tiny ends so much eaiser to see.

[monsterna]

I too have had most if not all of those splits. What you're describing could be lint. If it isn't, it is so small it just looks like it's disappearing. Myself, I'd just cut that one anyway, haha.

[ladylovecraft]

Split ends come in a variety of forms. From what I gather from LHC it seems that the classic split and the so called "white dot" are the most common types. It sounds like yours are similar to the classic split. By touching them you are probobly smoothing the two peices together which create the appearence of a normal hair. What helps me see splits is to S&D in front of my computer screen with a paper towel over the keyboard to catch the ends. The lit up screen makes the tiny ends so much eaiser to see.

Yeah, I figured I was sort of temporarily gluing them together with my fingers by touching them, but they're also disappeared when I've moved other hair away from them (via touching the other hairs or fanning out the edges of the hair... party thingy I'm holding). Sometimes I can even see the little white bit fall while I'm rearranging my hair try to get to it.

I wish I could see these little buggers in front of my computer screen. I am apparently more blind than I think I am, hahah : D


It's probably a little lint and not a split, if they not only disappear when you touch them but are white while the rest of your hair is red.

And as for your other question, I've had splits that look like ALL of the pictures. Bless your lucky heart if you haven't :-)

Now I want to know how I manage to get LINT in my hair. >.< And I'm also a little angry at myself for cutting off all those ends when my hair was likely just linty. Growl.

Thanks for the help though!

[Shany]

Do you oil your hair/ends? Oiled hair attracts lint

[julliams]

I get these. I always check first to see if it's a bit of dust, but often it's a split. I just chop them off above the little bit.

[fairystar32]

I have had most of those splits too :(

[milagro]

I get Baby, Right Angle and Split types :) and their "prongs" are of even thickness as far as I can spot w/o microscope. Considering the hair structure what can split from it that thin? Individual scales? :?:

[pepperminttea]

I get these too; sometimes it's lint, sometimes it's the beginning of a fraying split. If I pass my finger over it, and it disappears, I normally assume it was lint and move on; if it wasn't, it'll turn up next time you S&D anyhow, so best not to sweat it. :)

[Alex Lou]

I've been doing a lotta S&D lately too. I don't get even splits: one side will be thinner typically. But not that thin.

Looking at the chart, I get mostly long, deep, baby, white dot, right angle, and crinkle.

[GRU]

When I S&D, it's mostly crinkles, followed by fairy knots, followed by splits and tapers (which I assume are splits where one of the sides peeled completely off?).

I think I'd have a lot more splits/tapers if I didn't S&D my crinkles off. Man do those crinkles ever feel AWFUL compared to the silkiness of the rest of my hair since I started CO-washing!

[monsterna]

So do crinkles need to be snipped? Unless they were noticeably damaged or something, I just assume they'll straighten out after being washed again.

[marzipanthecat]

I've had almost all of those split ends pictured.

Are you sure that your hair is actually split, and not a bit of lint stuck to it? (I know it's been said a dozen times or so already, but it was my first thought when I read your post!).

[GRU]

So do crinkles need to be snipped? Unless they were noticeably damaged or something, I just assume they'll straighten out after being washed again.

monsterna, I snip mine because I can FEEL the damage from them -- they are lumpy/bumpy feeling when I slide them between my fingers, whereas the rest of my hair is smooth-feeling. Even if I wet them down or dip them into a cup of oil, I can't smooth them out again -- they are permanently crinkled (I'm assuming the result of being in a tangle previously). So I snip them off to keep them from causing tangles from rubbing up against their neighboring strands.

If your crinkles disappear after you wet/condition/oil them, they don't need to be snipped off. But if they feel noticeably damaged, they're just going to cause tangles and fairy knots.

[littlenvy]

It's probably a little lint and not a split, if they not only disappear when you touch them but are white while the rest of your hair is red.

And as for your other question, I've had splits that look like ALL of the pictures. Bless your lucky heart if you haven't :-)
THIS ^ :)

I have the lint things too when there is static.

[Ais]

Oh, that chart made me laugh, it felt like my S&D checklist! It's somewhat comforting to know that my splits conform to the norm.. Even if they are ALL of the possible norms..

[vanillabones]

My splits crinkle, taper, and severely right angle. They are VERY noticeable :( I don't think you have anything to worry about, I think those thinner tiny pieces next to a thicker longer strand you're seeing are baby hairs catching up

[SpinDance]

I sometimes get lint, which comes right off. I also sometimes get a break sort of like sometimes happens with wood, where a sliver comes up where the hair is actually breaking. These nasty things make a terrible mess, and cause nearly as many snarls as a loose hair because it catches on nearby hairs. I cut these little rascals off whenever I find them. They usually are several inches up from the ends. I've decided to not get too fussed about them. If there is enough damage that it splits/breaks like that, it's had enough and it's time for it to go.

So far I've only noticed this sort of break on the ends that have old dye and years of braiding. I haven't noticed them on virgin growth. Here's hoping they stop when the dye is all gone!

[SpinDance]

Oh, and I finally figured out that my tapers are new growth, so I don't snip them unless I notice that they have been crinkled or seem otherwise damaged in some way. Grow little hairs, grow!

[ladylovecraft]

Thanks everyone for your help. My hair is almost never without coconut oil, so I think that might be attracting a bit of lint. For now I'm just going to leave them as I don't have any of the other splits showing up... And my hair always feels smooth, so I don't think there's that much damage?

Once I get to waist I'll feel like I'm in less of a rush to grow, so I'll just start doing more proper trims then : )