The End of Split-Ends

Have you ever had split ends?

They're this super annoying, super hideous, and super embarrassing hair problem that millions of ladies all over the world are dealing with every day.

It's not easy dealing with damaged hair. Sometimes we wish it was as easy as pulling all our hair out and replacing them with new strands, but that simply isn't possible.

What we can do, however, is to breathe in, breathe out, and face the problem head-on!

What are split ends?

'Split ends' are what we call those double or sometimes even triple splits that can be found at the end of our hair strands.

Our hair is constantly damaged and repaired by our body on a day-to-day basis. After all, knowingly or unknowingly, we often thrust our hair into the harshest of conditions. How often do you use heat tools to curl or straighten your hair? How often do you wash with shampoo? Are you using paraben-free or sulfate-free shampoo?

The ends are basically the oldest part of an individual strand and thus suffer the most damage. Sometimes, when the hair cuticles get too weak, they can 'split up', revealing the inner shaft within. This can cause the appearance of split ends, which no person with hair on their head has ever wanted to see in their life.

(c) Rachel Lynette French, Unsplash

What causes split ends?

Although split ends are often just a great annoyance to many people–especially those with long hair–sometimes they can point to more pressing issues with your hair.

These are just some of the common causes of split ends:

• Habits. Your habits have a lot to do with you getting split ends. For example, do you often use high heat when you're styling your hair? Do you rub your hair hard with a rough towel after showering? Do you wash your hair daily using non-paraben free and non-sulphate free shampoo?
• Environment. Some environments make people more prone to split ends. For example, those living in areas that are more too humid or too dry could suffer more from split ends than those living in more temperate areas. At the same time, those living in harsh, cold climates and blazing hot climates could also face more split ends.
• Diet. Your diet can also affect your hair. If you're not eating healthy, your body will be weaker. Thus, your hair could be more prone to damages and breakage too, which includes split ends.
• Health. We're not talking about just physical health, but also emotional and mental health. If you're too stressed, your hair could suffer too and make it more susceptible to split ends.

The end of split ends

Now that we've tackled the causes of split ends, it's time to start recognizing what you're doing wrong and what you can do to minimize the damages.

After all, you can't change your environment, but you can mitigate the damages it causes to your hair. Most of all, you can change your habits and your diet, and make sure that your health is always in tip-top shape.

It's not too late to deal with split ends now! If you're interested in more hair care tips, check out our ZALA blog!