As a girl, I have always been told that when you cut the split ends off your hair, it grows back faster. Split ends are defined as a single strand of hair that splits into multiple pieces. Like most people, my mom would drag me out to go and get a haircut every couple of months. I remember especially as a little girl I would get so upset when I would be when my mom would want to cut off even a couple of inches of hair. To maintain healthy hair, hair specialists suggest that we cut off the dead ends, the hair that has been thrown the most damage. Without the split ends, the evenness of the bottom of the hair creates the illusion of longer hair. Or perhaps it’s the uneven weight in the hair that causes your hair to start growing uneven. 

So why does having split ends bother so many people? As a collective society, healthy-looking hair has become the standard because of the clean aesthetic that has been favored by the media. Younger girls are at higher risk of being attracted to this lifestyle. Older women tend to also care more about split ends. I just don’t understand how cutting hair from the bottom of your hair makes the hair on top of the head grow back faster. However, split ends are known to be the cause of dehydration which is what splits and breaks the bottom of our hair off. No matter if the hair grows from the top and dies at the bottom split end, clean-cut hair is what most people shoot to have. 

There are a couple of ways to avoid gaining split ends and keep your hair looking clean and healthy. For one, do not use heat on your hair frequently. When straightening is curling your hair, you’re killing the strains of your hair. Ultimately, the best way to combat split ends is to use protective hair masks and serums to give your hair the right amount of vitamins to keep it healthy. Taking the time to just gently brush your hair and braid also promotes hair growth.