Split Ends and Breakage: Causes and Treatments

Many of us can usually tell that it’s time for a haircut when our split ends can no longer be ignored. While routine maintenance is always healthy for your hair, what can we do to treat and prevent split ends or breakage?

What causes Split Ends and Breakage?

• Thermal Damage: Heat from styling products, when you blow dry, curl or flat iron your hair, can cause severe damage, especially to dry ends.
• Weak Hair: If the internal structure of your hair is weak, due to stress, hormones or nutritional imbalances, the appearance of your hair is also affected. Weak, brittle hair is more susceptible to breakage. 
• Over Styling: If you’re constantly pulling or teasing your hair, you’re guaranteed to damage it. The same goes for over coloring, highlighting or bleaching processes. 
• Nervous Habits: If you twirl or pull your hair absent-mindedly when you’re nervous, you're disrupting the natural pattern of hair, causing fibers to break.
• Brushing: Like over styling, too much brushing will damage hair, especially if you’re brushing wet hair.
• UV Exposure: Too much time in the sun will over dry your hair, creating damage and breakage. 

Our Recommended Treatments and Tools:

• Hair Masks, Conditioners: Look for deep or reparative treatments that penetrate hair, not just sit on top of it. Alfaparf Semi Di Lino Reconstruction Reparative Mask helps stop breakage and replenish the hair shaft.
• Leave-Ins, Serums: Many treatments are meant to be left in. Alfaparf Semi Di Lino Reconstruction SOS Emergency Oil is an intensive professional treatment for severely damaged hair. When used with heat, deeply penetrates and repairs the internal structure of hair, giving it new strength & elasticity.
• Thermal Protectant: Before blow drying or other heat styling, ALWAYS apply a thermal protectant to your hair. This will help prevent future damage, while increasing shine and smoothness. Alfaparf Style Stories Thermal Protector is a great product for protecting the hair fiber from the heat of hot tools.
• Better Hair Brush: Not all brushes are created equal. Some are gentler and can promote healthy hair, while the some can be used on wet hair without causing damage.
• Lower Heat Setting: Showering with cooler water and using a lower heat setting on your styling tools will help decrease damage. If you can, let hair air dry when it isn’t essential to heat style it.
• Supplements: If your hair and nails tend to be weak, you may benefit from an internal treatment. Phytophanere provides essential vitamins and fatty acids, strengthening hair from the inside out. It won’t get rid of your current split ends, but it will definitely increase the health of your hair to prevent future damage.