Splitting with Split Ends

 Hi friends!

I'd venture to say that split ends are a reality for anyone who uses heat, combs daily, or has chemically processed hair (relaxed or colored).  You might even have split ends when you don't do any of the above.  My sister is natural and doesn't use heat, yet her split ends have split ends of their own lol (I'm sure she won't mind me putting her ends on blast).

When it comes to "repairing" split ends, don't fall for product marketing.  No product can permanently repair a split end.  Think of your hair like corn in a husk: once it starts to unravel, there's no going back.  So the best thing to do with split ends is to trim them off.  There is some debate about whether split ends will travel up the entire hair shaft, and split the entire strand of hair.  Personally, I think some split ends can travel up the hair but not all will.  Also, the hair can split along the length of the strand (see picture below).  Either way, in the interest of aesthetics, it is best to trim off split ends.

Shedded strand with splits along the length of the hair.
(click on the picture to enlarge)

To remove my split ends, I do a search and destroy method.  Which means that I comb through my hair and only trim off the split ends and leave the healthy ends.  This way I am able to remove the damaged ends without losing overall length.  I don't have a set schedule but I usually do search and destroy on wash day, but will trim any split ends I find during the week. 

 Split ends I trimmed off this week.