Split ends are the stuff hair nightmares are made of.
Most, but not all, live near the ends of your hair since that’s the part of the shaft that’s seen the most wear and tear. And so most easily frays.
Like other hair care issues split ends have a habit of sneaking up on you.
Just when you think you’ve put your problems with frayed ends behind you BOOM! Another round of damaged ends appears out of nowhere.
So frustrating.
To a certain extent some split ends are normal.
But you don’t want to get complacent. You should try to stop doing what’s causing them.
To do that you first need to figure out why your hair is ragged in the first place.
Then you can get to work minimizing exposure to the causes by adjusting your hair care routine accordingly.
But know what else?
Sometimes knowing what type of split ends you face helps the most. As that can give you clues as to what’s going on and suggest what you need to change.
That’s where this article comes in. Because there is no such thing as a benign split end.
They are all an indicator of some degree of damage.
Obviously less damage is better. But it’s still damage.
How Many Different Types Of Splits Ends Are There?
Good question.
Depends on who you ask. Maybe roughly a dozen or so. And we’ll get into many of the more common ones in a sec.
Now most types of split ends involve tattering of the cuticle near the end of the strand.
And get this. If you’re wondering if split ends can be repaired sadly there is nothing that can repair them. That’s right, there is no fix per se that makes them magically all better.
Sorry to disappoint because that’s what we all want.
Yet all long term solutions involve the same thing in one form or another: Stop abusing your hair.
Best you can do is snip them off and then head off future problems by lavishing your hair with TLC.
Honestly anyone that suggests otherwise is not being straight with you.
Oh and about that snipping. I know cutting your own hair at home always sounds too scary to DIY. But we show you how you can go about hair dusting at home. Luckily it’s an effective split ends treatment you can do yourself.
Anyway here we’ve made it easy to jump to the split ends content that best meets your needs right now!
Types of Split Ends | The Usual Suspects
- What Is The Hair Cuticle Exactly?
- Every Day Types Of Split Ends and Their Causes
- Baby Or Mini Split Ends
- The Basic Split
- Ladder Split Ends
- Knot Split Ends
- Incomplete Split Ends
- Feather Split Ends
- Deep Split Ends
- The Candle
- Tree Split Ends
- Crinkle Split Ends
- Fork Split Ends
- The Double Split
But first it helps to know the answer to this question:
What Is The Hair Cuticle Exactly?
It’s also a good question since it plays a key role when discussing split ends. So it helps to know what we’re talking about.
Actually the cuticles are really nothing more than the protective outer layer of your hair shaft’s structure.
They’re much like fish scales or roof shingles. They overlap to shield the rest of the strand from harm.
Oh and for a more scientific explanation you may want to check out the “HAIR” section on this page from the NCBI web page.
Normally closed tight, when not closed they expose the interior of the shaft to stressors which can lead to splits.
Every Day Types Of Split Ends and Their Causes
This graphic shows what some of usual suspects look like.
So why don’t we explore some of these and other more exotic examples in more detail.
What Baby Or Mini Split Ends Signal
Think of tiny baby or mini splits as full blown split-ends-in-waiting. They’re something like a gateway split.
That’s because most split end types start life as a baby and progress from there. Things aren’t bad yet but they’re about to be if the damage is left to progress and travel further up the hair shaft.
What might your hair be trying to tell you?
With baby split ends your hair is letting you know your hair regimen is lacking.
They are not something to ignore unless you want a potentially bad situation to get worse. These guys are an early warning sign of things to come unless a change in hair care routine is made. Like hydration. Plenty of hydration. And TLC.
About Your Basic Split
The basic split is what typically follows the mini split. It’s also your most common type. You know, this is where it splits in two at the ends leaving you with ends that looks like a Y. Hopefully nothing new there.
And relax. Everyone has these. So don’t necessarily take your discovery as an indication of damaged locks.
What might your hair be trying to tell you?
Maybe nothing. But that’s not to say there might not be a problem in paradise. Think of them more as a distress signal suggesting all is not well.
What could be wrong?
Your mane is probably not getting enough moisture for one.
And maybe suffering from too much friction for another.
Finally maybe just maybe you’re neglecting your hair meaning your routine could stand some improvement.
Or none of the above.
Are Ladder Split Ends The Worst or What?
Meet the dreaded ladder split. Baffling. Spooky. Freaky.
For some real life photos of this somewhat unnerving specimen click here, here or here.
Scary stuff, huh?
