Light, Bleached-looking Ends (splits?)

[AudraChanell]

The ends of my hair are very LIGHT and now some have splits. Does this happen to anyone else?

 

[*Happily Me*]

no splits but my ends are lighter too.

in fact, my whole head is turning red. (i was wondering if it was turning lighter before it actually turns gray... i'm just too lazy to google it. lol)

 

[Je Ne Sais Quoi]

Could it be heat damage op?

 

[Je Ne Sais Quoi]

no splits but my ends are lighter too.

in fact, my whole head is turning red. (i was wondering if it was turning lighter before it actually turns gray... i'm just too lazy to google it. lol)

I mentioned this in another thread. My hair in the sunlight looks like I have a reddish cellophane. It's weird. Please don't tell me my head is going gray ohwell:

 

[AudraChanell]

Hmm, I dont' see how considering I only flat iron 2 to 3 times a month. I just don't get what "this" is?? I've been pre-pooing and DC'ing a lot more since my hair cut.

Could it be heat damage op?

 

[Sistaslick]

Sun damage can break down proteins in the hair, bleaching it, but that's typically the reddening that occurs all along the shaft particularly in summer. This "photochemical" damage is worsened/increased when the hair is worn wet or damp outdoors.

Toward the ends, the redness is usually worn away cuticle layers. The fewer the cuticle layers, or less the cuticle protection, the lighter the ends will seem. At the very, very tips you might even see white-- and that is fully degraded cuticle and exposed cortex.

 

[Sistaslick]

Hmm, I dont' see how considering I only flat iron 2 to 3 times a month. I just don't get what "this" is?? I've been pre-pooing and DC'ing a lot more since my hair cut.

Another thing you can check on is whether or not your shears were as sharp as they needed to be. Dull shears can actually cause more splitting because instead of cleanly cutting the tips, they can push hair around between the blades before actually nipping the hairs. If the cut isn't "clean" you could end back up at square one fighting more splits sooner than you expected.

 

[AudraChanell]

Yes, I even see white on some of the ends though there aren't many splits at all...yet! What am I doing wrong so I can circumvent further damage? This also happens to me during the winter; my last major trim was in February for the very same reason. I don't wash-n-go too often because it rips my ends to shreds and it's too drying for my hair. What can I do prevent this??

Sun damage can break down proteins in the hair, bleaching it, but that's typically the reddening that occurs all along the shaft particularly in summer. This "photochemical" damage is worsened/increased when the hair is worn wet or damp outdoors.

Toward the ends, the redness is usually worn away cuticle layers. The fewer the cuticle layers, or less the cuticle protection, the lighter the ends will seem. At the very, very tips you might even see white-- and that is fully degraded cuticle and exposed cortex.

 

[AudraChanell]

I was told the same on another board. I'm going to get a fresh, pro nip just to be safe. This is so perplexing. erplexed

Another thing you can check on is whether or not your shears were as sharp as they needed to be. Dull shears can actually cause more splitting because instead of cleanly cutting the tips, they can push hair around between the blades before actually nipping the hairs. If the cut isn't "clean" you could end back up at square one fighting more splits sooner than you expected.

 

[Gemini350z]

I have the same thing going on with my hair, prior to my cut. What can be done to prevent this because it happens almost every summer!?

 

[JustKiya]

Sunscreen of some sort for your hair. Also, are ya'll being VERY sure to protect your ends/length when you are getting a touch-up? Relaxer residue running down your ends & overprocessing them would make the lightening effect worse, I think.

 

[cmperez]

This happens to my daughters hair in the summer time. I think it's just because they spend so much time in the sun.

 

[AudraChanell]

Well I relax 3 to 4 times a year using Motions-Mild for under 10 mins so Im not over-processed. I don't, however, coat/cover my ends but I can. *shrugs* What options are available as hair sunscreen, though this happens to me in the winer/all year around.

Sunscreen of some sort for your hair. Also, are ya'll being VERY sure to protect your ends/length when you are getting a touch-up? Relaxer residue running down your ends & overprocessing them would make the lightening effect worse, I think.

 

[*Happily Me*]

Sun damage can break down proteins in the hair, bleaching it, but that's typically the reddening that occurs all along the shaft particularly in summer. This "photochemical" damage is worsened/increased when the hair is worn wet or damp outdoors.

Toward the ends, the redness is usually worn away cuticle layers. The fewer the cuticle layers, or less the cuticle protection, the lighter the ends will seem. At the very, very tips you might even see white-- and that is fully degraded cuticle and exposed cortex.

oh dear! and my hair is ALWAYs damp being a frequent cowasher.

It's REALLY red now. Time for protein treatment, huh?

