Drrrrrry ends of hair

intheclouds

I seem to be in a pattern and don't know how to break it.

I get my hair cut, long bob, and then it grows, and by the time it's shoulder length or past my shoulders, the ends are in such a bad state that it's like worzel gummidge. So then I get it cut again and the cycle continues.

The hairdresser always comments that she doesn't understand how the ends get so bad because I don't do anything with it. I don't even own a hairdryer!

I wear it tied back or straighten it maybe once a month. I use a semi permanent dye every 3-4 weeks. I try to keep washing down to twice a week. I only brush it when there is conditioner in it.

But the ends are just constantly in bits. I've just had it cut again and it's all in good condition but I know the ends are gonna start going bad again in a couple of weeks.

What can I do to try and stop this? Is it the semi permanent dye doing it?

dudara

One thing that's worked wonders for me is using a hair oil. I've tried different types (Moroccan Oil, L'Oreal etc) and they've all been beneficial in one way or another.

Apply to the length of your hair (not the roots) when wet and let your hair suck it in.

lubie76

Dudara, do you wash your hair every day and does the oil applied to the lengths still make it greasy?

I'm just wondering as I know using oil like this would be great for my hair as its very dry but also because of this I try to leave it a few days between washing and use a sulphate paraben free shampoo so I'd be afraid there would be serioulsy build up using oils this liberally.

LinF

I always apply 1 drop of my pro-naturals Moroccan argan oil to my palm and take a 1" section and apply the oil to the ends first and then smooth through the rest of the hair shaft. Keep doing this until all my hair has been "arganed" only then do I blow dry and style it. My hair is quite short & very straight, very shiny, no split ends and not greasy.

Dial Hard

Do you get regular trims between the big chops? All the product in the world can't mend split ends once they start.

It can, however, certainly delay them, but not indefinitely. A big plus one here on hair oils. I oil the ends of my hair every time I wash it and every so often I drench the whole lot, root to tip in oil, brush it through and leave it overnight.

I use MoroccanOil and it doesn't leave any kind of greasy residue. Neither does L'Oréal Extraordinary oil, but some cheaper ones definitely do.

intheclouds

No I don't get regular trims.

When I did I just had permanently shorter hair, it never grew any length at all.

So I stopped because I'd rather have a bit of length even if the ends are starting to go bad just as its getting longer.

Dial Hard

When you're growing your hair you need health trims rather than maintenance ones. An eighth of an inch every eight weeks. It's the only way you can grow your hair and keep it healthy. Long hair is a commitment and an investment, unfortunately.

As you've discovered, ignoring it while it grows only results in you having to chop it all off, putting you back to square one. It's a vicious cycle.

dudara

lubie76 wrote: »

Dudara, do you wash your hair every day and does the oil applied to the lengths still make it greasy?

I'm just wondering as I know using oil like this would be great for my hair as its very dry but also because of this I try to leave it a few days between washing and use a sulphate paraben free shampoo so I'd be afraid there would be serioulsy build up using oils this liberally.

I was my hair every 2-3 days as it's quite thick and strong with a tendency to dryness. The oil doesn't make your hair greasy at all, as long as you don't over apply. When you hair is wet, it will suck in the oil.

intheclouds

Dial Hard wrote: »

When you're growing your hair you need health trims rather than maintenance ones. An eighth of an inch every eight weeks. It's the only way you can grow your hair and keep it healthy. Long hair is a commitment and an investment, unfortunately.

As you've discovered, ignoring it while it grows only results in you having to chop it all off, putting you back to square one. It's a vicious cycle.

Yeah, that's what I used to do. And it just meant I was getting the new bit cut off all the time.

I'm convinced it's the hair dye tbh. I once went through a period of black hair and it grew down my back with no effort at all and was in fantastic condition.

Dial Hard

intheclouds wrote:

Yeah, that's what I used to do. And it just meant I was getting the new bit cut off all the time.

If your hair grows so slowly that an eighth-inch trim every eight weeks is just cutting off the new growth then it's unlikely you'll ever be able to have the long hair you want, unfortunately. Some people just can't grow their hair.

intheclouds

Dial Hard wrote: »

If your hair grows so slowly that an eighth-inch trim every eight weeks is just cutting off the new growth then it's unlikely you'll ever be able to have the long hair you want, unfortunately. Some people just can't grow their hair.

Lol, Ive had long hair all my life!

I'm just in the dry ends, cut it back cycle the past 2 or 3 years.

bee06

How often are you getting your hair cut?

intheclouds

bee06 wrote: »

How often are you getting your hair cut?

I would say every 8-9 months.

bee06

No wonder it's in bits! Cutting your hair regularly keeps it health and maybe it's my imagination but I think it grows quicker as well.

Dial Hard

intheclouds wrote:

Lol, Ive had long hair all my life!

Which is why I said the long hair you want, i.e. long and healthy.

I don't really know what else to advise you, tbh. You won't countenance regular trims and that's really all there is to it, in fairness. The key is not to leave it so long between trims that you're just cutting off all the growth that's happened in the meantime . You seem to just want a cosmetic fix but as I said earlier, all the product in the world can't repair ends that have already split.

