I have some mid-strand splits.....

[FtrDrO]

....and i'm not happy! They aren't everywhere, but on the strands that they are on, they go about half way up, with spaces in between (a mini split, then no splits, then another split point, etc) . What i'm noticing is that they are at weak points of the hair (where my hair coils). I've trimmed some of them off, but beyond that I figure I'd leave them alone. It just seems that it's something that comes with the nature of my fine, tightly coiled strands. Am I wrong for thinking this? Anyone else notice this on their head?

 

[ms.blue]

I noticed a little on my heat & atribute them from me using heat from blowdrying, flatironing & curling iron on my hair. It could have been too much heat on my hair. Were you using heat on your hairN

 

[babayred_86]

I've noticd a few on my head too lately. I don't use heat though so its confusing.

 

[LadyPaniolo]

I had some even before using heat. It is baffling and infuriating. For ages I never used heat and had them. But I have noticed that after using heat I have MORE of them

 

[PPGbubbles]

I have them with or without heat.... I just kind of like "oh well" I am not cutting all of my hair to remove everysingle midshaft split.

I am sure they have always been there, I just never noticed them B4 LHCF. I just leave em alone like you OP.... BUT if I am doing my S&D I will cut above them if they are within 1 inch or so of the ends of my hair.

 

[Fine 4s]

I want to take some pics for some really scary splits I have. One looks like an eyelash ya'll. I tried to take a pic but perhaps my zoom isn't strong enough? I've seen some ladies here take some really nice close up shots.

 

[AfroKink]

I have a lot of these too and I don't use heat. I don't trim regularly so I was wondering if this is what people talk about when they say that 'split ends will travel up the hair strand'

 

[aja1121]

It may be from detangling. A lot of ladies have noticed less mid-strand damage when using seamless tools.

 

[BC2/4/06]

I have them and I have not used heat in 3 1/2 years. Now that I use fingers only to detangle they have decreased by about a third.

ETA: Im trying to grow them out, I used to cut but they kept returning.

 

[Carolina18]

I get them a lot - much more than split ends. The only thing that minimised them was baggying, because my natural hair has a tendency towards dryness. This may be the case with you as well, so you may need to up your moisture game rather drastically.

 

[MizzBrit]

I have them with or without heat.... I just kind of like "oh well" I am not cutting all of my hair to remove everysingle midshaft split.

I am sure they have always been there, I just never noticed them B4 LHCF. I just leave em alone like you OP.... BUT if I am doing my S&D I will cut above them if they are within 1 inch or so of the ends of my hair.

basically..my hair is protected all the time and i dont use any heat,yet i have seen every split possible on my hair. i think having split/knot free air is inevitable especially with my hair type

 

[AfroKink]

I get them a lot - much more than split ends. The only thing that minimised them was baggying, because my natural hair has a tendency towards dryness. This may be the case with you as well, so you may need to up your moisture game rather drastically.

After thinking about all of the possible causes I was left with evaluating my hair's moisture level. I didn't think my hair was dry before. Not that I baggy regularly with Hawaiian Silky I know what moisturized hair really is.

Kink

 

[BC2/4/06]

They are worse at the front of my hair.

 

[FtrDrO]

I noticed a little on my heat & atribute them from me using heat from blowdrying, flatironing & curling iron on my hair. It could have been too much heat on my hair. Were you using heat on your hairN

That's the thing that gets to me, because I don't use heat on my hair. erplexed

I have them with or without heat.... I just kind of like "oh well" I am not cutting all of my hair to remove everysingle midshaft split.

I am sure they have always been there, I just never noticed them B4 LHCF. I just leave em alone like you OP.... BUT if I am doing my S&D I will cut above them if they are within 1 inch or so of the ends of my hair.

This is pretty much what i've been doing too. I refuse to cut all of my hair because of a few strands.

I want to take some pics for some really scary splits I have. One looks like an eyelash ya'll. I tried to take a pic but perhaps my zoom isn't strong enough? I've seen some ladies here take some really nice close up shots.

I know if you put it on the flower/micro setting, it sometimes helps with getting smaller things into focus.

I have a lot of these too and I don't use heat. I don't trim regularly so I was wondering if this is what people talk about when they say that 'split ends will travel up the hair strand'

I don't use heat either and usually do search and destroys. But I don't think it could be what they are describing, since the splits are intermittent rather than continuous from the bottom. At least that's my thought....

It may be from detangling. A lot of ladies have noticed less mid-strand damage when using seamless tools.

I have them and I have not used heat in 3 1/2 years. Now that I use fingers only to detangle they have decreased by about a third.

I felt that detangling with a comb had been creating more problems for my hair, so I stopped using them. I have been using my fingers to detangle for the past month and I feel that this has been better for my hair overall. Maybe the splits could be from prior detangling sessions? I'll continue to monitor them

ETA: Im trying to grow them out, I used to cut but they kept returning.

