Page 18 - INSIDE ACCESS JULY 21 4TH EDITION

Color Treatments
Stripping the hair of its natural colour means that you are also weakening it. Chemicals used to lighten up hair are one of the caus- es of split ends.
Excessive exposure to heat
Flat ironing and blow-drying hair can cause damage to the hair
shaft hence leading to split ends. To avoid this, use a silicone based heat protector to coat your hair and protect it from damage. The use of heat should however be limited
or avoided.
Over manipulation
The way you handle your hair
is a key aspect in ensuring that you wade of those split ends.
The way you brush, detangle
and style your hair matters. Mishandling the hair leads to breaking of the cuticle resulting in split ends.
Internal factors
The overall health of your body impacts the health of your hair. If you are malnourished or dehydrat- ed or protein defcient, your hair too will be weak, leading it to be more prone to split ends.
Here are some crucial steps to preventing split ends and helping you retain length
Be gentle with your hair
Minimize daily manipulation of your hair as it may lead to split ends. Excessive brushing, combing and styling daily should never be the option to take. Let your hair rest. Though manipulation is inevitable ,
too much of it can lead to drying.
Reduce your use of heat
Blow driers and fat irons suck up moisture because heat dries up water. This will ultimately leave your hair brittle and prone to split ends.
Protect your hair from natural elements
Keep your hair wrapped as much as you can, and your ends hidden, at the very least. Remember, the ends of your hair are the oldest and need the most care. Natural environmen- tal elements such as the sun, wind, and humid air, can all have an effect on your natural hair. Too much exposure to harsh environmental elements can lead to hair damage. Excessive heat may leave your hair
brittle while cold winds are also harsh on the hair. Covering it up will help lock in moisture.
Detangle gently
This is one of the most important things to remember for 4c hair. Leaving your hair tangled can lead to it breaking but detangling too quickly and without care can be just as damaging. The most efective and safest way to detangle is to use your fngers. Always ensure that your hair is well conditioned and has enough slip before you start the detangling process. You can in-
crease the slip in your hair by using a viscous oil such as almond oil or
shea butter.
Don t over-style
This is linked to being gentle with your hair. You want to touch your hair as little as
possible. Additionally, exces- sive use of styling products is
also not good for your hair as they may cause a buildup on your
scalp.
Deep condition regu- larly
Regularly apply a leave-in condi- tioner to protect your hair from the normal damage that may occur during detangling, styling or expo- sure to natural elements. But you’ll also need more. You should include deep conditioning treatments as part of your hair-care routine, and do one at least every two weeks. This will help prevent snags and tangles which predispose hair to split ends.
Lock in moisture
4C hair is prone to drying out.
Its kinks and curls prevent even distribution of sebum in the scalp. You should consider introducing the LCO method into your hair. This is when you wet your hair with water or something water-based, fol- lowed by a heavy nourishing cream, topped with an oil.
PAGE 18 INSIDE ACCESS | JULY 2021 4TH EDITION