SB_Part2

intheclouds wrote: »

I would say every 8-9 months.

:eek: no wonder your ends are in bits. You really need to get your hair cut more frequently. I'm shocked your hairdresser didn't mention this to you.

intheclouds

SB_Part2 wrote: »

:eek: no wonder your ends are in bits. You really need to get your hair cut more frequently. I'm shocked your hairdresser didn't mention this to you.

I used to only get it cut once a year or less, for decades. According to my hairdresser lots of people only get a infrequent chop.

I actually increased frequency to deal with the dry ends. First I tried getting trims every 2 months or so but after about a year I was sick of it always just being the same length (and the ends still crap!), so then I went for once every 6 months, but again it didn't really solve it.

So I've sort of settled back to every 8 months or so because at least it's long towards the end of that time frame.

Already, I just had it cut a week ago and I can feel the ends starting to dry (I did dye it immediately after it was cut).

Maybe I need to do a treatment after a dye. I'll try that.

I'm also gonna try the oil suggested earlier in the thread.

GingerLily

I would have thought bottle hair dye would be very drying. Could you dye your roots only to reduce it?

intheclouds

GingerLily wrote: »

I would have thought bottle hair dye would be very drying. Could you dye your roots only to reduce it?

Yeah, maybe.

It's only semi permanent though. I don't ever use permanent. But it is a different brand than I used to use (the one I used for about 10 years went off the market), so I do think it's contributing.

intheclouds

So based on the advice here (and there was another thread about shampoo/conditioner) I have started with the following changes:

I have changed shampoo and conditioner. I actually just changed to a LIDL Keratin Repair set but immediately there was a difference and my hair (not just the ends) felt MUCH softer and less dry. I suppose I was in a rut of using the same shampoo/conditioner for a long time so a change was needed.

I have started using an Aussie 3 minute treatment in my hair before I shampoo/condition it. This had a dramatic effect. Already my hair was softer and less dry. Now its become BIG. Its basically curling everywhere instead of frizzing in some places - reminds me of my childhood hair. Volume all over! Its actually quite difficult to tame.

Ive an Argan oil waiting in Parcel Motel and I am going to start applying to the wet ends.

Hopefully these measures will help keep it more conditioned to help prevent the split and damaged ends. The only answer when they start IS to get it cut so I am trying to head them off before they happen.

I will use a treatment after dying too.

SarahMollie

Good luck with your changes.

Don't rule out getting more trims though. I used to do the same as you, avoid trims so my hair would grow, then end up getting loads cut off to rid myself of split ends, then start growing again and the cycle continues.

I friend of mine recently returned to hairdressing and is now working freelance. Because she knows me and I trust her, she comes over about every 6-8 weeks and literally dusts my ends, takes about 2 minutes, minimal hair on the floor after. Its really making a difference and my hair is finally looking longer!

intheclouds

SarahMollie wrote: »

Good luck with your changes.

Don't rule out getting more trims though. I used to do the same as you, avoid trims so my hair would grow, then end up getting loads cut off to rid myself of split ends, then start growing again and the cycle continues.

I friend of mine recently returned to hairdressing and is now working freelance. Because she knows me and I trust her, she comes over about every 6-8 weeks and literally dusts my ends, takes about 2 minutes, minimal hair on the floor after. Its really making a difference and my hair is finally looking longer!

Oh I dont mind getting frequent trims, but it just wasnt growing enough so every trim took off any new growth - but maybe it wasnt growing because it was too busy being damaged.......

Im dying to try the argan oil!

SarahMollie

intheclouds wrote: »

Oh I dont mind getting frequent trims, but it just wasnt growing enough so every trim took off any new growth - but maybe it wasnt growing because it was too busy being damaged.......

Im dying to try the argan oil!

Yeah its a great product, you should see some difference.

My point really, which I think I rambled on was that most hairdressers will as standard take off about an inch to 2inches for a trim. Once I found one who knows me and I trust, She literally takes off 1cm or less each time. Its barely noticeable. I'd barely notice it myself, only the ends just seem slightly more blunt

Might be worth asking around your friends if anyone has a good regular hair dressser who you could trust to do the same. I've had that fear of every trim being a big cut, but now that I've stopped bouncing around from hairdresser to hairdresser, thats not happening anymore.

intheclouds

SarahMollie wrote: »

Yeah its a great product, you should see some difference.

My point really, which I think I rambled on was that most hairdressers will as standard take off about an inch to 2inches for a trim. Once I found one who knows me and I trust, She literally takes off 1cm or less each time. Its barely noticeable. I'd barely notice it myself, only the ends just seem slightly more blunt

Might be worth asking around your friends if anyone has a good regular hair dressser who you could trust to do the same. I've had that fear of every trim being a big cut, but now that I've stopped bouncing around from hairdresser to hairdresser, thats not happening anymore.

Oh I hear you - I was literally only growing 1 cm every 2 months though!!

I just gave up because my hair was a length I hated and then every 2 months I was putting it back at that same horrible length!!

The things that changed it for me was a sun holiday where my hair grew loads but didnt dry out (I had conditioner in my hair the entire day long over there) so I finally got it past the 1cm growth then I just settled back into the less frequent chops.