How To Prevent Split Ends And Hair Breakage: 7 Tips And Techniques

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HealthlineSubscribe7 Ways to Prevent Split Ends

Medically reviewed by Cynthia Cobb, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP — Written by Valencia Higuera on April 1, 2020

Prevention tips
Be gentle
Detangle
Hydrate
Less heat
Less brushing
Use silk
Treatment breaks
Recommended products
How to conceal
Takeaway

Keeping your hair well-nourished by conditioning and reducing heat, along with other practices, can help prevent split ends.

A woman with blue-dyed hair that looks dry and brittle.

Although your hair is strong, it can be vulnerable to damage from daily wear and tear. The ends of your hair, which are also the oldest part of the hair shaft, can weaken and lose their protective layer. According to research, this can cause the hair to split, exposing the inner cortex.

Several factors can contribute to split ends. Some of the most common include:

chemical processing, like perms and coloring
heat treatments
forcefully combing or brushing your hair

Split ends are a common hair complaint, but there are ways to keep your hair healthy and prevent split ends from happening. Let’s look at how you can do this.

Tips for preventing split ends

Unfortunately, you can’t treat or repair split ends. So once the ends of your hair become damaged or frayed, the only way to get rid of them is to cut them off.

That’s why prevention is key to keeping your hair healthy and free of split ends. Although you may not be able to avoid split ends completely, you may be able to limit how often they develop.

Let’s look at seven tips and techniques that may help prevent split ends.

1. Be gentle after washing your hair

Wet hair is vulnerable to damage, so it’s important to care for your tresses gently after shampooing and conditioning.

Some people have a habit of rubbing their hair dry with a towel, but this can damage it. Frequent rubbing can cause hair breakage. It can also damage your hair cuticles, resulting in split ends or frizziness.

Instead of rubbing your hair dry, blot it dry with a towel to avoid breakage and damage.

2. Detangle your hair

Tangled hair, whether wet or dry, can be difficult to comb or brush. So always detangle your hair before drying, brushing, or styling.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends using a wide-tooth comb. The wider tooth allows the comb to glide through your hair without damaging the ends or causing breakage.

3. Hydrate your hair

Keeping your locks moisturized is also key to preventing split ends. Dryness can weaken hair, especially at the ends, and this can cause damage and split ends.

To add moisture to your hair, consider using a weekly hair mask. A hair mask is a deep conditioning treatment that can infuse your hair with moisture and reduce frizziness and dryness. A mask can also reduce the risk of hair damage, resulting in softer, shinier hair.

The products in a hair mask are usually more concentrated than those you’d find in an instant conditioner. Also, the mask stays on your hair for longer — anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours, or even overnight.

You can buy a ready-made hair mask or make your own using ingredients like:

coconut oil
aloe vera
honey
olive oil
bananas

4. Dial down the heat

Using heated appliances on your hair, especially on a daily basis, can dry it out and change the structure of your hair proteins.

If possible, let your hair air dry after washing, and then style it without using a curling iron, flat iron, or blow-dryer.

If you do need to use heated appliances, try to turn down the heat setting. You can also apply a heat protectant product before blow-drying or styling to avoid heat damage.

5. Avoid overbrushing

Your hair doesn’t need 100 brush strokes a day. That’s a myth. In fact, brushing your hair too much can cause damage, including breakage and split ends.

Instead, only brush your hair to style it or make it look neater. Avoid pulling or tugging on your hair as you brush or comb it, and use a detangling product if you need to get rid of knots.

6. Sleep on a silk pillowcase

Protecting your hair at night can also prevent split ends. Rather than sleeping on a cotton pillowcase, sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase to reduce friction.

Sleeping on a silk or satin pillowcase allows your hair to glide over the pillow. Having less friction between the pillowcase and your hair may help prevent hair damage and breakage.

Another option is to wear a silk scarf at night to protect your hair.

7. Add time between hair treatments

Chemical treatments like coloring, perming, or relaxing your hair can take their toll, especially if you have more than one treatment at a time.

You can take some steps to lower the chances of hair damage, breakage, and split ends:

Add more time between treatments. If possible, try to go 8 to 10 weeks between touch-up treatments.
Only get one type of chemical treatment at a time. If you need more than one type of treatment, the AAD suggests relaxing or perming your hair first. If you also wish to color your hair, wait 2 weeks before getting it done.
Apply a hair mask once a week or use instant conditioner each time you wash your hair.

Is there a way to conceal split ends?

Even though there’s no way to repair split ends, you can make the damage less noticeable. One option is to apply coconut oil, almond oil, or another type of moisturizer to the ends of your hair. These products not only add shine but also smooth your hair, which helps conceal split ends.

Another option is to choose hairstyles that hide your ends. You can try styling your hair in a low or high bun or wearing hair extensions.

Keep in mind that split ends can progress and split up the hair shaft. So you’ll have to trim or cut off damaged hair to prevent further damage.

The takeaway

There’s no remedy for split ends once you have them — the only option is to trim them off. That’s why prevention is key to keeping your hair free of split ends and breakage.

Keeping your hair well-nourished and avoiding certain habits can go a long way toward improving the overall health and appearance of your hair.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Dias MFRG. (2015). Hair Cosmetics: An overview. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4103%2F0974-7753.153450
How to prevent split ends. (n.d.).https://www.dove.com/us/en/stories/tips-and-how-to/hair-care-tips-advice/how-to-prevent-split-ends.html
How to stop damaging your hair. (n.d.).https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/hair-loss/insider/stop-damage

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Medically reviewed by Cynthia Cobb, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP — Written by Valencia Higuera on April 1, 2020

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