It is no secret that trimming is the fastest fix for split ends. However, you can still fix split ends without cutting your hair. If you are concerned about frayed ends or think cutting your hair would be an extreme option, these methods will help. Those who love long hair and hate looking at the split, damaged, and dry ends will find this article useful. Keep reading to learn how to remove split ends without trimming your hair.
Just like picking pimples, picking split ends can worsen them. Splitting up the hair tips causes friction and damages the entire hair strand, resulting in more split ends and hair breakage. This stalls the proper growth of hair.
One of the major causes of split ends is dry hair strands. Spa treatments like head massage and hair steam increase blood circulation to the scalp and provide nutrients to the follicles to promote healthy hair. Steam opens up the hair cuticle layers, allowing moisture penetration. As a result, your hair stays moisturized and soft.
3. Brush Your Hair Gently
Aggressive brushing causes friction and split ends. If you have split ends, brush your hair gently to prevent further damage. Apply a little pressure to your scalp to increase blood circulation. Moreover, damaged hair with split ends tends to get frizzy and tangled. Don’t comb wet hair and always use a wide-toothed comb to detangle the knots to minimize damage.
4. Use Coconut Oil Mask
Coconut oil has medium-chain fatty acids that can easily enter the hair shaft, prevent cuticle swelling, and minimize interaction between shampoo and hair proteins. This makes coconut oil way superior to other oils like olive oil and almond oil. It also reduces protein loss and strengthens and moisturizes the hair (1). Warm 2-3 tablespoons of coconut oil in a small bowl and massage your scalp and hair with it. Focus on the hair ends. Wear a shower cap and wait for 45 minutes before washing your hair. Follow the routine twice a week for four weeks to get smoother and softer hair.
5. Minimize Using Heat Tools
Overusing heat styling tools like blow dryers, hair straighteners, and curlers can dry up the natural oils of the hair. This causes dryness and damaged hair shafts, resulting in split ends.
If you have split ends, limit the use of heat styling tools. Use the blow dryer on a cool setting. Use fabric, silicone, or plastic curlers to style your hair. Also, protect your hair with a thermal protectant or use coconut oil treatment before styling.
6. Use A Hair Mask Every Week
Hair masks help hydrate the strands, restore hair luster, and nourish the follicles. You can use an avocado and aloe vera hair mask to keep your hair nourished and hydrated. Aloe vera has anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties (2). Hence, it may keep your hair moisturized and healthy.
You can mix half an avocado with two tablespoons of aloe vera gel and apply it to the scalp and hair. Alternatively, you can use mashed banana to manage split ends. Use a hair mask at least once a week.
7. Avoid Hair Processing
Coloring, perming, keratin treatment, or bleaching- avoid all chemical treatments on damaged hair. Processing damaged hair worsens the split ends and denatures the hair protein, affecting the hair structure. Denaturation makes the hair prone to sun and pollution damage.
8. Use A Leave-In Conditioner
Leave-in conditioners are great for moisturizing and reviving dry and damaged hair. Get a good leave-in conditioner. You can also apply vegetable oils (like coconut, olive, and almond oils) to towel-dried hair. Concentrate on the hair ends. Leave it on for two days and apply coconut oil before washing off. This prevents further hair damage and split ends.
9. Use A Moisturizing Shampoo
Shampoos containing SLS and drying alcohols strip the natural oils from the hair. Steer clear of them to minimize further dryness and split ends. Use an herbal shampoo with moisturizing ingredients like plant butters and vegetable oils to prevent the split ends.
10. Apply A Light Serum
Always apply a light serum after you shampoo your hair. You can choose from these hair serums or apply almond or argan oils. Run it through the hair strands and use a wide-toothed comb to set your hair. The added moisturizer will reduce the risk of developing more split ends.
11. Drink Water
Apart from managing split ends externally, it is crucial to take care of your hair from within. Dehydration prevents the nutrients from reaching the hair follicles, making the hair dry and prone to splitting. Drink 3-4 liters of water per day to flush out toxins, improve nutrient circulation, and reduce split ends.
12. Consume Green Leafy Veggies
Green leafy vegetables contain B vitamins, vitamin C, and minerals that are essential for healthy hair. Consuming green vegetables can improve your hair health and reduce the chances of split ends. Eat leafy greens like spinach, arugula, lettuce, bok choy, Chinese cabbage, red cabbage, kale, chard, radish greens, beet greens, carrot greens, and scallions.
13. Consume Protein
Your hair is made of 95% keratin (protein). Consuming protein-rich foods will supplement your hair strands with the amino acids required to keep them strong, smooth, and shiny. You can consume mackerel, salmon, tuna, sardine, eggs, chicken breast, ground beef and turkey, beans, tofu, lentils, nuts, and seeds.
14. Consume Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are great for reducing chronic inflammation-induced stress. Chronic inflammation occurs due to unchecked toxin buildup in the body. Healthy fats like omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids help reduce inflammation (3). This, in turn, helps keep the hair healthy. Consume olive oil, avocado, avocado oil, seeds, nuts, fish oil, and fatty fish.
15. Take Biotin, Iron, And Folic Acid Supplements
Biotin is a B vitamin that helps strengthen the hair. Iron deficiency can cause anemia, leading to hair damage and hair loss, and folic acid may help manage diffuse hair loss (4). Consume dates, prunes, brown rice, nuts, liver, sunflower seeds, leafy veggies, broccoli, and peas. You may also take supplements after consulting your doctor.
