Natural Split End Hair Treatments

Overview

Split ends are what happens when the ends of your hair fibers lose the protective cuticle surrounding them. This can happen when your hair is exposed to too much heat
from curlers, blow dryers or other styling tools or is damaged by bleaching, straightening, perming or other harsh chemical treatments.

Snipping the Ends

Snipping away your split ends is really the only way to get rid of the ones that already exist--either that, or waiting some two to six years for them to shed on their own. Many hairstylists suggest trimming an inch or so off the ends of your hair, but this will not do anything to help remove the split ends that have occurred farther up the hair shaft. The best way to treat your split ends is to snip each one off individually as you find it, at a point right above the split. Snip them straight across, do not break or peel them, as this will further damage the hair shaft and lead to re-splitting. If you have a hard time seeing your split ends, try holding your hair up against a contrasting surface--a white towel if you have dark hair, a dark one if you have very light hair. While this process might seem incredibly time-consuming and boring, you do not have to tackle it all at once. Try trimming split ends from a small section of hair at a time, perhaps when you're watching TV or talking on the phone. Before you know it, you'll have significantly reduced your split end problem, and your overall hair length will remain the same.

Change in Hair Care Routine

Brushing your hair after you've just shampooed it can be very damaging and help those ends to split. Instead, brush your hair thoroughly before you wash it, and use a wide-tooth comb in the shower to comb through any conditioner you may be using. After your shower, consider letting your hair air-dry if you can, or at least use a cooler setting on your blow dryer. Avoid using rollers, either heated or unheated. While heat is very damaging to hair on its own, hair can also be stressed to the point of breaking off or splitting when twisted on rollers or in tight braids. Finger-comb your hair when it is dry, and sleep with it in a loose braid or bun to protect it from tangling at night.

Nourish Hair Ends with Honey

Honey is naturally vitamin-packed and enriching for hair, and has the property of allowing hair to retain its moisture. While a honey conditioning treatment cannot magically "reglue" your split ends, it can restore the overall health of your hair so as to make it less likely for further split ends to develop. Try mixing a few tablespoons of honey with an equal amount of olive oil, then massaging this ointment into your hair and covering it with a shower cap. If you wait for about half an hour to 45 minutes, then rinse with cool water, shampoo and rinse again, your hair should feel shiny and healthy.

Moisturize Hair with Avocado

The avocado is full of fatty acids that can make the driest hair feel softer and bouncier. If you mash up an avocado with one egg and three tablespoonfuls of olive oil, you can apply this to your hair like a conditioner. You should leave it in your hair for 20 minutes or so so the nutrients can really sink in, then rinse your hair and wash it with a mild shampoo. Any leftover avocado mixture can be used as a face mask, or you may store it in the refrigerator for up to one week to use for a second conditioning treatment.

Strengthen Hair With Papaya

Papayas contain amino acids and protein which can help to make hair stronger. Mashing up a ripe papaya (skinned, de-seeded) and mixing it with half a cup of plain yogurt makes a nourishing hair treatment that can create hair which is much less likely to split and break. Apply the papaya mix all over your hair, cover it with a shower cap, and let it sit for half an hour before rinsing and washing your hair.