Okay so you’ve had it with the plague of splits living on your ends.
You want to evict them, but you’ve got questions and not a lot of time to get answers.
Fair enough. It’s smart to get the 411 before doing anything to your hair that involves scissors. Otherwise you could be regretting any moves made in haste for months to come. Am I right?
That’s why we titled this “Ask These Questions Before Dusting Away The Split Ends”.
The technique is not hard. But that doesn’t mean you can’t mess it up.
So let’s do what we can to help you keep on track. By answering 9 questions you should be asking about split ends. With some key tidbits thrown in to help you to get rid of them.
Why Do I Have So Many Split Ends?
So you’re wondering why you’re so blessed?
Several reasons come to mind.
You hair type could play a role. Those with more delicate fine hair sometimes find they tend to be more prone to split ends.
Or maybe you have some bad hair care habits.
Like putting your hair up in a terry cloth towel.
Or brushing your hair without detangling first.
Or perhaps you’re a color chameleon? Yeah, bleaching your hair a lot isn’t doing it any favors either.
Any Tips On How To Check For Split Ends
When it comes to how to find split ends there are four ways
- The Slide
- The Braid
- The Twist
- The Fan
Each offers it’s unique advantage. Yet with all the goal is to tease out the damaged strands so they can be cleaned up one by one with a snip of the shears.
Here’s a demo of the popular slide method
Since this article is a quick hitting FAQ unfortunately the idea isn’t to get deep into the details. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to leave you hanging.
Here’s an article we wrote that drills down into how to check for split ends. All four approaches listed above are explained. It also has a stylist dusting tutorial video that demonstrates how to get rid of them by dusting.
So Is It Bad To Cut Split Ends Individually?
Is there any other way?
No seriously. That’s the beauty and curse of dusting.
Unlike a trim which cuts off the good with the bad this technique lets you focus the scissors only on the strands with problems. Without putting any hard won length at risk. That’s the beauty.
On the other hand the curse is you’re only dealing one tattered hair shaft at a time. Making this a mind numbing, time consuming process best done when you can do something else distracting.
Like get in some vocab practice with Babbel, listen to an audio book or podcast, or catch up on your favorite YouTuber’s latest beauty tutorials.
Okay but …
What Happens If You Don’t Cut Your Split Ends?
Little that’s good. That’s for sure.
But first understand I’m not saying to become obsessed. You just want to keep things in check so the dead ends don’t get out of hand. Dusting only as often as needed in your situation to make sure that doesn’t happen.
If they do? Get out of hand, I mean.
Your splits will get splits. With your ends going from a problem to a hot mess or flat out disaster that’s anything but pretty.
Like the splits will run up your strands, weakening them. That is likely to eventually lead to unwanted breakage. Such breakage can lead to loss of length or thinning.
What Are The Best Scissors For Split Ends?
Simple. Hair dressing scissors with razor-sharp blades are your best bet. Or ones that are sharp enough to put your ears at risk should you get a bit too frisky.
Yeah But Is It Bad To Cut Your Split Ends With Regular Scissors?
In a word, yes.
And I know. With the Covid lockdowns came the need for a little DIY hair cutting. Okay a lot. Yet too many pulled out any scissors they could find and used those. No problem right?
The main point of this article, which addresses using regular scissors to cut hair, is simple. If the blades are not sharp enough to make a clean, precise cut, they’ll bend and mangle the ends before finally chewing through them by sheer brute force.
Or kinda like what happens when you try to cut a ripe tomato with a butter knife. Mush.
That article goes on to point out …
“The most common telltale sign that someone hair cut their hair with regular scissors is a lot of split ends.”
Ooops. Might as well break out the ole cheese slicer and use that, right?
Because for anyone trying to learn all about how to get rid of split ends at home that seems counter-productive, don’t you think?
So using regular scissors is out. Period.
Then It’s True Scissors Can Cause Split Ends?
Sadly, as you just read, yes. The wrong scissors can definitely cause split ends.
Another issue we want to avoid? Loss of length.
Here’s How To Cut Off Split Ends Without Losing Length
Some resort to trimming when faced with a ton of horrific ends sprouting out all over. And that may be the only option due to the magnitude of the problem.
But there is a way to cut off split ends without losing length. That would be a technique we’ve been discussing – dusting.
Yeah But Does Hair Dusting Split Ends Really Work?
The answer for many is yes. Keeping on top of the splits simply makes for healthier hair.
Again, just don’t let this take over your life. Everyone has some split ends. Going to extreme and going for zero tolerance is not the mentally healthiest approach.
Like most things find a happy medium you can live with and you and your hair will likely be just peachy.
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