There are many ways you can fix split ends without cutting your hair. The key lies in hair maintenance, i.e., following a regular hair care regimen, eating healthy, de-stressing, following a low-stress lifestyle, and exercising daily. When it comes to hair care, stop picking apart your splits as it does more harm than good! Go for a hair spa treatment to rejuvenate your strands, be gentle when brushing your tresses, apply a coconut hair mask regularly, decrease using heat styling tools, use nourishing products like hair masks and leave-in conditioners, and avoid hair processing treatments. Remember to nourish your hair by eating a healthy and balanced diet as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are split ends the same as dead ends?
No. Split ends are characterized by forked, Y-shaped hair ends, and they feel comparatively soft. Dead ends have lost all their moisture, are rough and dry, and difficult to detangle.
Is Vaseline good for split ends?
Yes. Vaseline may help prevent split ends by locking the hair moisture in. It will also make your hair shinier.
Do split ends cause hair loss?
No. Split ends do not cause hair loss. However, they may move up the shaft or get tangled with other hair, leading to breakage.
- Trimming is the quickest way to mend split ends, but you can fix them without cutting your hair as well.
- Go for a hair spa treatment every month or so, brush your hair gently, minimize the use of heat styling tools, and use a hair mask every week to get rid of split ends.
- Don’t forget to drink lots of water and eat green leafy vegetables and protein-rich foods to keep your hair healthy from within.
References:
Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Read our editorial policy to learn more.
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Dr. Preethi Nagaraj is the medical director and senior consultant dermatologist at Twacha Skin and Hair Clinic, Kakkanad, Kochi, India.... more
If your hairstyling tool of choice involves heat, you’re probably familiar with heat damage. Of course, there are aesthetic benefits to using heat on your hair, as it causes the cuticle (outermost layer of hair) to:
- lie flat
- release natural curl
- release moisture
- hold a different shape
While heat is a hairstyling game-changer, it can also dry out your hair cuticle and change the structure of your hair proteins.
Once your hair is damaged by heat, it can get to the point where you feel like cutting it all off is your only option. Depending on the severity and type of damage, there are things you can do to help restore your hair’s shine and strength without cutting it short.
The telltale signs of heat-damaged hair are pretty evident. After one too many blow-dry sessions, your hair may start to show the signs of overstyling: It’s harder to manage, and it doesn’t hold its shape as well when you style it.
Some signs that your hair has been heat-damaged include:
- split ends or ends that easily break off
- white nodules at the end of your hair shaft
- overly dry hair
- rough or stringy hair texture
- difficulty styling your hair or brushing it out
- hair that tangles and knots easily
- hair breakage
Treatment options for heat damage will vary according to how damaged your hair is and your hair type.
Curly hair
Heat damage isn’t kind to curly hair, resulting in frizz, tangles, and an unpredictable texture. To restore a natural curl, focus on sealing moisture back into your hair follicle.
Hair masks and deep-conditioning treatments that are rich in moisturizing ingredients, such as shea butter and argan oil, can help bring your hair back to its bouncy best. Choose moisture-rich conditioners with coconut oil, avocado, or aloe vera to help your hair follicles.
Avoid shampooing your hair daily, as shampoo strips hair of its natural oils. Only apply shampoo to your scalp and the roots of your hair. Wash your hair once every couple of days — at least until your hair starts to retain its curly shape again.
Products to try:
Straight hair
Heat damage can make straight hair appear dry and brittle. It can also exaggerate the appearance of split ends and make it harder for your hair to lie flat. To get your hair back to its glossiest, focus on restoring its natural proteins.
A DIY hair mask may be able to improve the look of your hair for a night out, but that won’t solve long-term heat damage.
Leave-in protein treatments with yogurt, honey, and olive oil can help restore the natural bonds in your hair so that damage is less obvious. Conditioning sprays rich in keratin can also soothe broken bonds in the hair follicles.
Products to try
- Redken Extreme Anti-Snap Leave-in Treatment
- CHI Keratin Leave-in Conditioner
Chemically treated hair
Coloring your hair with bleach or changing your hair’s shape with a perm can result in heat damage. Your hair can be burned by salon treatments, especially if they’re left on for long periods of time.
To help hair that has heat damage from chemical exposure, you may need to speak to the salon or hairstylist where your hair was treated.
A hair mask or professional deep-conditioning treatment from the salon may be the first step to restoring your hair’s sheen. Hot oil treatments designed for home use are another option.
While you wait for chemically treated hair to recover from heat damage, try not to wash your hair every day, and avoid using hot styling tools completely. This is especially important in the days right after you bleach or perm your hair.
Conditioning sprays with spirulina may also help restore the bonds in your hair.
Product to try
- It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-in Product
The best solution for heat-damaged hair is to prevent it altogether. Of course, this isn’t always possible, but there are some proven strategies that can protect your hair.
There are some cases where the only way to fix heat-damaged hair is to get a haircut. If home remedies don’t work to make your hair more manageable, cutting a couple of inches is probably the best way to minimize the appearance of heat damage.
For a good rule of thumb, be patient with your hair for a month or so. Use a routine of hot oil masks and leave-in conditioners weekly to try to restore its natural balance.
If you find that your hair is still appearing significantly damaged after several weeks of at-home treatments, see your haircare specialist to make a treatment plan.
The fastest way to get rid of heat damage to your hair is to get a haircut. But you may want to give your hair some time before you do anything drastic.
It may be possible to restore your hair’s natural texture and shine with the help of moisturizing treatments and adjustments to your hair care routine. Patience is key.