Most efficient way to S&D

[amantha]

Hi guys. I'm still a n00b, and I'm trying to S&D my hair for the first time. I figured I could just grab small sections, and from there grab smaller sections and go through the hairs and snip off the split ends. But I can't keep track of the hairs, or pull out the split ones from the mini-sections without losing them. I'm keeping the sections I've already done in a clip to keep them separate from the rest of the hair. But seriously...I could be here all day and still not be done with S&Ding these ends! Does anyone here have a really efficient way that they do this? I used the search function but couldn't find anything useful.

Also, I don't know what the crap is going on with my hair. I used to never ever have split ends when my hair was a few inches shorter about 6 months ago. I would only maybe find 1 or 2. I get my hair micro trimmed by my hair dresser every 5 weeks, and that used to take care of any I had. I just got it micro-trimmed last weekend and when I got home I still had splits and they multiplied even more just a week later! She's been doing my hair for over 20 years and I know that she's really good, so I don't think she's doing anything wrong on her end to cause this. Does anyone here have an explanation?

I wear my hair down everyday, but I'm really careful about not laying on it, not letting my coat lay on it, and making sure my purse strap doesn't lay on it. I never use heat on it except when my hair dresser blow dries it at the salon so the wet clippings won't stick to me. I also always use a leave in conditioner and I clarify and deep condition several times a month. So WTF is going on? I stopped brushing it when wet 6 months ago and started using a wide tooth comb. I bought my first seamless and horn combs about 2 months ago and have been using those, but my ends have been getting even worse since then! Since I've been only using wide tooth combs when wet, I also make sure to only start combing from the ends upward too. But I feel like my hair used to be so much healthier when I used to abuse it more.

So yeah...any advice about how to S&D efficiently and also any opinions about what could be going on with my hair? :confused:

[Pierre]

It's been many months since I've had to do S&D, so I'm talking from memory. What I did was go outside in full sun and take some hair in one hand, find a split, pull it with the other hand, and snip it. Then I look for more splits. It's really a three-hand operation, so don't be surprised if it's inefficient.

You may be seeing damage that accumulated when you abused it, or damage that comes from wearing it down, or damage from sleep. Take heart; it will get better.

[amantha]

Thanks for the tip! I live in Pittsburgh so it's never sunny here. :( I'm sitting under the bright lights in my living room and by a window and that seems to be enough. I guess I'm just confused because I used to look for split ends when I did abuse my hair, but there seriously weren't any or very few. I feel like since I've been trying to take care of my hair, it's gotten worse. A few inches in length shouldn't be enough to like...freak out and split everywhere, ya know?

In general, how long did it take you to S&D?

[mora]

Have you switched hair products? Silicone-containing products can sort of seal split ends and make it look like they're not there. Once you clarified them out, the splits may have become easier to see.

ETA: S&D is a continuing process for me. I've never done all my hair in one sitting.

[amantha]

Hi mora! I've always used cones, but I've also always clarified and deep conditioned regularly. I used to not pay attention to ingredients in my shampoo/conditioner/leave ins but now I do. I still use cones though. However, about 6 months ago I used Garnier Fructis' Pure Clean shampoo and conditioner (which still contains ALS but has no cones). I followed up with It's a 10 miracle leave in..which I don't think is super coney either. Around this time I also switched to only using a wide tooth comb when my hair was wet. I think the combo of a harsh sulfate but no cone to balance it out made my hair really dry. So a few months later I switched back to something coney, but in the meantime I noticed a ton of split ends since I used that Garnier S/C. I wonder if that was the culprit.

I'm currently done with about a 1 inch section of my hair. I think I started about 45 mins ago. :D

[Zesty]

For me S&D isn't that... structured. I generally sit next to a window during the day and just let my hair down and look. I don't put the sections I've already "done" to the side or anything. What I do is grab a small section and twirl it, and snip the splits that stick out. Sometimes I just hold up a hank of hair and scrutinize it for splits. I usually set the scissors down while I look, isolate splits or splitty areas, then pick up the scissors to cut them off. It can also be helpful to make two braids and look for the splits that stick out of those. Generally it seems that splits "hide" better when hair is just loose.

