Dealing With the Worst Split Ends Ever? Stop Making These 8 Common Mistakes

Sometimes, things have to get worse before they get better. But when you're dealing with split ends, that's not the case ... at all. Instead, for healthy strands, you need to prevent split ends from getting worse — which they're going to do as long as you have hair. The least savory news here? There could be things you're doing that may be leading to some of the worst split ends you've ever dealt with.

Some of these are bad habits, like skipping conditioner and going too long between haircut appointments. Others have to do with technique — like brushing your hair the wrong way or using too much heat when you style. Whatever the case is, it's worth knowing what makes split ends worse. This way, you can avoid those pitfalls.

Here, celebrity hairstylists Mark Townsend and Laura Polko break down all the things you may be doing to speed up the creation of split ends, and what you can do to protect your strands.

Detangling Hair the Wrong Way

The Mistake

Your hair is at its most fragile when wet, so you need to be extra gentle to prevent damage and breakage. Townsend says that a mistake he sees his clients commit too often is detangling from the roots down to the tips. "They turn what would have been a few tangles into a knot by combining them, and then rip through them."

Additionally, the tool you use to detangle could also be the reason your ends split. "If you are using a brush with rough bristles right out of the shower, your hair is going to break," says Polko.

The Fix

Townsend recommends detangling from the ends and working your way up. The best detangling tools to use for this are either a wide-tooth comb or a Wet Brush.

Using Too Much Heat

The Mistake

"The overexposure to heat dries out the hair, making it brittle and prone to breakage," explains Polko. Also, if you're using an old hairdryer you bought at a drugstore 10 years ago, it's highly likely that you're using too much heat.

The Fix

Swap your hot tools for ones with multiple heat settings, like the T3 Airebrush Duo — which has 15 heat and speed settings for every hair type and texture. "Using these things helps hair retain more moisture and therefore help your ends last longer," says Polko. However, if you want to hold on to your favorite tool, make sure you're using the right temperature for your hair. "I tell my clients not to go over 325 to 350 degrees at the most," added Townsend.

Skipping Heat Protectant

The Mistake

Some hot tools go up to 450 degrees, which can seriously damage your hair and cause it to quickly weaken and eventually split.

The Fix

Townsend stresses the importance of using a heat protectant every time you use a hot tool. "It puts a layer of either panthenol or silicone in between the hair and the heat, so it really protects your hair," he says.

Towel-Drying Wet Hair

The Mistake

"Towels have tiny loops of cotton," explains Townsend. "They're so absorbent because your hair gets caught in between them and the cotton takes all the moisture out. The reason hair gets so matted and tangled is because all those tiny little loops rip open the hair cuticle."

The Fix

First, use your hands to press out excess water from your hair before wrapping it up in either a microfiber towel or an old T-shirt. Townsend explains that microfiber tools are so good because the cotton has a polyester coasting over it, which softens the loops. Additionally, he says that the fibers are much smaller than those of regular towels, meaning hair doesn't get in between them and cause those rips.

Picking at Split Ends

The Mistake

"When you pick them, you're splitting the hair and leaving the end more fragile than it was before," says Polko. Townsend agrees and adds, "You're pulling them apart even more instead of taking care of the split end."

The Fix

Get frequent trims for the best results, but in a pinch, use a sharp scissor to execute a quick, clean cut slightly above the split.

Using Shampoo the Wrong Way

The Mistake

If you take the length of your hair up to your scalp and create a foam ball of your shampoo, you're shampooing your hair wrong. "Since your ends are thinner than at your root, they really don't need that much shampoo," says Townsend. Using too much will only cause them to dry out faster, he adds.

The Fix

Concentrate on shampooing your scalp. "As the shampoo runs down the length of the hair, it cleanses it enough," explains Townsend.

Skipping Conditioner

The Mistake

Since your ends are much thinner and drier than the rest of your hair, they're in much more need of moisture. "Many clients tell me they don't use conditioner because they fear it's going to weigh their hair down," says Townsend. However, he points out that when used correctly, it doesn't.

The Fix

"Even if you have very fine hair, at least the bottom three inches should have a coating of conditioner on them. You have to make sure to get moisture in there — it won't weigh hair down," Townsend promised, recommending the Dove Intense Repair Conditioner.

Going Too Long in Between Trims

The Mistake

While it's a myth that getting frequent trims will make your hair grow faster, skipping them all together will make your hair shrink. Townsend explains that this happens because, with time, the split end will travel up the cuticle and break off.

The Fix

Both Polko and Townsend recommended getting a trim once every three months. "Hair typically grows between a quarter-of-an-inch to half-an-inch every month. So every three months, cut off a quarter of an inch," recommends Townsend.