Every person, irrespective of whether it is a man or a woman, is very conscious of his appearance and health these days. An important part of the appearance is the hair. Not only does it have an important role to play in enhancing the look of a person but is also the symbol of good health. If a person is healthy, his/ her hair is bound to be smooth, shiny and bouncy, and with an even end. Although men and women are both into the style of donning medium/ shoulder length hair, it is usually women who have really long hair, and as a result, most of the major hair problems are faced by them.
One of the greatest problems that long hair develops is that of split ends. When hair gets dry and receives less care, it starts to develop split ends. Over use of styling products and chemical products also causes hair strands to split. There are a number of products in the market that promise to stick back split ends together. But, the truth is that, there is hardly any product that can prove to be effective in repairing split ends. Lots of cosmetic, herbal or medicinal products like shampoos, conditioner, hair masks etc. advertise themselves as products that can cure split ends after regular use. However, these advertisements are generally fake promises. The most advanced of the split end treating products, the hair laminating treatment, is actually micro- film for each hair strand, which locks the moisture, proteins and nutrients and makes it look much less frizzy. It gives that hair a smooth and tamed look that lasts for up to 6 weeks. However, after that, the look starts to go away. So, this is nothing but a temporary solution as well. There is actually no magical treatment to stick back split up hair strands, except getting the edges trimmed off.
The best idea is to take preventive measures against split ends. There are some very common reasons for developing split ends, and if these are avoided, split ends can be prevented. The most common cause of split ends is dryness of hair, which can be caused by excessive use of styling appliances like curling iron, blow-dryers or straighteners, washing hair with hot water, exposure to direct sunlight etc. An important split hair prevention tip is to wash hair with cold or lukewarm water only. Heating products should be avoided as much as possible. In case it is essential to use them on special occasions, heat-prevention serum should be used. Sunscreen serum for the hair should be used before walking out into the sun.
Split ends are also caused due to harsh chemical products. These should be avoided as much as possible. Styling gels, mousse, sprays, colours, dyes etc. are very harmful for the hair. Herbal products should be used for styling, and colours can be replaced with henna and indigo.
It is a common myth that hair becomes smooth if brushed vigorously and many times. However, this only makes hair rough and frizzy. Combing hair is undoubtedly important, but overdoing it must be avoided. Wooden brushes with thick teeth are good for the hair. Apart from these, regular hair care regimes with oil or natural packs can also be of help.
safia john
