Split Ends. Why Do Hair Ends Break Off?

The reasons for split ends are at least a few. Naturally the cause of hair damage isn’t always mechanical, but the sad truth is that in most cases we are the wrongdoers. It’s high time to get a wider understanding on what weakens hair and steer clear of it.

You may have the thickest and strongest hair in the world, but its ends are constantly exposed to damage, hence possible splitting and breaking off. How is that?

Why Do Hair Ends Break off and Split?

The main reason is that each hair has a conical shape, with the narrowest part at the tips. This means that hair ends are the thinnest and the most fragile parts of the entire hair shaft. This also means that they are prone to mechanical damage because, in most cases, hair ends lie on the shoulders which leads to friction. It’s also worth realizing that lack of nutrients or hydration affects the hair ends first, which are the parts of hair located the furthest from the follicles – the source of nutrients.

Naturally, these aren’t the direct causes of hair damage. The factors that contribute to split of weaker and damage-prone hair ends are numerous, and it’s absolutely vital to know what they are.

Most Common Reasons for Weak Hair

● Bad eating habits and unhealthy lifestyle

Your physical appearance is largely a matter of how you take care of yourself and what you eat. For example, if you’re constantly in a rush, have irregular meal timings and the food you eat isn’t nutrient-rich, then you shouldn’t be surprised that your hair’s condition is poor. As a consequence, hair ends split and you end up with dry, frizzy and static hair. It’s advised to cut down on highly processed and fatty food products, and focus more on incorporating more vegetables, fruit and good fats into your diet.

● Abuse of heat styling

One of the frequent causes of split ends is heat styling – not only blow drying but also flat ironing or curling. If you set a high temperature setting without providing any protection to hair by applying an oil or heat protectant, then you may be sure that you damage the strands. The ones that take a hard knock are the most fragile parts, which are hair ends obviously. When styling, always protect the hair, and use either a low or medium temperature setting of your tool.

● Pulling on hair while brushing

Another problem includes using a wrong brush that instead of gliding smoothly along the strands, it catches on something and yanks the hair. Knowing how to detangle the hair without causing damage and choosing the right hair accessories is the key to success. Combining both things gives you the certainty that you neither pull the hair out with the bulbs nor break the hair, increasing the risk of split, dry and coarse ends. Undoubtedly, mechanical damage is one of the primary causes of weak hair.

● Chronic stress, diseases and immunodeficiency

Obviously, there are also other things that affect the way your hair looks, and they include the current state of your organizm, for example. Ends may split and hair may get weaker and thin out when you suffer from a variety of chronic diseases. There are also certain medications that have a negative influence of hormones leading to imbalance, and this impinges on hair. Chronic stress and immunodeficiency have an adverse effect on hair as well.

● Use of wrong hair products

A mistake that may lead to split ends includes treating hair with the wrong products. Wrong products are the ones that fail to satisfy your current hair needs, whose quality is doubtful and are formulated with potentially harmful substances such as dehydrating alcohols, irritating parabens or allergy-triggering fragrant compounds. A good and organic formula guarantees that your hair won’t be dehydrated and exposed to splitting.

● Sleeping with wet, loose hair

Ends split also because of the habit that some people have developed, which is going to sleep with wet hair. If you wash hair at bedtime, remember to dry it before going to bed because wet or damp hair is far more delicate and prone to damage than when it’s dry. Another good idea to follow is arrange hair in a loose bun or braid to prevent rubbing it against a rough surface of bedclothes. In this way you will minimize the risk of mechanical damage.

● Visiting a hairdresser irregularly 

Last but not least, an issue that doesn’t seem to be obvious. How often do you visit a hairdresser? If your hair splits, then you probably see a hairdresser too rarely. It’s really important to visit a hair salon regularly, at least once every three months to get the hair trimmed. The sooner you get rid of the damaged hair parts, the faster you prevent further weakening. Naturally, you may try to do it yourself but if you trim the hair in a wrong way, especially by using blunt scissors, then you damage your hair even more.