How to Cut Split Ends The Right Way

If not managed properly, split ends can affect your hair growth and rob it of its elasticity and luscious appearance, not only that, but they can also leave your hair dry and dull. Therefore, split ends should be taken care of and prevented to avoid these hair problems. There are many reasons for split ends, and you need to learn how to cut split ends. From the article below, check out the main causes of splits and how to stop them.

What Causes Split Ends?

There are many factors that can contribute to your bifurcation disorder. While you might partly blame the harsh environment your hair is in every time you go out, you also need to take a hard look at how you treat your hair. So, here are a few of the most common factors that lead to split ends.

• Actively angle hair when hair is dry.
• When the hair is wet, remove the angle of the hair.
• sunburn from exposure to the sun with uncovered hair.
• Excessive use of heat styling tools, such as straightening irons, curling irons, and hair dryers.
• Irregularly trimmed hair.
• Irregular hair conditioning.
• wash your hair every day.
• chemical treatments such as coloring, relaxing, and perming.
• Excessive use of styling products such as gels, mousses, waxes, hairsprays, etc. 
• Use cheap, high-quality synthetic brushes, combs, and other hair tools and hair products.
• sleeping on rough or cheap pillowcases.
• An unhealthy diet with insufficient protein, minerals, and vitamins.

Why Need To Trim Split Ends?

Aside from making your hair look dull, damaged, and lifeless, there are plenty of reasons why letting your split ends persist without treatment is a bad idea. Here’s what you need to pay attention to:

Split ends don’t go away on their own: When you start conditioning or conditioning your hair, split ends don’t magically come together. In fact, the longer you put off trimming them, the more splits you get at each end, which in turn can seriously hinder your hair growth.

Uneven pigmentation: The color of split ends is usually slightly lighter than the natural color of the hair. This can make your overall hair color look discolored and uneven.

Steal your hair of shine: Split ends rob your hair of its lively shine, making it look brittle and lifeless. No amount of conditioning, hair masks, and spas will restore your hair’s shine unless you cut the split ends.

Tips for Cutting Split Ends

Here are some tips for successfully cutting split ends:

• Sharp hair clippers: Use sharp hair clippers. Don’t use boring sewing or kitchen shears. Blunt scissors can actually cause split ends. So you only add more where you took them.
• Twisted Wavy Hair: To make sure the hair section is even before cutting, twist it, then cut the ends. This way, it’s also easier to see where the hair thins toward the ends. This indicates the correct clamping position.
• Braided Curls: To make sure a section of curls is even at the bottom for cutting, braid it before cutting. This also makes it easier to see where the ends of the hair start to thin before trimming.
• Dry Hair: Wet hair is suitable for professionals. If you trim your hair at home, it’s best to dry it so you can see the damage to your trim. Cutting hair while it’s wet can hide split ends.
• Small parts: Do not use large parts and clips. You’ll cut your hair unevenly and the results can be disastrous. Instead, use small portions.
• Take your time: Take your time, don’t rush through. You can cut your hair a little more after you’ve cut it, but you can’t go back and cut a little less after hastily cutting your hair.

How To Trim Split Ends

Method 1: Hair Twisting

Twisting hair is a traditional method of trimming split ends and is actually even used by professional hairdressers!

• what do you need: hair clipper
• How to do

1. Start with dry hair.
2. Take a 1-inch section of hair and twist it tightly clockwise from root to tip. Pull the ends of this twisted hair taut.
3. If you twist your hair tightly enough, you will see the split ends sticking out of the twisted part.
4. Start at the top of the section and work your way down to trim these protruding split ends.
5. Now re-twist the same section counterclockwise and cut off the open end the same way.
6. Repeat this process on all of your hair.

Method 2: Hair Sliding 

Hair sliding is an unconventional method that few people know about. This may be because you have to straighten your hair before cutting the split ends, which requires more effort.

• What you need: heat shield, straightening iron, wide-tooth comb, hair clipper
• How to do

1. Apply heat protectant and straighten your hair. (If you already have straight hair, you can obviously skip this step.)
2. Use a wide-toothed comb to remove all knots and tangles from your hair.
3. Pick up a 1-inch long section of hair.
4. Starting at the root, braid the hair under your index finger, over your middle finger, and under your ring finger. Therefore, you can only see the hair above the middle finger.
5. Thanks to this braiding action, you will be able to see the split end sticking out above your middle finger.
6. Cut these split ends with hair clippers.
7. With the hair still braided through your fingers, slowly slide your fingers down the section of hair and trim the split ends in the same way.
8. Continue this sliding and trimming motion until you reach the end of the section. Then, follow the same steps on your hair.

Method 3: Trimming The Ends

If you don’t have the time (or patience!) to follow the twist and slide method, you can simply trim the ends of your hair to remove split ends.

