Avoid Excessive Manipulation
Edge control, goody bands, cute clips with weird fasteners, tight buns, twist outs, braid outs are all examples of things if done excessively can cause mid shaft splits and later breakage.
Everyone loves a great ponytail, but let’s face it every time you remove your goodie band and you find long strands wrapped up in it you have to wonder how much of that you could have prevented by just not wrapping it as tightly or if you purchased a satin scrunchie instead.
Loose buns are messy but effective, they don’t pull on your edges and they prevent splits and breakage. Styling options are great when you have natural or relaxed hair and creating the perfect style for the week is ideal because you are not touching your hair on a daily basis.
If however you plan to re-style on daily, make sure it is not a style that constitutes daily twisting and braiding your hair. You would be surprised to find out how much stress your hair is put under when enclosed in a braid or twist every night, there is only so much manipulation that your hair can take.
Wet hair And Over Stretched hair
Wet hair believe it or not is not the strongest, there is a lot going on within a wet strand, including expanding and contracting as water seeps in and out that will make it more vulnerable to weakening and splits than a strand that is dry.
Don’t get me wrong, it is better to detangle your hair while it is wet but when manipulating your hair while wet it helps to have a product with a lot of slip so that it is easier to remain gentle, this is true of all hair types including relaxed hair.
Stretching is probably more relevant to our natural hair crowd since shrinkage is one of our number one issues. Be careful when stretching your hair in the name of avoiding tangles, especially if you use heat to do it, or if you are stretching your hair to the point of wearing out the strand.
Always do what might be considered a “natural stretch”, braiding is great or banding, but do not go overboard, stop if you notice your hair snapping and falling. In your attempts at preventing one problem you could be causing a whole other one.
What do you do if your hair is already breaking?
We have to be honest with you, when we say prevention in this case is better than cure, we mean it, because as with all split ends, removing them is the only real solution.
Who wants to cut their hair in the middle though? If you are on a growth journey you can try some split end remedies such as the Tresseme Split Remedy line because they might work, in that case trial and error is key.
Treat your hair like a piece of fiber, meaning once it leaves the scalp your job is to do what it takes to preserve it because it cannot mend itself. You can add layers to it using protein, avoid dryness by moisturizing often, and keep it away from environmental influences by protecting it.
Have you experienced mid shaft breakage?
Dina Davis says
Hmm
Shelica Kennedy Jackson says
No. Or maybe not to my knowledge
Ivy Alondra Vera says
NO! thank God i have enough fairy knotts to keep me annoyed on top of mid shaft splits!
Shanta says
What to use on kids hair that will stop the breakage
Lisita StayFabulous Huntley says
Thanks…
Kyé Pettiford-Smith says
I didn’t even know that was possible
Chaundra Temple says
Is heat really one of the culprits? Or could it be heat damage caused by chemically treated hair or improper heat usage? For example, perms and hair color? I have to agree to disagree. Yes, heat is our “frenemy” if the hair is chemically altered; making the hair more susceptible to dryness and brittleness weakening the hair causing breakage. Our love affair with heat began over 100 years ago with the press. Back then our hair was strong, healthy and shiny. It wasn’t until the introduction of lye plus the mixture of heat the problems begin. To often in my opinion, heat gets a bad rap as being a stand alone culpri.
Mari Gee says
Yes. Hate it.
Patience Karpeh says
does anyone know what I can do to prevent breakage from the root especially around the front I haven’t pulled it and its still breaks
TiffyTiff Marie Smith says
No i havent on split ends
Marsha Buchanan says
Oh yes! I’ve had to avoid heat since I decided to grow out the damage and because I am not all the way there yet on doing a BC, I have resolved to doing some search and destroy as well as trying some split repair options to glue them shut. I also do more finger detangling and lay off the grooming tools a bit. My hair has retained length so as soon as I am comfortable with the length I can trim off the damaged ends. I have noticed my shrinkage has returned as well as I have more defined curls without product.
Karen says
Yes. I hate it. I kept thinking it was too much protein, then I thought my hair was over moisturized. The truth is I’m impatient and rip through my hair with a detangling comb. I’ll be planning my wash and styles ahead of time so I can take time to finger detangle my hair from now on. Thanks for the info.
Re Gina says
I rebuke them in the name of Jesus!
Toni Xing Wanliss says
hallelujer
Trese Hisoneandonly Jones-Simms says
How do i treat mid shaft splits?
Zola Tara says
once i noticed a midshaft split. i just cut it. i didb’t know what else to do
Patricia Roach says
The Study of Hair is much needed
LaKeda Bivins says
Yes.. Thanks for the info. I suffer from in the nape of my head. My curl pattern is much looser there compared to the rest of my 4c head. I think I have not been as careful as I should be when styling back there. Heat is my frenemy cause i don’t have color.
Karen J says
Yes. Like Karen(12) I’ve found that I need to be more gentle and take time with my hair when it comes to detangling. My hair is fine.
Sharol Allen says
I sure do 🙁
Renee Akperov says
Nope
Iris Brock says
I’ve had mid and upper shaft split ends and breakage. It was right around the time I realized my hair was very protein sensitive. I was using gels for wash & go’s and by the time I figured out what was wrong, the damage had been already been done and was irreversible. I had my husband shave me totally bald so I could start on a clean slate with no gels of any kind.