Split Ends and Natural Hair: To cut or not?
Split ends can put a spanner in the works of any healthy natural hair journey.
Not only does it give an appearance of unhealthy hair, but it can compromise your length gains. NahaZo touches on this issue so that you can know how to deal with this hair issue.
To effectively manage split ends in your natural hair journey, you need to be familiar with:-
*Let’s dive in!
1. What are split ends and what causes them?
Split ends essentially means that the ends of your hair strands have split into two or more parts. This usually gives it a thin, unhealthy, and uneven look (when compared with the rest of your hair).
Split ends are caused by:-
- Pulling and snapping at hair, when detangling, plaiting, or styling;
- Heat damage;
- Hair weakening due to dyeing;
- Using material that snags hair like rubber bands, cotton headbands, and hair accessories;
- Rough towel drying; and
- Exposure to harsh chemicals that weaken hair strands.
2. What happens when you do not cut your split ends?
There is only ONE way to deal with split ends, and that is to trim your ends and then dust regularly!
Do this to avoid the split traveling further up your hair, causing your edges to look even thinner. Also, failing to dust your split ends can seriously compromise the look and health of your hair, so for an overall healthy look, there is no reason to hold onto raggedy strands.
Trimming or dusting one’s ends may seem counter-productive, especially when you are trying to realise hair length.
However, once you incorporate this into your hair practice, you will notice fuller, healthier hair. And you will not even notice the few inches that you trim off to maintain your healthy look.
3. How often should you cut your split ends?
There is no rule of thumb for how often you should cut your split ends and this is depends on how proactive you are with your hair care.
If you are a pro-active natural and are constantly manipulating your hair, then it is advisable to get regular trims. This can range from trims every 12 to 16 weeks. This helps to nip the splits in the bud and maintain the healthy look of your hair.
On the other hand, if you are a reactive natural, then the best course of action will be to see how your hair looks and then trim it accordingly. You will need to be vigilant and not wait for the damage to spread further.
At the end of the day, NaHaZo advocates having intimate knowledge of what is going on with your hair and treating it accordingly.
4. How to avoid split ends?
Split ends are avoidable, and with the right hair care practices, it is possible to minimise and avoid having to go under the scissors for a long period.
Should you want to avoid split ends showing up to rain on your healthy hair parade, you will need to adopt the following good hair practices:
Tip 1 – Minimise heat
Reduce the amount of heat that you use while styling your hair.
It may be worth your while to look at non-heat ways to straighten your natural hair. This will allow you to give your hair a break from heat.
Tip 2 – Take a break from chemicals
While you may love the dyed look and chemical treatments, your hair does not! It would rather benefit from a break from these practices to allow it to recover.
You can rather switch to organic henna treatments, should you want to maintain your colour. Or you can switch things up with a sassy wig, without your hair having to suffer in the process.
Tip 3 – Deep conditioning treatments
Incorporate regular deep conditioning treatments and hair masks into your routine. This strengthens your hair, making it less likely to frizz.
Tip 4 – Protein Treatments
Incorporate protein treatments into your hair regime to strengthen your hair.
Make this part of your regular regime, so that your hair strands are fortified and less likely to break off or split when manipulated.
Tip 5 – Invest in satin /silk head ties
Get rid of any snagging material such as rubber or polyester bands to secure your ends. This is also true for hair accessories.
Rather invest in satin /silk hair pieces to ensure that your ends are cared for.
Tip 6 – Ditch the towel
Get an old cotton tee and use this to dry your hair after each wash.
Get into the habit of gently patting and scrunching your hair dry, instead of vigorous towelling.
This will avoid snagging and frizz on your ends, and allows you to stay away from the scissors for longer.
Tip 7- De-tangle your own hair
Get into the habit of handling / de-tangling your own hair. Set aside time to do you hair, without having to rush for any engagements.
Also, whatever you do, do not get your hair done by just any salon! Make sure that whoever handles your hair does so with care and knowledge.
Armed with this information, the splitting of your hair ends can become a thing of the past.
How do you deal with your split ends? Do you regularly snip your hair or do you wait until the thin ends cannot be ignored. Share your insights on how you handle this in the comments below.
