Split Ends And Cutting Own Hair

[Hampshirelass]

The last inch or two of my hair is a little frazzled due to a couple of days worth of experimenting with lemon juice and sunshine some years back. The condition is not great, but it looks ok to those who don't know and I can live with it - I figure that in a year or two I will have probably have had it trimmed out anyway. I only get a trim once a year and keep an eye on my ends during the rest of the time, snipping away any splits that show up on these ends.

My hairdresser friend has just sat there watching me snipping at these splits and made lots of little disapproving noises, eventually she couldn't keep herself quiet and asked me what on earth I thought I was doing? She said that if hair isn't cut the 'right' way then it can lead to damage and splits and that I am probably making the problem even worse than if I just left it until I saw my hairdresser.

Is that correct? I don't think it can be? Mind you, my hairdresser friend isn't allowed anywhere near my hair as she isn't very sympathetic towards long hair and tugs it about a bit too much for my likeing! Has anyone else ever heard this before, is she wrong?

Getting in a panic now and convincing myself that I am doing more harm than good.

[Rini]

Well, logically, one would think that if you snipped an individual hair cleanly (ie, straight across and with sharp scissors) then it would be no different to snipping a whole bunch of hairs the same way. The only difference is in the way hair dressers do it would perhaps look more even. So it seems to be a question of aesthetics. I don't see how "search and destroy" would make the split end problem worse if you are using sharp scissors. You are, after all, removing the problem in the same way.

That's just my :twocents:

[MoonCreature]

Yes it is true, it's possible to cause damage by cutting the hair the wrong way. You need to use good sharp scizzors, a pair that you preferably don't use for anything else, to get a clean cut. It the cut is jagged in any way this is prone to split sometime. The cut should be in a 90 degree angle, not tilted in any way, case this also contributes to the end being weaker and more prone to split.

Though it's not good having splits either, they often lead to small tangles that cause even more damage to untangle in the long run. But it's worth investing a pair of scizzors, preferably ment for cutting hair.

[socks]

When you cut out only the splits, it's called S&D ("search and destroy") and it's a common practice here at LHC. I, for one, have been doing nothing but S&D (no trims or anything) for seven years and my hair is quite healthy. :)

Your hairdresser friend is simply repeating what she what taught in beauty school. Hairdressers are told things like this not beacuse they are true, but rather because it will help them to keep customers if they tell them this. If everyone went home and began to cut their own hair, hairdressers like your friend would be out of their jobs.

So go ahead and snip off those split ends. As long as you use good scissors, you're removing the damage rather than creating more.

[jojo]

I can't see how it does to be honest, lots of people on here S & D and have no problems with developing more split ends, in fact quite the opposite as lots of the extreme length pictures of members show.

[Kelpie]

I can't say that I know that much on the subject but I don't think that you could be doing that much damage as long as your scissors are nice and sharp. Maybe the angle that you cut the hair, either straight across or slanted, would make a difference. I can't decide which I think is best, if either.

Ask your hairdresser friend how she would cut individual split hairs. And since you only get your hair cut so rarely is better than nothing and if the hairs are split already I don't see how cutting them, even if 'incorrectly', is making it worse.

[harley mama]

If doing S&D is damaging we are in big trouble here.

Look how many do it here and have long, gorgeous hair.
As long as you use quality scissors, I think you are fine.

Hair dressers make a living by cutting and styling hair. It would not be profitable for them to tell people that it's OK to trim ones own hair! Yes, I have issues with going to a stylist. I am not saying all stylists are bad. I know that's not the case at all. I am only speaking from my own experiences. Please don't stone me. I bruise easily!

[Periwinkle]

The only damage you could really do is if you were using really bad scissors. For example, if you decide to eliminate split ends by hacking them with a rusty saw, it's only going to damage the ends and they'll split twice as badly. Just use a quality pair of scissors and you'll be fine.

[Hampshirelass]

Thanks for your replies.

I am using super sharp, for hair only, scissors, (not rusty - eek!), and am cutting the hair into a blunt end, so it sounds like I am doing things right! I was a little worried that I was doing more damage to my hair than if I just let it be, but I feel much happier now. Thanks again :)

[ktani]

I totally agree with the others.

As long as your scissors are sharp and you are not hacking away at your hair, what you are doing is actually helping to prevent further splits, IMO.

Just make sure that when you snip off a split or white dot, that you cut a little above the affected area, to get all of the damaged part off.

[spidermom]

I've noticed some things about doing S&D that I think are damaging.
1) I get discouraged when I see split ends and end up going to the stylist and getting inches cut away that were probably all right and didn't really need to come off.
2) There is friction involved in pulling strands apart to pull some forward to look at. I think the cuticle gets roughened up by this and leads to more splitting.
3) Poking around in my own hair with sharp scissors can't be a good thing. I'm sure I slice across hairs that were perfectly healthy until that point.
4) It's addicting, and there's no end to it. I've looked and snipped for hours. My ends get thinner and thinner, but there are always more splits to find.
5) It's a major eye strain.

