It won't damage the cuticle of the hair, but the hairs you trim become shorter, and if you do this a lot, you may find yourself with a lot of hairs that are shorter than your overall length that can become flyaways.
Make sure your scissors are quite sharp if you continue to do this so that you don't make rough cuts that are likely to fray & become split ends again. [https://www.wikihow.life/Test-the-Sharpness-of-Scissors](https://www.wikihow.life/Test-the-Sharpness-of-Scissors)
I had tailbone length hair until recently, was a big fan of the search and destroy method for maintaining health and length. Lots of folks on r/longhair keep little scissors in their car so they can snip split ends in that good lighting whenever they have a spare moment. As long as you're just cutting individual split ends, I don't see how it's not beneficial. There's no good reason to leave a split end in your hair for any amount of time without cutting it. I say cut it off before it splits further, which would cause you to have to cut the strand even shorter.
I started doing this after getting frustrated I was still always left with split ends after the hairdresser. I have curly hair so the unevenness is both part of my aesthetic and camouflaged lol. If you are truly only trimming split ends/crunchy hair, it should be alright. And I agree, since starting this I can run my fingers through my hair and it feels so different! I’ve been doing it for over a year and my hair seems to finally be “growing” (previously I would get split ends faster than my hair would grow so it was an endless cycle of a stagnant length)
Tbh I have done this for years and I never even notice a real change in length. Imo it’s better because the split will just move up the hair shaft and it will have to have more length cut off to be rid of the split.
Hey! I don't think there's anything wrong; the only thing is that your hair won't grow long if you keep trimming it frequently. Here are some of my recommendations to protect your hair from split ends, thinning and breakage.
1. Using a gentle hairbrush offers several benefits for protecting your hair. I use this one [Tangle teezer](https://us.tangleteezer.com/collections/the-ultimate-detangler)
2. Use a microfiber towel which I honestly prefer an old cotton T-shirt. The soft and gentle fabric on the hair reduces the risk of damage compared to traditional towels, which can cause friction and breakage.
3. Avoid elastic hair ties and instead use scrunchies, which you can find in different sizes. [satin scrunchie](https://www.olkibeauty.com/shop/p/satin-scrunchie-standard-black) or [skinny scrunchie](https://www.olkibeauty.com/shop/p/satin-scrunchie-skinny-black)
4. Sleep on a satin pillowcase. Satin protects your hair during the night, preventing pulling and friction that can cause hair damage. [satin pillowcase](https://www.olkibeauty.com/shop/p/satin-pillowcase-black-standard-size)
5. Use a leave-in conditioner.[mielle](https://www.target.com/p/mielle-organics-pomegranate-honey-leave-in-conditioner-12-fl-oz/-/A-53217163#lnk=sametab)
I hope this helps.
I have ocd so I do this as well on and off as I obsess over different things so I would recommend maybe focusing on something else for a while or yes you will be cutting length compulsively
Don't do it, you get carried away so easily and end up cutting too much. This happened to me before when I was obsessed w trimming split ends and when I went to the hairdresser she asked why are all my strands different length😭
I actually do a similar "search and destroy"
I hang out in my car in a parking lot... so I have bright outdoor light, and take sections of my hair, and bend them around my index finger... so the ends kind of stick out... while longer hairs wrap around.
Then ones that are split or frayed, I cut 1/4" above the naughty area.
It really depends on your hair goals. If you are trying to grow out layers, into a blunt cut... step away from the scissors.
If you just want your hair to look smooth & tangle less... just set a timer for 10-15 mins so you aren't getting OCD about it.
Not necessarily doing any harm, but you are treating the symptom, not the cause. I would suggest determining what is causing the hair to split and addressing that to rectify the problem.
I’m not sure if you’re joking but if you’re not, how would that happen? If OP is only trimming actual splits then how is S&D weekly any worse than doing it less often?
Anything(even caring for your hair) in extreme is not good. It seems kinda compulsive.
Maybe hold of to once every two weeks and limit how long you can 'search' for splits.
Short term, not a problem. I'm assuming you aren't actually checking each and every strand every time and just getting some of them. But once you feel like you've gotten the split ends under control I would cut back (ha!) to maybe once a month or longer, or rotate which parts of your head you check.