Good luck, and I hope you figure out your hair! Mine was splitty and I realized that it was because of the elastic I was using to secure my sleep braid (it was metal-free and "safe" but still caused friction). Switching to a scrunchie helped. I hope you have a breakthrough soon. :)

[ravenreed]

When I have a lot of splits to deal with, I will put my hair in 6 - 8 braids and do undo one braid at a time and S & D. Then when I am done, I braid it back up or clip it out of the way.

Perhaps your stylist used a pair of scissors that need sharpening? It seems strange that you would have more splits just after a trim.

[amantha]

When I have a lot of splits to deal with, I will put my hair in 6 - 8 braids and do undo one braid at a time and S & D. Then when I am done, I braid it back up or clip it out of the way.

Perhaps your stylist used a pair of scissors that need sharpening? It seems strange that you would have more splits just after a trim.

Yes! That actually occurred to me too about her scissors. But I don't know how to bring it up without sounding rude. I feel like it would be an insult to her as a professional. The next time I go I think I'm just gonna say, "yeah I don't know what is going on with my hair! Within a week of getting my hair trimmed last time I had even MORE split ends than I did before I went in. Am I doing something wrong with my hair?"

[ravenreed]

I don't know how to gracefully bring up that subject either... Some stylists get very put out if you question their methods. GL!


Yes! That actually occurred to me too about her scissors. But I don't know how to bring it up without sounding rude. I feel like it would be an insult to her as a professional. The next time I go I think I'm just gonna say, "yeah I don't know what is going on with my hair! Within a week of getting my hair trimmed last time I had even MORE split ends than I did before I went in. Am I doing something wrong with my hair?"

[Monkey962]

I think that S&Ding is kind of innately inefficient. I could spend half an hour craning over a hank of hair, until my neck starts to bother me. However, I usually do my S&Ding when I get home from class. My hair is usually in a braid, and as a result, a good amount of damage comes from where I put the elastic. Since it's the end of the day, all the loose ends including the splits stick out, and I can just snip them off. Also, like Pierre and Zesty have already said, it's good to sit by a window with a lot of sunlight, or whichever window has the most light. For whatever reason, I can spot splits way more easily in sunlight than I can in artificial light - even with a spotlight.

[mora]

I agree that S&D is innately inefficient. As for others, splits are easiest for me to see in very bright sunlight. Unfortunately, this only tends to occur when I'm not at home. :(

Ravenreed's braiding idea does seem like a good way to organize it, though, and I may try that if I do a long S&D session again.

I'd guess it's not a result of your products if you're currently using cones and still able to see the splits. I'd also guess it wasn't your cone-free period unless they weren't conditioning enough and you got more tangles then, which could lead to split ends. It also doesn't seem like it would be your stylist's scissors since your hair's been getting worse for a couple months and your cut was just last week (unless her shears have been dull for a long time).

Seems I'm at a loss for a good explanation. :?

How long is your hair now? Maybe you were able to abuse your hair and also wear it down when it was shorter but in the last few months it's gotten long enough that when you wear it down, it is long enough to brush your collars or rest of your clothing. Maybe even that simple friction could be enough if your hair is fragile (and it seems like some finer haired people do have more fragile hair). :confused:

[amantha]

My hair has been around BSL for years, but now it's between BSL and waist. So I mean, it's been pretty long for a while with barely any splitting to now having a ton of split ends. It is way more prone to tangling now too. SO CONFUSED.

[mora]

My hair has been around BSL for years, but now it's between BSL and waist. So I mean, it's been pretty long for a while with barely any splitting to now having a ton of split ends. It is way more prone to tangling now too. SO CONFUSED.

If you also have a lot of tangling now, then I'm going to revise my opinion and say maybe it is a product problem. The tangling is going to lead to more split ends. At least for me, when I reduced my tangling, I got fewer splits. If you can solve your tangling problem, whether it is due to products or something else, I think you will reduce the formation of new splits (you'll still have to get rid of your existing splits, though :().