 

[gymfreak336]

Sunscreen of some sort for your hair. Also, are ya'll being VERY sure to protect your ends/length when you are getting a touch-up? Relaxer residue running down your ends & overprocessing them would make the lightening effect worse, I think.

Try mixing sunscreen into a styling cream for your hair. The sunscreen hair sprays don't last nearly as long as real spf cream.

I love wearing my hair wet outside in the summer but I put a hat on when I go back outside.

 

[*Happily Me*]

what sucks is that I hardly ever use heat, but I might be getting heat damage from the friggin sun

 

[Miamori]

I am so gad I stopped for a moment to read this thread. Everything Sistaslick mentioned used to be up with my hair. (Including the dull cut, performed by my mother in a fit of frustration). Luckily none of this is the case with my hair now, but it's all soooooo good to know. Oh, I love learning!

 

[SoAnxious12]

i noticed some brown streaks in my hair too... i freaked out! My hair is very very dark like jet black/blue black. I never considered the the issues sistaslick posted... I guess its time for me to do some serious protein treatments.

NIce to see you posting Audra!

 

[*Happily Me*]

I just re-examined my hair. no splits but it's very red in some spots. hmmm. time to baby my hurrr

 

[Sistaslick]

Yes, I even see white on some of the ends though there aren't many splits at all...yet! What am I doing wrong so I can circumvent further damage? This also happens to me during the winter; my last major trim was in February for the very same reason. I don't wash-n-go too often because it rips my ends to shreds and it's too drying for my hair. What can I do prevent this??

I would say, staying deep conditioned #1, keeping your ends protected and out of the way, and keeping that damp hair out of the sun. ITA with JK, that you should also be protecting the length of your relaxed hair during each relaxer application b/c that relaxer runoff can and will degrade the cuticle along the length of your hair. (And for some reason, no lye relaxers are really bad about that.) It'll help with overlapping too. The reddening also can affect the hair's porosity (hair=swollen/puffy/red/dry). Protein would also be a good temporary solution, Dsylla, along with regularly replacing your hair shears helps too.

If you've got a more expensive pair of shears you can have them professionally sharpened, but if they're the standard drug store kind then I'd replace them after a few good trims. Also, make sure that you don't use those shears for anything but hair. I'm bad with that . . . using them to cut paper or open the tape on my shipped in hair products, etc. That will cause your shears to get dull, quick.

 

[sevetlana]

Well I relax 3 to 4 times a year using Motions-Mild for under 10 mins so Im not over-processed. I don't, however, coat/cover my ends but I can. *shrugs* What options are available as hair sunscreen, though this happens to me in the winer/all year around.

I remember reading somewhere that avocado oil can be used as a sunscreen for hair... You can look into it.
HTH

 

[DaRealist]

I remember reading somewhere that avocado oil can be used as a sunscreen for hair... You can look into it.
HTH

I was going to recommend this same option as a hair sunscreen.

 

[AudraChanell]

I feel you guys on the sun bleaching but that's not it. LOL This is white tips not reddend hair from sun. The tips of my ends are light and white and it can happen at any given time of year. Anybody have this happen?

 

[AudraChanell]

Here's a post trim pic from this past winter after a head full of white tips ...

 

[ayoung]

THANK YOU for this thread!!

I wanted to post for like a week but had NO idea how to explain!

This is what is going on with my hair----light/white tips and some are splitting.

Thanks for the advice SS---this issoooo perplexing b/c I have only used heat once since May---when I relaxed--been CW/bunning and braidouts....

Thanks OP!

 

[JustKiya]

It could just be breakage, then - or 'frayed' ends. Have you ever taken a close look at the white bits? Are they frayed? Split? Smooth? Tapering?

 

[malachi74]

i dunno how true this is but my mum always used to say that lightened ends are a sign of malnutrition

 

[ayoung]

^^^Interesting....

Please go into more detail.....were u having this problem??

 

[rayne]

I feel you guys on the sun bleaching but that's not it. LOL This is white tips not reddend hair from sun. The tips of my ends are light and white and it can happen at any given time of year. Anybody have this happen?

I can't see the pics at work, but I'm pretty sure I have the same problem. I recently cut a few inches off to get rid of the split ends and the white tips. But unfortunately, I still have the white tips erplexed Mine aren't from heat damage or the sun either. Maybe the poster that mentioned malnutrition is on to something because although my eating habits aren't that bad, they aren't that good either.

 

[AudraChanell]

Hmm, ok well there's another avenue. Can you ask her for more information? This seems like a hair problem to me though?? I got a fresh trim yesterday so that's more than 4" lost in just over a month.