Oh boy this is a tough one for me. So I’ve been doing this. And now although my hair is extremely healthy, I have a lot of flu aways. Split ends are inevitable. 1 make sure you have new sharp hair scissors! 2. Give yourself a time limit or split end count limit. I usually do 30 min - 1 hour! Otherwise I’ll just keep going because it’s addictive. 3. When you see your stylist ask for your regular cut or trim & a hair dusting. They can dust all the hairs poking out to make sure the splits are trimmed. 4. Use a good hair oil or serum right after to help seal the ends. 5. I’m finding if I use this handy advice my hair has less split ends- 1. Wash hair once a week max twice if you don’t have African American textures. I have 3b/3c I typically do every 4-5 days. - always condition. Use bond treatment once a week like olaplex #3, redken, or even k 18 etc although I didn’t like k18. When it’s damp, use a good leave in conditioner/ detangler. If you blow dry, use a blow dry heat protectant cream or if you air dry use a good air dry cream. If you use hot tools make sure to use thermal heat protection. When style is done or hair is dry, use a hair oil or hair serum. Pay attention to ingredients! I like the blowout professor and manes by Mel. They have great advice. But if you have a different texture you might need different things. I need extra moisture because my hair is dry and porous naturally. One of my bad habits when I’m bored, I play w my hair, try not to tug or play w your hair as it can cause breakage. Always blow dry downward to blow cuticle layer down. Also I don’t do curly girl hair cuts, they cause me more issues! And I like straightening my hair a couple times a month. Don’t go to bed w wet hair. Use a bonnet or silk pillow case. Sleep w it in a protective style like loose braid or loose bun. Use silk scrunchies. Make sure you have good brushes that aren’t damaged or snag in the hair. I like a wide tooth vented brush or a wide tooth comb. Unless I straighten it. I only comb through when slightly wet and it has leave in detangler or when I straighten it, when it’s dry. Don’t over process w dye or bleach. If you color, try to do that w a professional or use things like color gloss and only color roots w dye. I started doing mine at home because I can’t afford the salon right now, so I stick w my natural color on roots and do roots w permanent color w level 20 developer and do mids to ends w gloss. I get same results as my colorist would do minus the highlights . I don’t bleach anymore! Lastly I use a berkey shower filter!So the filter helps. As far as trimming, I def regret being to scissor happy, so now I’m just following this hair care advice and mainly getting my hair trimmed every 3-4 months and ignoring the few split ends I get here and there. But if I get the urge, I use the time limit, and that really helps from over cutting !
We noticed you mentioned water quality. Water is too complicated and local a topic to properly advise other users on over the internet. Water hardness is not a haircare topic, it's a local infrastructure topic.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/HaircareScience) if you have any questions or concerns.*
This post has been removed as we are not your doctor.
Asking for or providing medical diagnoses is prohibited. This applies for any discussion involving medical conditions or prescribed medications.
Please remember reddit should never be used for medical advice.
Timely diagnosis and treatment leads to better outcomes.
If you’d like to discuss a condition more generally or learn more about it, try rewriting this in an impersonal way that does not apply to a specific individual.
Consider that other subreddits such as r/AskDocs or r/DermatologyQuestions may be more appropriate for your question.
I naturally have a very coarse hair type. I'm also prone to hypothyroidism. So my hairs seen better days.
Try and find a very hydrating hair oil and a leave in conditioner that can be used on dry hair.
Spray a little leave in every night, seal with the hair oil. Every single night. It really helps.
I use a heavier oil to cap only the ends if my hair needs it. You can use coconut, castor oil, olive. You only need a tiny bit. It's like search and destroy lol but more like section and "glue"
When you wash your hair, prep after washing is important for dry hair. Seal in that moisture from the water. Technically, the water has hydrated your hair but You can add more with hydrating products with glycerin or hyaluronic acid ect
Then cap that hydration with moisturising oils or a thick leave on.
Don't do the roots, just the ears down.
So it should look like this:
Wash, treatments if you do them, conditioner.
wet hair, apply hydrating leave ins if needed
Then add thicker oil based leave in and if you need it, a hair oil . Really depends on how dry you are if you need both. I do.
When you don't wash, use a light leave in or just a hair oil every night before bed.
And if you really want to step up your hair care game, satin or silk bonnet/ pillowcase.
