Everyone knows split ends are not a good thing to have, but you might not know there are different types of split ends that can tell you a lot about your hair.
The first kind is the basic split, and these are probably the most common types of split ends. What happens in cortical cells are still largely held together but large sections are beginning to separate.
What this type of split end says about your hair is that your strands need more nourishment, but it can be fixed with a treatment that helps seal and heal your ends.
The next type of split end is the mini split, which is very common and an example of early split development. What it says about your ends are that your ends are very dry and need nourishment. It is a smaller version of the basic split.
The fork is the road is the next kind of split end, and these are slightly less common as the basic split and mini split. These type of splits are examples of more damage to the hair fiber.
The fork in the road shows more widespread damage and more significant splitting of your hair. This type of split means you need more trims throughout the year and would benefit from a deep conditioning mask.
The tree is another kind of split end, and it shows an example where more damage has occurred to one side of the hair fiber than the other as a result several ‘branches’ of cortical cells are starting to separate. This means you need a haircut, and should use products that protect the hair from weathering with formulas that contain the ingredient OFPMA.
The candle is another type of split end and is an example of significant loss of the outer cuticle with no split having started, but it can start splitting at any time.
This type of split means you need a trim, and you should be using a split end treatment or essential oil to prevent damage.
The last type of split end is the knot which is common with curl hair where the hair has tangled and caused its own knot. It most times will cause the hair to break at that spot from brushing. This type of knot means you need to be careful when brushing.