HGKWW ::: Q&A IV

Q: I've been neglecting my ends and now they are split like crazy!!! What can I do to fix them? Are there any ways that I can repair them and avoid having to cut my hair?

A: You are not going to like what I am about to say. I know you may see commercials for hair products that promise to fix this and mend that. I am sorry. But once your ends are split, there is no going back. The only way to get rid of split ends is to trim them. Anything else you see that claims to negate what I am telling you? It is only temporary and you will eventually have to cut your split ends off regardless. 

Don't hold on to split ends!!! I know it hurts to see length go, but if you try to keep your split ends around long enough, the split can travel up the shaft of the hair and soon there will be an even bigger issue at hand.

On the good side: Maybe this will serve as motivation to give your hair the attention it craves. Any split ends and damage to your ends that results from your neglect, is most likely irreversible. Preventing split ends is one of the best ways to help with length retention.

Remember to:
Keep your hair moisturized.

Wear a satin scarf or bonnet at night.
Minimize heat usage if you cannot avoid it completely.
Manipulate the hair less often.
Wear protective styles.
Trim hair when it needs to be trimmed!!!

HGKWW ::: The "Search & Destroy" Trimming Method

I love scissors. Too much.

Give me an array of colored construction paper & see what happens.

There was a time when if you told me I needed to trim my hair, I'd look at you like "BACK UP!!!!!"

Well, not anymore...I've learned to get over my hair cutting phobia. In fact, lately my friends have been screaming for me to stay away from the scissors. But I really despise crappy looking ends & seeing my split ends fall away is really therapeutic.

But don't be like me & go hair chopping crazy!!!

Many people like to get their hair trimmed every 6-8 weeks. The truth is, if you take good care of your ends, most of your hair probably doesn't need a trim! There are usually a few culprits in every bunch, but overall your ends may be just fine. So how can you avoid cutting hair that does not need to be cut?

The Search & Destroy method!!!

And yes. It is exactly what it sounds like. You search for the damaged ends and you destroy them!!!!!!! Well, you cut them off...

The S&D method can be done every month or two and definitely in-between full trims.

*NOTE* Whenever you cut your hair make sure that you are using actual HAIR SHEARS...not regular scissors. Using scissors that are not specifically designed to cut hair can result in MORE damaged and split ends.

There is no real set way to perform a search-and-destroy...I've seen several suggestions on how to do it. I usually don't make it through my whole head in one sitting and I focus on about one square inch of hair at time. Make sure your area is well-lit so you can clearly see which ends look stressed and are splitting.

Here's a chart to guide you in knowing which ends need to go:

Because I do not wear my hair bone straight often and favor curlier styles, I do not need all of my hair to be exactly the same length. This makes me a little less anal about getting traditional trims, so the S&D works for me.

All you need is good light, hair shears, a mirror, a magnifying glass if you so desire & PATIENCE!!!!!