There are 7 main differences between split ends and healthy ends:
- DIFFERENCE 1: If you have split ends, your hair is likely to dry faster than if you have healthy ends.
- DIFFERENCE 2: Hair with split ends is more difficult to detangle than hair with healthy ends.
- DIFFERENCE 3: Long hair tends to have more split ends than short hair.
- DIFFERENCE 4: If you have split ends, your hairdresser will recommend treatments to repair them, whereas if you have healthy ends you may not need those treatments.
- DIFFERENCE 5: If you have split ends, you may look bad in all your selfies. On the other hand, if you have healthy ends this won’t be a problem.
- DIFFERENCE 6: Split ends will negatively influence your hair health. Instead, healthy ends will have a positive impact on the rest of your hair.
- DIFFERENCE 7: If you have healthy ends, essential oils will help keep them that way. On the other hand, if you have split ends, oils won’t help you at all.
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What happens if your split ends reach your scalp? Nothing good…
Do you think you have split ends, but you’re not sure?
Can’t tell if you have split ends or healthy ends?
This is a very recurring topic in salons.
Every day, clients arrive with doubts about whether their ends are split or healthy.
To clarify it, let’s take a closer look at the 7 differences between split ends and healthy ends that I mentioned at the beginning.
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DIFFERENCE 1: If you have split ends, your hair dries out faster than if you have healthy ends
What happens after you wash your hair can be the first indicator that something is wrong with your ends.
So, you should pay attention to the way your hair dries.
If you wash your hair, towel dry it, and then, let it air dry. Healthy hair usually dries out evenly throughout the entire head until it’s completely dry.
On the other hand, if you have split ends, as soon as you finish washing your hair and dry it with a towel, the ends have already dried in a few seconds.
The open cuticles mean that your hair can’t hold water and dries faster.
DIFFERENCE 2: Hair with split ends is more difficult to detangle than hair with healthy ends
When you style your hair, you’ll notice if your ends are split or healthy.
- When you comb your hair, and it gets tangled at the ends, your ends are split.
Precisely, having open cuticles makes it very easy for hair to tangle.
Pulling hard won't solve the problem. On the contrary, you’ll cause some weaker hairs to break at different lengths.
Or worse: if you pull too hard, the hair could break from the scalp.
- On the other hand, if your hair is healthy, all the cuticles will be aligned and you’ll be able to detangle it without any complications.
When you reach the ends, nothing will stop the comb or brush. It’ll be a sure sign that your hair is healthy.
DIFFERENCE 3: Long hair tends to have more split ends than short hair
Different hair lengths will be a good indicator of how your ends are doing.
Two main factors can cause split ends: how long your hair has been growing and how much care you give it.
- If you wear your hair long such as past your shoulders, it’s around two to three years old. [/su_highlight]
If you haven’t properly cared for your long hair (direct heat such as blow-drying and flat ironing, for example), or if you haven’t cut it regularly, moisturized, and nourished it consistently, your ends may be split.
In other words, during all this time your hair has suffered considerable damage.
So, if you have long hair, take a good look at the condition of your ends. You may need a trim.
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- On the other hand, if you have short, pixie-style hair (even down to the length of a medium bob), you're likely to visit your salon regularly.
Because of this, your ends won't have time to split and will always be healthy.
DIFFERENCE 4: If you have split ends, your hairdresser will recommend treatments to repair them, whereas if you have healthy ends you may not need those treatments
When you get a treatment at the salon, your hair should ideally be healthy.
What are these treatments?
Permanents, dyes, highlights, straightening, bleaching, and all chemical processes that involve damage to your hair.
However, if your ends are split, different hairdressing treatments can help your ends to close a bit or open more than before.
But when they open up again, the color will wash out, and the work won’t show up. It’ll leave them completely dehydrated and brittle. So, the wave you were looking for won’t work. Also, those ends will break very easily.
On the other hand, if your ends are healthy, any treatment will look perfect on your hair.
Just make sure your ends are nourished to avoid split ends in the future.
DIFFERENCE 5: If you have split ends, you may look bad in all your selfies. And if you have healthy ends, this won't be a problem
Here's an important fact to keep in mind in the age of selfies.
Your split ends will make your hair look voluminous at the ends and make your hair look dull and straw-like.
With open cuticles, the light in the photos is reflected like a mirror sphere in different directions. Therefore, your mane doesn’t look shiny, but dull.
However, with just a few centimeters cut, your hair will look as good as new, as it’ll regain some of its shine and freshness.
With healthy ends, your image will look renewed and you’ll look much better in selfies.
DIFFERENCE 6: Split ends will negatively influence your hair health. Instead, healthy ends will have a positive impact on the rest of your hair
Keep in mind that there’s a big difference between what is aesthetically pleasing and what has to do with your hair health.
Split ends, apart from being aesthetically ugly, show a bigger problem: lack of hair health.
Even more serious consequences can result from split ends: dehydration, malnutrition of the hair fiber, brittle hair, thinning hair, etc.
These disorders can lead to unhealthy hair growth.
Healthy ends, on the other hand, not only give you a cleaner look in the mirror, they also bring these health benefits:
- Healthy ends maintain the balance of nutrients in your hair.
- They help to preserve the quality of the hair fiber in good condition.
- They help your hair grow strong and healthy.
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DIFFERENCE 7: If you have healthy ends, essential oils will help keep them that way. On the other hand, if you have split ends, oils won't help you at all
There’s a wide variety of oils, balms, and silicones on the market that help to improve the condition of your hair ends.
Argan oil, linseed oil, coconut oil, almond oil, castor oil, etc. are extremely nourishing, but will only help to improve the quality of your hair. That is, they don’t close split ends.
If your hair is healthy, these tools will help prevent future split ends. Especially if you dye, bleach, or straighten your hair at the salon.
The proper way to use essential oils is to apply a few drops to damp hair and you're good to go.
Conclusion: cut your hair every 2 months and you’ll keep your ends always flawless.
In this article, I told you the 7 differences between having healthy ends and split ends.
As you may have noticed, it's not just an aesthetic issue. Split ends make it difficult for your hair to grow healthy and strong.
Of course, everything has a solution. Just make an appointment at the salon and trim your ends every 2 months. This will give your ends proper maintenance.Your trusted hairdresser will always make your hair look as shiny as you deserve. GO FOR IT!
