SO upset now!! :(

[cupcake0619]

so, i decided i was going to S&D which was going fine as i have way less splits since my last trim, until i decided to brush my hair, which i very rarely do, and i got to looking at my hair and i have SOOOO many split ends and very unintentional layers! i feel like every hair on my head has a split now! :'(
no wonder my hair is so thin! i almost want to cry and buzz my head!
i feel like there is absolutely nothing i can do about it! :(
sorry for the bit of a rant but im definately not in a good mood now...
some of them are so short, like 2 or 3 inches long and split like crazy!!
is there anything i can do about this..????

[Mesmerise]

First of all you need to work out what is contributing to the splits. If you've got really short hairs that are split, it suggests they've been broken, because if they were new baby hairs they wouldn't (generally) be split at only 2-3".

What sort of treatment do you give your hair? Is it dyed, bleached, straightened??? How do you wash your hair? Do you ever blow dry?? There are heaps of avenues you need to investigate to figure out how to deal with the problem but first you need to know WHY you're getting the damage you get!

[MsBubbles]

Hang in there and don't panic! Many of us have been there. Nightshade wrote a great article (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79) about damage, what causes it, and how to minimize/rehabilitate hair.

I agree with mesmerise, too. Once you figure out what has been causing the splits, you can quit it and gradually trim those damaged bits off (yourself) without necessarily having to chop the whole lot off up to your chin.

[cupcake0619]

its basically all of the above and i have been trying to baby it and have been taking very good care of it for 8 or 9 months except bleaching it 5 months ago! stupid i know!
if i cut layers in it would it help? i dont know how to trim off anything but the ends. :(

[vanillabones]

Don't cut them yet. Do you have previous damage? I bleached my hair until winter when I found LHC and tried going cone-free and all of the hair I even had left turned into splits and I chopped all of the splits off; losing half my hair (was only at neck but still).

Try using cones if you do not already. They hide all of my splits - I swear. I do have a cone-free conditioner I use once in awhile, maybe once a week, and if I use it more than two days in a row it will reveal the true condition of my hair. The back of my head is splits, but then I use heavy cones and they disappear again. Try using a shampoo that has cones in it, as well as a coney conditioner.. I use one when I'm desperate and it works. Don't forget to clarify maybe once a week. I clarify after I use monistat one night and follow with a deep treatment and heavy oiling.

Seeing splits puts me in a panic as well, and makes me think I need to shave my head and start all over, and it makes me want to cry and I feel hair depressed but once you hide them away you'll feel safe :) But yes you eventually need to cut them!!! So try 1/2 inch or less trims every 3 months.. my hair is the worst of worst and I can get away with that.

[MsBubbles]

Have you read Nightshade's article I linked to above? I think you will find it comforting, encouraging and informative. It's long, but so worth it. It's stuff you will need to know if you're growing out your hair. You can also address how to trim those layers. There are threads here about that too! It might be better for you to go back to google but stay signed in to LHC (i.e. don't log out), and search 'trimming layers longhaircommunity' and see what comes up. It's more effective than doing an on-site search.

One thing at a time!

[cupcake0619]

I already use coney shampoo, conditioner, and products and but it never seems to hide my splits or my white dots.. my very ends are in good shape right now i think. its only the sides and stuff that look terribly now and i have sooo many layers that i do not want.

[vanillabones]

Really? :( I'm surprised because my splits are pretty bad and they hide very well. I think what helps me the most is a detangler/leave in. I put argan oil on the very bottom and I use this product called 'Its a 10' I heard about on youtube and it's amazing. It's a detangler I spray in 3 sprays and my hair looks really nice. I could barely brush the roots before using that.

If your damage is from heat you should try to cut down / go cold turkey. Usually white dots are from heat damage (you're boiling your hair..) I had no choice but to stop blowfry/straighten/curling when I started bleaching otherwise it would've been really hard for me to stop blowdrying especially with type 'i' hair it feels like it adds volume but honestly I have the same volume airdrying I did when blowfrying.

If you use a knobby brush switch to just combing or a boar bristle brush.. I don't even brush my hair anymore. Especially if your ends are velcro-y :p

[cupcake0619]

well i dont use heat anymore, and for the last like 6 months nothin but the occasional straightening after air drying but i used to alot!
i usually dont brush my hair either, unless its after the air dry and before the occasional straightening which i have now decided not to do for a long time!

i just need to do something about all these splits that makes it look better!

[Amraann]

Nexxus pro Mend. (I only use the leave in not the shampoo or conditioner)

It will not really fix the splits but It will glue them together and allow you time to grow some length without trimming to much.

