Home / All / Thinning Hair Ends: Causes and Prevention
Posted on : October 14, 2016 | Category : All | Author: John Kahen
“Trim your ends every two weeks and condition only your ends when showering.” This is every hairstylists’ advice regarding split/thinning ends. But before you start trimming or treating your thinning hair, have you wondered what is causing the ends of your hair to thin? This is important! This information will help you prevent running into the same problems down the line. Women experience hair loss and thinning hair primarily due to hormonal, menopausal and genetic reasons. The main contributors to thinning hair and ends are physical and chemical sources of damage. Please don’t be surprised as some thinning episodes can occur to perfectly healthy and well-cared hair. Hair thinning near the ends is normal in very long hair. A slight thinning in the hair ends occurs during the normal hair growth process. The hair nearest the ends is the oldest hair on the head, and the longer the hair the older it is! The ends of this hair are usually older than three years.
Thinning hair ends can be caused by many factors:
Styling
Always control your comb as it makes its way down the hair shaft. This is critical for reducing breakage during detangling and styling. Avoid combing your hair from root to ends without grasping the hair along the way. Using the hand to support along the hair shaft as you make yourself through reduces unneeded tension.
Heat Use
Heat has to be one of the main culprits of self-induced hair thinning. The lack of internal moisture causes breakage and results in a thinner look to the hair. Heat also denatures the hair’s internal protein structure and damages the cuticles layers of the hair. Try a low heat regimen to prevent and no direct heat more than twice a month.
Over-Processing from Chemical Relaxers
When a relaxer touch-up is done and the relaxer is rinsed out of the hair, the active creme passes over previously relaxed ends and starts to work on them. This is very harmful and happens when the ends are not protected during the relaxing process. Each time this occurs, the cuticle becomes more and more degraded. Protect your ends by using an oil or conditioner and applying it to your ends before starting the relaxing process.
Improper Neutralizing of Relaxer
When the relaxer is improperly neutralized your hair can become thinner overtime. The relaxer chemicals continue to process the hair strand long after the relaxer is rinsed away, resulting in thinner, moisture and protein deficient hair strands. Breakage can also result from this; you must always make sure your hair is properly rinsed!
Remember it is vital that you keep your hair hydrated, conditioned and well trimmed. This along with staying informed about the causes of thinning hair ends will keep your hair ends looking healthy and beautiful!