• what do you need: Hairbrush/Wide Tooth Comb, hair clipper
• How to do

1. Start with wet hair. You can do this right after your shower, or wet your hair with a spray bottle.
2. Brush all knots and tangles from your hair.
3. Pick up a 1-inch long section of hair. You can cut off the rest of your hair to keep it out of the way.
4. Place this section of hair at the root between your index and middle fingers.
5. Hold the hair taut between your fingers and slide your fingers down until an inch from the ends of your hair. Hold this part in front of you.
6. Keeping the scissors perpendicular to the hair, carefully cut the hair 1-2 inches away.
7. Follow the same steps to trim the ends of all your hair.
8. While it’s easy to cut split ends, you need to know that they indicate poor hair health. So, you better start taking care of your hair and restore its health to prevent any split ends from developing in the future.

How Often Should You Cut Off Your Split Ends?  

We’ll list the hair types in order of intensity. This makes it easier to see how often the ends are worn, and how often they are cut.

• Wavy or straight coarse hair: This is the strongest hair type. There are few streaks in the hair structure and the hair diameter is thick. As long as you don’t use a lot of heat, it won’t wear out as often as other types. You can wait eight weeks between trims.
• Thin hair, whether wavy or curly: Hair with a thinner diameter, also called fine hair, tends to fray more easily because it has less strength than thick hair. Plan to repair every six weeks.
• Curls: Curly hair has a lot of bends, and that alone is prone to breakage. It has a fine and dry texture and thus is prone to split ends too. Trimming every six weeks is a good idea, but because it grows more slowly, you can seal split ends with oil and hair covering therapy for longer. If you use hair growth therapy, new hair growth can also make up for what you lose with regular trimming.
• Color Treatment: Color-treated hair dries out due to its high porosity. The chemicals in the color treatment lift the cuticle of the hair, making it porous. They sometimes even erode the stratum corneum when treatments are too frequent. Color-treated hair is prone to split ends whenever you get a new treatment or trimming every four weeks.

How To Prevent Split Ends

Yes, split ends can wreak havoc on the health and appearance of your hair. But, luckily, there’s a lot you can do to stop them from forming in the first place. Here are some tips and tricks you can try:

1. Trim your hair regularly: Every time you wash and brush your hair, your hair wears down — which can lead to split ends. So, how often should you trim your hair? It is best to trim your hair every 2-3 months.

2. Reduce the use of heat-styling tools: Regular use of heat-styling tools such as hair dryers, irons, and curling irons can strip moisture from your hair, making it dry, brittle, and prone to split ends. So, try to avoid them as much as possible, and when you use them, make sure to put a heat protectant on your hair first.

3. Don’t wash your hair every day and avoid using hot water: Doing either or both of these things can make your hair lose its natural oils, dehydrate it, and make it weaker.

4. Gently dry hair: Rubbing wet hair vigorously with a towel can cause serious damage and split ends. Instead, wrap your hair in a microfiber towel until it absorbs all excess moisture, then let it air dry for the rest of the process.

5. Use a leave-in conditioner: A leave-in conditioner makes your hair more manageable and more prone to hair loss, thereby reducing the risk of split ends. So, after you shower, apply a little conditioner (or a little natural oil).

6. Use a wide-toothed comb: Using a wide-toothed comb, comb from the ends up toward the scalp to prevent further knots, breaks, and split ends.

7. Wear a hat/scarf when going out: Exposing your hair to the hot sun or cold wind can make it brittle and more prone to split ends. So, be sure to wear a hat or a scarf around your head to protect your hair while making a cool fashion statement.

8. Regular Deep Conditioning: It is important to deep condition your hair every two weeks to restore moisture and nourish your hair from the inside.

9. Use products that contain polyvinyl chloride: Polyvinyl chloride or polyelectrolyte complex is a new ingredient that repairs split ends by penetrating the hair shaft and sealing it from the inside. So, if you want to repair split ends and prevent them from forming, choose a conditioner with PEC.

10. Use soft hairbands: Rubber hairbands or hairbands with metal buckles in the middle can easily break hair and eventually lead to split ends. So, use a soft hair band that is gentle on your hair.

11. Oil your hair before swimming: Regular swimming in harsh chlorinated water can cause incalculable damage to your hair. So, before you jump into the pool, put a protective layer of coconut oil on your hair and wear a swimming cap.

12. Eat a balanced diet and drink plenty of water: A balanced diet, rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals, keeping your body well hydrated is essential for maintaining healthy hair.

Conclusion

When your hair’s cuticle is damaged, your hair develops split ends, which can lead to weaker and dehydrated hair. Daily shampooing, exposure to pollutants, harsh chemical products, and more can all break you down. That’s why trimming split ends is important because it can make your hair look dry. Instead of going to the salon, you can simply cut your split ends with scissors and a comb. Trim your hair, condition your hair properly, and eat a proper healthy diet to make sure you don’t develop split ends further.