I started using it about a month ago on my TBL hair. I had some serious split ends even though I S&D'd.
I think I have gained about an inch and no splits in sight!

[cupcake0619]

Nexxus pro Mend. (I only use the leave in not the shampoo or conditioner)

It will not really fix the splits but It will glue them together and allow you time to grow some length without trimming to much.

I started using it about a month ago on my TBL hair. I had some serious split ends even though I S&D'd.
I think I have gained about an inch and no splits in sight!



coincidentally, i use nexxus pro mend shampoo and conditioner right now, lol, well have been for like 2 weeks and have seen no change.
i even clarified a couple days after starting it to try and see if it worked.

[Debra83]

Are you doing ponytails? They cause damage for me, even though I was careful with the scrunchies and ties I used.

[kwaniesiam]

so, i decided i was going to S&D which was going fine as i have way less splits since my last trim, until i decided to brush my hair, which i very rarely do, and i got to looking at my hair and i have SOOOO many split ends and very unintentional layers! i feel like every hair on my head has a split now! :'(
no wonder my hair is so thin! i almost want to cry and buzz my head!
i feel like there is absolutely nothing i can do about it! :(
sorry for the bit of a rant but im definately not in a good mood now...
some of them are so short, like 2 or 3 inches long and split like crazy!!
is there anything i can do about this..????

How long have you been trimming your own hair? What kind of scissors are you using? Dull scissors or ones that aren't meant to cut hair can actually cause your hair to split faster despite trimming because they don't create a clean cut. They'll leave the ends ragged and more prone to damage. Invest in some good quality, sharp hair scissors if you haven't already.

[cupcake0619]

i use hair trimming scissors that came in a clipper set lol but i just started trimming recently.
before i had not trimmed my hair for almost 2 years maybe.
i think i need to cut some layers to get rid of some of that damage but i dont know how to cut layers by myself and i dont have the money to go to a salon..

[cupcake0619]

also, i put my hair up in those messy buns with the ends sticking out, im sure everyone knows what im talkin about.. but im almost positive now that this is from heat and chemicals... :( :(

[alwayssmiling]

This happened to me when I first joined because I was micro trimming away my damaged ends and forgetting about the layers so they never really got a trim. So my hair was growiing nicely but my layers where either not growing at all or they were getting shorter. They literally wouldn't go past my ears.

If you are not happy trimming your own layers - have you got a hair college that will do them for a bargain price? The college by us will do a trim for next to nothing and I know it sounds scarey but the students are well supervised and are often a lot more cautious than scissor happy hair dressers. Just a thought.

[Athena's Owl]

please be aware that just because you're not bleaching, heat-styling, or otherwise engaging in hair damaging practices *now*, you still have the hair you'd damaged previously, unless you shaved your head bald and started fresh. Read the article that got linked in the thread, as it's quite good, and be aware that depending on how long your hair is, you likely have years of growing out your previous hair practices ahead of you.

[Mesmerise]

One thing that really helps trim those damaged short hairs, is grabbing a small hung of hair and twisting it up. Then, you just trim along the twisted hair and get all those little sticking up short hairs that you'd normally miss if you just trimmed the ends (if you get what I mean).

And yes, your hair will remain damaged until you've grown out ALL the hair you ever bleached, coloured, straightened, blowdryed etc. The less you did to your hair in the past, the less damaged it will be, but you can't "fix" that sort of damage, you can just use the right techniques to minimise any further damage. Once a hair is split, it's split. You may be able to temporarily "seal" the end to hide it, but you can't fix it.

[Panth]

please be aware that just because you're not bleaching, heat-styling, or otherwise engaging in hair damaging practices *now*, you still have the hair you'd damaged previously, unless you shaved your head bald and started fresh. Read the article that got linked in the thread, as it's quite good, and be aware that depending on how long your hair is, you likely have years of growing out your previous hair practices ahead of you.


And yes, your hair will remain damaged until you've grown out ALL the hair you ever bleached, coloured, straightened, blowdryed etc. The less you did to your hair in the past, the less damaged it will be, but you can't "fix" that sort of damage, you can just use the right techniques to minimise any further damage. Once a hair is split, it's split. You may be able to temporarily "seal" the end to hide it, but you can't fix it.

I'm afraid this is the case.

If you have been doing lots of "bad" things (bleach AND straightening AND brushing, etc.) and your hair is fine you are not going to see an improvement in the rate of splits developing until that damaged hair completely grows out and is cut off.

Having said that, there are plenty of things you can do to make the growing out stage less painful and make the damage less obvious so you can avoid a mega-chop. As a general guideline, lots of cones, regular S&Ds with sharp scissors cutting horizontally across each hair, and try to balance your protein/moisture needs (there's a good article about this in the articles section).