.....so does this mean that it really does just have to do with something about our hair?

I get them a lot - much more than split ends. The only thing that minimised them was baggying, because my natural hair has a tendency towards dryness. This may be the case with you as well, so you may need to up your moisture game rather drastically.

I'll try increasing the moisture. I was going to try to do my first steam treatment this weekend, so maybe that will help a bit. I'll also try midweek baggying.

basically..my hair is protected all the time and i dont use any heat,yet i have seen every split possible on my hair. i think having split/knot free air is inevitable especially with my hair type

I'm been coming to that conclusion too. No matter how much I trim off the knots, baby my hair & not use heat, there are always some knots and splits. What's your hair type MizzBrit? I'm a very tightly coiled fine haired natural 4a with some b. Is this similar to your type?

 

[Stepiphanie]

Thanks for starting this thread. I just noticed the same problem yesterday. I'm transitioning, but I rarely use heat, and use seemless tools. I also made the observation that they seemed to happen around where the strand coils. Guess it just comes w/ the territory.

 

[MizzBrit]

I'm been coming to that conclusion too. No matter how much I trim off the knots, baby my hair & not use heat, there are always some knots and splits. What's your hair type MizzBrit? I'm a very tightly coiled fine haired natural 4a with some b. Is this similar to your type?

yes im a 4b with some 4a
when i search and destroy i will cut them when i do see them but i dont even stress over them as much because they always come back no matter what..i have gone over 2 years with them and my hair is retaining nicely..i have came to the conclusion that they just come w/territory and is inevitable.i dont wear my hair straight so it doesn't bother me whether my ends look blunt and even.

just focus on healthy hair practices and you should be fine. i also started to detangle only 1x a month w/ a jilbere shower comb,keep my ends away,do protein treatments focusing on the strands and i slather my ends in coconut oil and shea butter nightly to help cut down on the wear and tear

 

[HeChangedMyName]

I get those too and I'm relaxed and don't use heat. I almost think it's just in the genetics of the hair. I wish someone would discover a feasible way to avoid it.

 

[aa9746]

I used to have those splits when I first joined this forum. I started deep conditioning a lot overnight and eventually the splits went away. I baggy with conditioner under my wig for 2 or more days out the week. I also limit my use of heat, combs, & brushes.

 

[janaq2003]

I thought I was nuts when I saw a few strands like this! I feel like I do a pretty good job caring for my hair but this really freaked me out. Half way up the stand.. a "eyelash" chillin!

 

[coyacoy]

bumping this thread - any success stories w/getting mid strand splits under control?

 

[LunadeMiel]

bumping this thread - any success stories w/getting mid strand splits under control?

coyacoy, firmly believe that mid strand splits are caused by single stand knots that catch on heathly strands and tear at them. This is the reason why I'm no longer wearing wash and gos. If you can eliminate ssks, then these type of splits should to away. Also make sure that your comb does not have any sharp edges in between the teeth.

 

[belletropjolie]

bumping for any more success stories. I have a TON of the mid shaft splits and I am driving myself batty v(and losing length) searching for them.

I recently gave my hair about a 2" cut so but I would have to shave my hair to get rid of all them.

Is the consensus to just ignore them and focus on the health of the ends??

 

[coyacoy]

bumping for any more success stories. I have a TON of the mid shaft splits and I am driving myself batty v(and losing length) searching for them.

I recently gave my hair about a 2" cut so but I would have to shave my hair to get rid of all them.

Is the consensus to just ignore them and focus on the health of the ends??

I would say no because they only get worse... I had really bad MSS and the only way to combat them was with regular hard protein treatments to fill in those gaps or bubbles cuz they will eventually turn into full on split ends or they will just break because that part of the cuticle or hair shaft is really weak.... I highly recommend the Komaza care hair analysis because it really helped me to figure out what things I was doing that was only aggravating the problem as opposed to what I needed to do to fix it...hth

Eta: I use to have really bad ones I could see them when I looked at the shaft of my hair now I don't see them at all anymore anywhere since doing the above

 

[DarkJoy]

bumping this thread - any success stories w/getting mid strand splits under control?

Yes. *knocks wood* Mine were pretty bad as well as SSKs. I invested in a seamless comb, good DCs and stopped wet-manipulation. Even though I'm PSing right now, there's still SSKs. I leave them alone. Seems futile to fight them anymore. erplexed

you might be right about the use of protein too. I started using henna and think that's also contributing to the strength and improved health of my hair.

 

[southerncitygirl]

Most of the time with naturals stylists tend to say use more moisture but when I added hardcore protein to my reggie along with washing in sections and moisturizing/sealing made my retention increase considerably. I must say that mid-shaft splits have never been an issue though. I have cottony 3c/4a strands. I only comb on wash days with a shower comb.

 

[coyacoy]

Good point re: the seamless combs i forgot to mention that i started using those too along with upping the protein