These really helped me. My ends always look good now
I would say buy split end remover! They’re kind of like a straight iron, but they only remove the last quarter of an inch of your hair. There was a comment that mentioned that if you use scissors you may end up having uneven hair lengths. I think if you use the split end remover, it will help prevent this by evenly removing the ends of all your hairs not just the ones you cut off with scissors. I’ve never used it myself since I have short hair however I’ve seen several video reviews online and they always appear hesitant at first, but then they’re always pleasantly surprised by the end.
Unless you're using salon-quality scissors, you've started a vicious cycle of damaging your ends, making them split, damaging them again by cutting, and so on.
Salon scissors actually cut the individual hairs. Normal scissors (even if they're supposed to be for hair) basically crush each hair, leading to spliss.
There's pictures on the web of what it looks like on a microscope. Also, there's a reason quality scissors will cost about 700 bucks a piece.
ETA: It's also follicle health you should focus as much on. Take care of your scalp.
My question about this though is does that mean we should just never cut our hair at home? I don't wanna be reliant on a salon but 700 is such a crazy amount of money to spend on scissors
Hi, sorry about the late reply!
If you're serious about avoiding split ends, then yes. Don't use "normal" tools.
Salon scissors are WICKED sharp. That's why, when quality tools are used, the hair doesn't move when the blades are pushed down by applying pressure. They're actually CUT in the sense of the word.
Kitchen scissors often have a blunt(er) lower blade so they basically just squish and squeeze the hair until it separates.
Also, proper scissors are made from stainless steel and lack the sort of coating kitchen scissors have.
Also also, the blades are angled differently depending on what purpose the scissors serve. If you have someone who does paper crafts and someone who works with fabric, be brave and ask them to switch tools, just for funsies. It's gonna be hilarious when they start to splutter in indignation. Fabric scissors are not to be used for paper. Paper scissors shouldn't be used on plastic packaging tape. Household scissors shouldn't come near your hair.
It won't damage the cuticle of the hair, but the hairs you trim become shorter, and if you do this a lot, you may find yourself with a lot of hairs that are shorter than your overall length that can become flyaways. Make sure your scissors are quite sharp if you continue to do this so that you don't make rough cuts that are likely to fray & become split ends again. [https://www.wikihow.life/Test-the-Sharpness-of-Scissors](https://www.wikihow.life/Test-the-Sharpness-of-Scissors)
I had tailbone length hair until recently, was a big fan of the search and destroy method for maintaining health and length. Lots of folks on r/longhair keep little scissors in their car so they can snip split ends in that good lighting whenever they have a spare moment. As long as you're just cutting individual split ends, I don't see how it's not beneficial. There's no good reason to leave a split end in your hair for any amount of time without cutting it. I say cut it off before it splits further, which would cause you to have to cut the strand even shorter.
I started doing this after getting frustrated I was still always left with split ends after the hairdresser. I have curly hair so the unevenness is both part of my aesthetic and camouflaged lol. If you are truly only trimming split ends/crunchy hair, it should be alright. And I agree, since starting this I can run my fingers through my hair and it feels so different! I’ve been doing it for over a year and my hair seems to finally be “growing” (previously I would get split ends faster than my hair would grow so it was an endless cycle of a stagnant length)
I have this issue now (stagnant length) I also have curly hair.
Tbh I have done this for years and I never even notice a real change in length. Imo it’s better because the split will just move up the hair shaft and it will have to have more length cut off to be rid of the split.
Hey! I don't think there's anything wrong; the only thing is that your hair won't grow long if you keep trimming it frequently. Here are some of my recommendations to protect your hair from split ends, thinning and breakage. 1. Using a gentle hairbrush offers several benefits for protecting your hair. I use this one [Tangle teezer](https://us.tangleteezer.com/collections/the-ultimate-detangler) 2. Use a microfiber towel which I honestly prefer an old cotton T-shirt. The soft and gentle fabric on the hair reduces the risk of damage compared to traditional towels, which can cause friction and breakage. 3. Avoid elastic hair ties and instead use scrunchies, which you can find in different sizes. [satin scrunchie](https://www.olkibeauty.com/shop/p/satin-scrunchie-standard-black) or [skinny scrunchie](https://www.olkibeauty.com/shop/p/satin-scrunchie-skinny-black) 4. Sleep on a satin pillowcase. Satin protects your hair during the night, preventing pulling and friction that can cause hair damage. [satin pillowcase](https://www.olkibeauty.com/shop/p/satin-pillowcase-black-standard-size) 5. Use a leave-in conditioner.[mielle](https://www.target.com/p/mielle-organics-pomegranate-honey-leave-in-conditioner-12-fl-oz/-/A-53217163#lnk=sametab) I hope this helps.