For me - best to let my stylist do regular trims. My ends look a lot better doing it that way.

[ktani]

I've noticed some things about doing S&D that I think are damaging.
1) I get discouraged when I see split ends and end up going to the stylist and getting inches cut away that were probably all right and didn't really need to come off.
2) There is friction involved in pulling strands apart to pull some forward to look at. I think the cuticle gets roughened up by this and leads to more splitting.
3) Poking around in my own hair with sharp scissors can't be a good thing. I'm sure I slice across hairs that were perfectly healthy until that point.
4) It's addicting, and there's no end to it. I've looked and snipped for hours. My ends get thinner and thinner, but there are always more splits to find.
5) It's a major eye strain.

For me - best to let my stylist do regular trims. My ends look a lot better doing it that way.

spidermom

I have wavy hair too.

And when I separate strands it can be difficult sometimes.

However when it is difficult - that indicates to me that my hair is catching on a white dot (I no longer get splits).

Sure enough when I investigate, there is a white dot to be found.

When it is removed, I have no trouble separating strands.

I have found that stylists remove the ends on length, not individual hairs, so to me they are removing healthy ends as well as damaged ones and depending on the extent of damage, more healthy ends than not.

I do agree however, that, depending on the stylist and an individual's own abilities in cutting hair for length and style, that a stylist can do a better job of evening things out.

[Cinnia]

For me - best to let my stylist do regular trims. My ends look a lot better doing it that way.

I second this... I really tried to do a thorough S&D rather than going to the hairdresser earlier this year, as I wanted to save as much lenght as possible.
Turns out, I had SO many split ends, had to be atleast 50% of my hair, and as my addiction of snipping them of grew bigger and bigger, my ends got thinner and thinner.
When I finally went to the hairdresser, she held my ends up in the light to show me what they looked like - I had a distinct line, about 1 cm before the hemnline, where I'd cut them of...leaving my ends thin and sad-looking.
I'll never do this again, my hair is much happier with regular microtrims.
I do understand those with fewer splits benefitting from S&D's though... That's another story.

[ktani]

I second this... I really tried to do a thorough S&D rather than going to the hairdresser earlier this year, as I wanted to save as much lenght as possible.
Turns out, I had SO many split ends, had to be atleast 50% of my hair, and as my addiction of snipping them of grew bigger and bigger, my ends got thinner and thinner.
When I finally went to the hairdresser, she held my ends up in the light to show me what they looked like - I had a distinct line, about 1 cm before the hemnline, where I'd cut them of...leaving my ends thin and sad-looking.
I'll never do this again, my hair is much happier with regular microtrims.
I do understand those with fewer splits benefitting from S&D's though... That's another story.

Cinnia
I went through the same thing years ago.

But I was not doing as intensive s&d's as you describe.

I look at an s&d as an "oveall" treatment.

I stopped obsessing about it because it can be depressing.

I used to get my stylist to thicken up my ends through trimming.

Then I noticed a few years ago now, that my ends were not tapering the same way when growing.

My ends were thicker at the hemline.

Even without s&ding enough breakage was happening before.

An s&d heped to slow things down for me somewhat.

What changed for me was increasing the bagged timing of my catnip tea.

My breakage reduced considerably. No more thin scraggly hemline.

I have just completed my first self trim.

It was to even out ends, not cut length.

I modified the Faye method and it was a success.

[Lex87]

Yes, you might want to consider trimming your hair fairly often just to avoid the split ends issue. That's something that I do regularly and I just use a standard pair of hair scissors (http://www.kissakishears.com). Especially with color-treated hair, I think it would be a good idea to trim your hair at least a little bit every 5 or 6 weeks.

[Angel_099]

Bump! I found this thread today after noticing that all of a sudden...or it seems that way anyway...I've got a ton of splits! :( I haven't tried S&D yet (since I didn't think I had any reason to :rolleyes:), and I'm torn between doing that now or just cutting :scared:. I don't want to cut but my splits are bad and go up at least 4-5". What does everyone think? I've been oiling my hair pretty regularly. I henna also, but the last time was almost 6 months ago. I'm getting ready to do it again when I can find the time. I use Sweet Creek Herbs shampoo bars to wash and do an ACV rinse after followed by Suave Coconut conditioner.

[Anje]

Largely, I'd say it depends on how thinned out your ends would be if you S&Ded out the splits, and whether you want that.

Without seeing your hair, knowing how it behaves, etc., I'd say the easiest solution might be a compromise. Trim an inch or two, which will get rid of a huge number of the splits. S&D the rest. If it's too thin, you can trim more, or maintain your length for a few months til the thin areas get trimmed off.

[Angel_099]

That makes sense. Thanks, Anje! : ) I've got photos in my album, and I don't think my ends are very thin...but I also haven't had a trim in over a year...so maybe I can part with an inch or two and S&D as you suggested.