This is one of the more bizarre split ends you’ll ever see. One you hope to never see in your hair as it’s like something out of a horror movie. It’s that bad. You wouldn’t think hair could do this.
What might your hair be trying to tell you?
I can’t even imagine the amount of damage you have to do to your hair to get this this double helix.
Knot Split Ends Are Not True Splits
The knot is more the bane of curly girls.
Okay it’s not exactly a split end, so sue me. But it can be the cause of many a tangle. And tangles as you know can lead directly to breakage. Especially when brushing with the wrong brush or when your curls are dry.
What might your hair be trying to tell you?
Could be nothing. Or maybe it’s screaming for you to use a detangling product. Or that it needs more hydration. Or you aren’t detangling often enough. Or doing it wrong. Or maybe you’re washing too often.
With curly hair it’s sometimes hard to know. But those ideas are a start.
Incomplete Split Ends Are Hard To Spot
This one is not that easy to detect. Because there’s not a lot to it. The cuticle is showing signs of stress and weakness. Still it’s more a sign of things to come than what are. Because technically there isn’t a split yet.
What might your hair be trying to tell you?
This may be a good one to discuss with your stylist. It also suggests a micro trimming can help head it off. (Or an ounce of prevention being better than a pound of cure kind of thing.) Which also suggests taking care when combing out tangles or brushing should be done with care.
Are Feather Split Ends a Red Flag?
This one is known by multiple splits off the strand mostly staying to one side. Which makes them look kinda like a feather.
This results from the cuticle being severely damaged sometimes due to subjecting your mane to a color change or reaching for the bleach too often.
What might your hair be trying to tell you?
Some might want to take this a sign you’re being asked to cut back on the coloring. Begged actually. Which is often blamed as the primary cause. As all those chemicals can be mane-killers.
Deep Split Ends | Accessory Overuse
Unlike ordinary splits which tend to be found at the ends, the so called deep split end is found higher up the shaft. The cuticle is damaged due to some physical stressor. Causing the split to branch off.
What might your hair be trying to tell you?
Maybe it’s times to reconsider your love affair with hair ties and other accessories that might be distressing the strands closer to the scalp.
The Candle Predicts….
Think of the candle as another split-in-waiting. You’ll know this is the problem by the fact the end of your hair shaft is thinner at the end than the rest. Sorta like the wick of a candle.
Here’s what’s happened. The cuticle of that thin part has essentially gone missing. As you’d imagine there is no going back. You’ll have to have a trim to get rid of the damaged section of your strand.
What might your hair be trying to tell you?
You gone crazy with the chemicals? Typically hair dye, bleach and the like. Go easy on stuff like that and go hard on oil treatments or hair masks.
Tree Split Ends
Think of one of these as a collection of splits on one piece of hair. You’re facing frayed ends with at least three branches (or more) coming off different sections of the your strand. That’s what gives the characteristic tree like shape.
They strike terror in the hearts of hair divas everywhere.
What might your hair be trying to tell you?
You’ve got serious problems. Your hair is sending out a serious SOS distress call. The shaft is literally coming apart at the seams.
Left unresolved you’re facing breakage and thinned out ends that feel anything but smooth. It’s seriously time for a trim.
Crinkle Split Ends Reveal a Rough Routine
You hard on your hair? Like rough toweling with a terry cloth towel or hard brushing that puts stress on your tresses. Enough to stretch them to the breaking point? Or maybe you’re using hot styling tools set to high too often?
So visibly wrinkled strands are another tell tale sign. Think like a squiggle. Ugh!
What might your hair be trying to tell you?
It’s could be a cry for help and relief. Possibly from what you’re doing wrong with your post shower routine.
Fork Split Ends Caution Hair That’s Worse For Wear
This type straddles the space between the double and tree split. A little worse than the former but not as bad as the latter.
What might your hair be trying to tell you?
Best guess? Your hair is a little worse for wear. More trimming might help keep the ends tidied up. Plus it’s time for deep conditioning treatments or ultra-hydrating hair masks. They might begin to hydrate what might otherwise be a badly dehydrated mane.
The Double Split Is Double Trouble
This is just as it sounds. Your hair shaft has split in two. Things got worse and the two each split again. You can think of this as a secondary split as the primary one split again. Take it to the next level and you got a tree or triple split.
What might your hair be trying to tell you?
It’s badly damaged and getting more so by the day. Immediate action is needed to head further problems off at the pass.
Now if you don’t want to make your split ends worse, no matter what type you’re dealing with, be sure to follow our Hair Tricks and Tips Pinterest board!
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