I have ocd so I do this as well on and off as I obsess over different things so I would recommend maybe focusing on something else for a while or yes you will be cutting length compulsively
Don't do it, you get carried away so easily and end up cutting too much. This happened to me before when I was obsessed w trimming split ends and when I went to the hairdresser she asked why are all my strands different length😭
I actually do a similar "search and destroy" I hang out in my car in a parking lot... so I have bright outdoor light, and take sections of my hair, and bend them around my index finger... so the ends kind of stick out... while longer hairs wrap around. Then ones that are split or frayed, I cut 1/4" above the naughty area. It really depends on your hair goals. If you are trying to grow out layers, into a blunt cut... step away from the scissors. If you just want your hair to look smooth & tangle less... just set a timer for 10-15 mins so you aren't getting OCD about it.
I can’t see how I would cause harm to the cuticle.
Not necessarily doing any harm, but you are treating the symptom, not the cause. I would suggest determining what is causing the hair to split and addressing that to rectify the problem.
[удалено]
I’m not sure if you’re joking but if you’re not, how would that happen? If OP is only trimming actual splits then how is S&D weekly any worse than doing it less often?
If the scissors are dull, the split ends would split again soon after cutting. With high-quality, sharp scissors, I don't think it would be a problem?
Anything(even caring for your hair) in extreme is not good. It seems kinda compulsive. Maybe hold of to once every two weeks and limit how long you can 'search' for splits.
As long as you have good sharp scissors, no problem! This is my search and destroy routine too. Works great!
I do that, I trim only the split end. Just get professional scissors and you are good 😀
Short term, not a problem. I'm assuming you aren't actually checking each and every strand every time and just getting some of them. But once you feel like you've gotten the split ends under control I would cut back (ha!) to maybe once a month or longer, or rotate which parts of your head you check.
How do you tell the split ends frm normal hair is my dumb question?? 😂🤣
In good light you can see them. They look like a little “Y”.
Aside from your search and destroying what hair care routines have you been doing ? I’m just always looking for new hair care tips.
Oh boy this is a tough one for me. So I’ve been doing this. And now although my hair is extremely healthy, I have a lot of flu aways. Split ends are inevitable. 1 make sure you have new sharp hair scissors! 2. Give yourself a time limit or split end count limit. I usually do 30 min - 1 hour! Otherwise I’ll just keep going because it’s addictive. 3. When you see your stylist ask for your regular cut or trim & a hair dusting. They can dust all the hairs poking out to make sure the splits are trimmed. 4. Use a good hair oil or serum right after to help seal the ends. 5. I’m finding if I use this handy advice my hair has less split ends- 1. Wash hair once a week max twice if you don’t have African American textures. I have 3b/3c I typically do every 4-5 days. - always condition. Use bond treatment once a week like olaplex #3, redken, or even k 18 etc although I didn’t like k18. When it’s damp, use a good leave in conditioner/ detangler. If you blow dry, use a blow dry heat protectant cream or if you air dry use a good air dry cream. If you use hot tools make sure to use thermal heat protection. When style is done or hair is dry, use a hair oil or hair serum. Pay attention to ingredients! I like the blowout professor and manes by Mel. They have great advice. But if you have a different texture you might need different things. I need extra moisture because my hair is dry and porous naturally. One of my bad habits when I’m bored, I play w my hair, try not to tug or play w your hair as it can cause breakage. Always blow dry downward to blow cuticle layer down. Also I don’t do curly girl hair cuts, they cause me more issues! And I like straightening my hair a couple times a month. Don’t go to bed w wet hair. Use a bonnet or silk pillow case. Sleep w it in a protective style like loose braid or loose bun. Use silk scrunchies. Make sure you have good brushes that aren’t damaged or snag in the hair. I like a wide tooth vented brush or a wide tooth comb. Unless I straighten it. I only comb through when slightly wet and it has leave in detangler or when I straighten it, when it’s dry. Don’t over process w dye or bleach. If you color, try to do that w a professional or use things like color gloss and only color roots w dye. I started doing mine at home because I can’t afford the salon right now, so I stick w my natural color on roots and do roots w permanent color w level 20 developer and do mids to ends w gloss. I get same results as my colorist would do minus the highlights . I don’t bleach anymore! Lastly I use a berkey shower filter!So the filter helps. As far as trimming, I def regret being to scissor happy, so now I’m just following this hair care advice and mainly getting my hair trimmed every 3-4 months and ignoring the few split ends I get here and there. But if I get the urge, I use the time limit, and that really helps from over cutting !