[Sundial]

The advice given are all really good. To contribute more to the trimming of layers, you may want to refer to these 2 threads for ideas (in addition to the tips on S&D for layers given here):

http://www.longhaircommunity.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1538401&highlight=trim+layers#post1538401

and

http://www.longhaircommunity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62829

If you are planning on growing out your layers, you can trim your hemline more frequently than your layers (especially since you mentioned that the longest layers appear to be in better condition than the shorter layered hair). For example, for every 4-5 times you trim your length, you can trim a smaller amount off your layers. Or you can trim a smaller amount off your length than your layers - like 0.5" off your layers for every 1" you trim off your length.

That way you can still maximize your growth without having to consider a big chop

[jojo]

same here and I am a fine hair too. No matter what i do they just breed in my hair. Have you recently gone coneless? this can show damage. You are doing nothing wrong, its just the way fine long hair is. Maybe using cones might be an option if you dont already use them (sorry i amin a rush and havent read all the replies) yes cones may cover and hide split ends but they also offer some protection. Morrocan oil contains cones and is really good at minimizing the opportunity for splits to develop. I use it on my ends every day, its expensive but lasts a long time.

((big hugs))) dont get upset, all long hair has splits just fine hairs more so.

eta- i see you already use cones, try oiling the bottom 3" daily and no updos which require twisting too much, try a braided bun and remember never wash your hair in hot water, lukewarm is better. Hang in there!

[Firefox7275]

Hiding the splits is not solving the problem, I do think you need to get your hair cut. :( You could try a mens barber or hairdressing college, often they will do a damp/ wet cut for just a few dollars? Also you would need to give up the heat styling and bleaching; be careful how you make an up-do because I caused so many breaks by wearing a ponytail all the time. :(

Sounds like your hair needs more moisture than it is getting from your current products, cones do not provide moisture just protection. Some people find sulphate shampoos dry their hair out, so you could try conditioner-only washing? Many use Suave or VO5 for this which are both super cheap, you can actually get a better result from diluting with water! :D Another conditioner that is raved about on LHC is the ordinary wash-off Fructis Triple Nutrition, I use this as a leave-in conditioner which is really economical as you only use a small amount! It is high in palm oil so will help seal the ends as others have suggested.

All these conditioners are cone-free: I am not saying cones are evil or anything :p but I realised that they were not giving me the hair of my dreams so am trying to go without. So far the results are promising, my hair is shinier and less fluffy! I have noticed brushing makes my hair really static-y and that shows up my breaks, maybe the same is happening to you?

[Madora]

If your hair is thin, then you're going to need to be extra vigilant keeping it healthy by:

1) avoiding any kind of heat
2) no chemicals/straighteners/hot irons/hot rollers
3) eating a healthy diet and drinking lots of water
4) keeping your hair in updos to reduce chance of damage to the very fragile ends
5) shampooing and rinsing correctly. Do not "scrub" your hair when you wash it. Be sure to detangle gently, using a wide tooth comb
6) Use a 100% PURE boar bristle brush. Nylon breaks hair and generates heat
7) Use a silk pillowcase to reduce friction when sleeping at night
8) Avoid ponytails as they can cause breakage
9) Do not braid your hair too tightly or pull it back too tightly either.

10) If you're still concerned about the state of your hair, then I'd suggest an appointment with a trichologist (hair doctor) and be tested for anemia and have your thyroid checked too. Also be sure you are taking the proper vitamins. The trichologist would be the one to advise you on what dosage to take.

Good luck! And above all, be patient!

[MaiCarInMtl]

I can totally sympathize with your frustration. It seems my hair is never out of splits - even though I've been doing S&D sessions for weeks now, I keep having split ends pop up in my face daily. I'll admit, I started dyeing my hair (streaks at first) when I was 14. I'm now 27 but stopped all colouring for a year when I was about 22, went back to dyeing and streaks for about 2-3 years and now have been using henna (an occasional streaks) for about 2 years and I have pretty much given up any heat styling except on special occasions.

Just take care of your hair, treat it kindly, keep up with the S&D (but don't get obsessed like me) and eventually all the damage that was done in the past will grow out. It'll take time though. Others have already put links up to great articles - they've helped me a lot. Sometimes a deep-conditioning treatment can help a lot. What helped me a lot during a particularly bad hair day a short while back: ACV rinse and SMT conditioning treatment.

Remember to be patient though, it takes time.

[jhill923]

I second Nexxus promend it DOES work ! Get the leave in treatment its $8.99 at Walmart. Your split ends with be invisible ! ;-) I think every hair on my head is split but I refuse to cut them yet !