Hair, undoubtedly, is the most cherished body hair for many. When you have painstakingly grown your hair, do you notice split ends and a yellowish tint after a while? Does the texture become rougher? Have you ever wondered why your hair undergoes these changes? How can we deal with this series of changes in our hair? How can we improve the quality of our hair? I believe that after reading this article, you will have a better understanding and solution to your hair!
Hair is a constituent part of the integumentary system, composed of vital cell components both above and below the epidermis. The significant composition of hair is closely associated with a protein known as keratin. Our hair grows from follicles, and it is primarily divided into three different parts: the medulla, cuticle, and cortex. The medulla is situated in the middle of the hair and contains numerous pores, leading to the presence of air in this layer. The cortex consists of fibrous cells that can retain moisture. As moisture contributes to softness, the cortex determines the shape, thickness, softness, and elasticity of our hair. The outermost layer, known as the cuticle of hair scales, contains essential nourishing elements for the hair.
Apart from these three essential components, the hair shaft and follicles also play a crucial role. Above the epidermis is our hair shaft, while below the epidermis is a part of our follicles. Follicles are the primary structures for hair growth. The multiple layers of epithelial cells in the follicle form the outer root sheath and inner root sheath. The inner root sheath determines the cross-sectional shape of our hair during growth, while the outer root sheath maintains the shape of our hair and protects our follicles.
The hair shaft, the visible part of our hair, is primarily composed of keratinized cells. Since the hair shaft is made up of elongated cells containing melanin, it results in the coloration of our hair. If our hair color is not black, it indicates that the melanin content in our hair shaft is either excessive or insufficient, leading to a color other than black.
After understanding the specific structure of hair, what are the important factors in our hair that cause split ends?
When the cuticle scales in our hair are damaged, it also affects the integrity of the cortex. Damage to the cortex extends to the cuticle layer, leading to the separation of keratin proteins and the occurrence of split ends. There are various causes for hair-splitting, including prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation, dust pollution, or excessive chemical processing, such as using a significant amount of heat for procedures like perm and styling that alter the shape of our hair. These processes can harm the sensitive cuticle layer. Once the cuticle layer is damaged, crucial components of our hair, such as melanin and the hair shaft, are also affected. This explains why our hair color starts changing, and the texture and thickness of our hair are consequently impacted.
To prevent split ends and hair breakage, what should we do to avoid this situation?
1. Reduce the frequency of hair straightening and curling, and avoid prolonged use of a hairdryer to blow-dry your hair.
Due to the high heat, our cuticles and keratin layer can be damaged, so we should also avoid perming and curling hair. Perming and curling require our hair to be exposed to high temperatures for an extended period to open the cuticles and change the hair's shape, leading to damage to our cuticles and becoming a major cause of split ends. The same principle applies to hair dryers. Hair dryers release heat to expedite the evaporation of water on our hair, causing potential harm to hair quality. Therefore, it is advisable to minimize the frequency of perming and curling, and whenever possible, allow our hair to air dry. These measures can help prevent damage to our hair from excessive heat.
2. Regular hair trimming can prevent split ends.
Trimming the hair can eliminate the split ends at the tips, maintaining a relatively neat state. Keeping a relatively neat appearance also helps prevent further split ends, as trimming prevents the spread of splits. If the split sections gradually spread to the upper part of the hair, more cuticle scales will be damaged, leading to an increase in split ends. Trimming the hair also enhances the overall smooth and tidy appearance, avoiding a messy look.
3. You can use conditioner or essential oils regularly.
Split ends are also related to nutritional deficiencies. Regular use of conditioner or hair oil can provide additional nutrition to our hair ends, allowing better repair of the cuticle scales and preventing split ends.
4. Having a health diet
Eating foods rich in vitamins and proteins can supplement our keratin, promoting better nutrition for our hair and aiding in the repair of cuticle scales.
conclusion
To address the issue of split ends at its root, we need to understand why this problem occurs in the first place. Only by gaining insights into the causes of split ends can we effectively find solutions to this hair-related issue. There are various methods to prevent split ends, and identifying a repair approach that suits your individual needs is crucial for resolving hair problems.
Reference
Kaushik, Vaibhav, et al. “Alternative Protocol for Hair Damage Assessment and Comparison of Hair
Care Treatments.” International Journal of Trichology, vol. 12, no. 1, 2020, p. 7.
“The Science behind Split Ends.” Viori, 20 Dec. 2022,
viori.com/blogs/viori-blog/the-science-behind-split-ends. Accessed 16 Jan. 2024.
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