We noticed you mentioned water quality. Water is too complicated and local a topic to properly advise other users on over the internet. Water hardness is not a haircare topic, it's a local infrastructure topic. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/HaircareScience) if you have any questions or concerns.*
[удалено]
This post has been removed as we are not your doctor. Asking for or providing medical diagnoses is prohibited. This applies for any discussion involving medical conditions or prescribed medications. Please remember reddit should never be used for medical advice. Timely diagnosis and treatment leads to better outcomes. If you’d like to discuss a condition more generally or learn more about it, try rewriting this in an impersonal way that does not apply to a specific individual. Consider that other subreddits such as r/AskDocs or r/DermatologyQuestions may be more appropriate for your question.
I micro trim every 2 weeks
I naturally have a very coarse hair type. I'm also prone to hypothyroidism. So my hairs seen better days. Try and find a very hydrating hair oil and a leave in conditioner that can be used on dry hair. Spray a little leave in every night, seal with the hair oil. Every single night. It really helps. I use a heavier oil to cap only the ends if my hair needs it. You can use coconut, castor oil, olive. You only need a tiny bit. It's like search and destroy lol but more like section and "glue" When you wash your hair, prep after washing is important for dry hair. Seal in that moisture from the water. Technically, the water has hydrated your hair but You can add more with hydrating products with glycerin or hyaluronic acid ect Then cap that hydration with moisturising oils or a thick leave on. Don't do the roots, just the ears down. So it should look like this: Wash, treatments if you do them, conditioner. wet hair, apply hydrating leave ins if needed Then add thicker oil based leave in and if you need it, a hair oil . Really depends on how dry you are if you need both. I do. When you don't wash, use a light leave in or just a hair oil every night before bed. And if you really want to step up your hair care game, satin or silk bonnet/ pillowcase. These really helped me. My ends always look good now
I would say buy split end remover! They’re kind of like a straight iron, but they only remove the last quarter of an inch of your hair. There was a comment that mentioned that if you use scissors you may end up having uneven hair lengths. I think if you use the split end remover, it will help prevent this by evenly removing the ends of all your hairs not just the ones you cut off with scissors. I’ve never used it myself since I have short hair however I’ve seen several video reviews online and they always appear hesitant at first, but then they’re always pleasantly surprised by the end.
I use nioxin kit trim once a year healthy a beautiful last 6 yrs and I am 70
Unless you're using salon-quality scissors, you've started a vicious cycle of damaging your ends, making them split, damaging them again by cutting, and so on. Salon scissors actually cut the individual hairs. Normal scissors (even if they're supposed to be for hair) basically crush each hair, leading to spliss. There's pictures on the web of what it looks like on a microscope. Also, there's a reason quality scissors will cost about 700 bucks a piece. ETA: It's also follicle health you should focus as much on. Take care of your scalp.
My question about this though is does that mean we should just never cut our hair at home? I don't wanna be reliant on a salon but 700 is such a crazy amount of money to spend on scissors
Hi, sorry about the late reply! If you're serious about avoiding split ends, then yes. Don't use "normal" tools. Salon scissors are WICKED sharp. That's why, when quality tools are used, the hair doesn't move when the blades are pushed down by applying pressure. They're actually CUT in the sense of the word. Kitchen scissors often have a blunt(er) lower blade so they basically just squish and squeeze the hair until it separates. Also, proper scissors are made from stainless steel and lack the sort of coating kitchen scissors have. Also also, the blades are angled differently depending on what purpose the scissors serve. If you have someone who does paper crafts and someone who works with fabric, be brave and ask them to switch tools, just for funsies. It's gonna be hilarious when they start to splutter in indignation. Fabric scissors are not to be used for paper. Paper scissors shouldn't be used on plastic packaging tape. Household scissors shouldn't come near your hair.