Split ends.. Does your beard have them? Can they be avoided?
Split ends are something we all have to deal with – whether you like it or not, at some point at least one of your hairs will start to split, so how to we know which hair to cut? The long asked question from my barber when I ask for “a haircut”.. lol. Here are the telltale sign you may have split ends in your hair or beard and when you should cut or what types of products to use to reduce them.
Humans typically have 1 to 3 hairs per hair follicle, sometimes they may group together to form up to 5 called “follicular units”, less than 20% of follicles will contain a singular hair. Having multiple hairs per follicle is a common reason for the misconception that ‘shaving will make your hair grow back thicker’ this is only because it cut all three back to the same length as stubble, so appears darker. This can also explain why our hair appears to stop growing at a certain length, or why longer hair sheds more readily in the shower.
Now we know how hair works let look at why split ends occur:
Most of the hair from follicle will be almost joined together until one eventually falls out and a new hair takes its place, split ends occur when a hair fibre breaks from damage. This usually happens at the tips but can make its way down the hair if left untreated for long enough.
What can cause split end inducing damage?
Environmental damage: harsh winds, the sun’s UV rays, extreme temperatures and air pollution can all be damaging to your hair by weakening the protein structure, de-moisturising the hair, breaking down lipids on the outer layer of the hair and causing discoloration, dry, brittle strands and ‘frizz’.
Touch / rubbing: Being rough when drying your hair with a towel, brush etc. can be damaging as wet hair is susceptible to breaking. Over brushing can cause split ends to occur too as you may be simulating ‘picking’ at your hair which pulls at the strands and weakens the follicular units – this can be a further cause for frizz or split ends so many people with longer hairs will resort to air drying, however…
Heat styling: Using hot tools like hair dryers, irons etc. without a protectant can cause heat damage, this is because the extreme heat can break the cuticle layer to break off of the hair.
Over styling / over washing: Although keeping our hair and beard is essential to keep them smell and bacteria free, doing this too much may strip natural oils from the hair, making them dry and brittle. Beards will stay clean for a couple of days with just a rinse through every now and then (unless you are a particularly messy eater) so maybe ease up on the routine?
How to identify split ends:
Fortunately for some, a small group of people have the eyesight necessary and the knowledge to be able to spot and identify split ends, unfortunately for the rest of us, it can be a struggle to even know if they are there with a microscope. If you have good eyes or access to some specs, here is a brief guide.
There are six main types; Classic, Incomplete, Tree and feathered, Single strand, Y-split, Taper split…
Classic split ends are most common, this is where hair separates in two at the tip and can look like a frayed rope.
Incomplete split ends occur when the hair is weak but not fully split at the end, this can look similar to a sewing needle.
Tree or feathered split ends are effectively when hair has split multiple times – resembling a tree or feather, this is a sure sign you definitely need to cut that hair.
Extra curly hair can split into “trichonodosis” where the hair has split and curled back on itself to form a tiny knot. Also go by the name of fairy knots.
Y-splits and taper knots are very common and are identified by the hair splitting directly into two (Y-split) or very thin ends of the hair (Taper knots). Both of these indicate its time to get that trim you have been thinking about.
How can we stop split ends once and for all?!
Unless you are Ryan Gosling in Fall Guy, you can’t, sorry it’s just Human nature. However there are ways to help prevent them, slow them down or get rid for a period of time…
No. 1: Chop it off! No not all of your hair, just the ends, the split ends. If you spot any split ends in your hair, the best Idea would be to go to a qualified hair dresser and let them take away the troubles, don’t worry though they will only take away an inch or so.
No. 2: Stop overbrushing, over washing and overholding! The more you break apart your hair in vigorous ways, the more likely it is to break! Everything wears out overtime, lets not encourage it to come quicker? Try to stick to washing hair every 2 -3 days unless its dirty, greasy or smelly, brush only when needed – not every opportunity you get, and apply moderate amounts of product.
No. 3: Eat a healthy, balanced diet that contains plenty of vitamins (especially B,C and D and omega fats) and minerals. Eat your five a day, lean meats and vegetables, drink plenty of water and not only will your waistline thank you, but your hair and skin too
No. 4: Topical applications of natural, environmentally friendly skin care products will boost hair and skin health. These will contain plenty of the right building blocks to keep your beard and hair in top shape.
- Why Environmentally friendly you may ask? I personally wouldn’t feel my house plants and dog petroleum, alcohol and heavy metals, so why add that into and every day ingredient? Just an opinion I guess
This is something Staerk London takes very seriously, all of our products aim to use natural and organic ingredients and materials to try and keep a balance between us and nature, Take a look at our store and sign up for the newsletter to find out more and about new releases coming soon!
