Formally known as trichoptilosis schizotrichia, split ends are exactly what their name suggests, a split hair follicle which can become worse with neglect. Daily wear and tear can take a toll on your locks, as does failure to have regular trims, but the good news is, with a few simple changes to your grooming and styling regimen, these uninvited guests can be shown the front door.

Wash your hair less frequently
For some of us, washing our hair every day is a hard habit to break, but one that might be worth persevering with. Let your hair have a day off from being shampooed, conditioned and then blasted with the hairdryer. Allowing your hair to replenish itself with natural oils rather than being stripped daily can work wonders (and day-old hair is heaps easier to style).

Carefully placed cleansing products
This sounds way more technical than it is. All it means is that shampoo is better on the roots while conditioner is better for the ends. When you shampoo your hair, avoid piling it all up on your head and going for gold, instead leave your locks hanging loose and gently apply your shampoo, concentrating on the roots which need the most cleansing and letting the shampoo naturally drift down to the ends. Same goes with conditioner – gently pat onto your mid-lengths and apply generously to the ends as they need the most repairing.

Towel-dry gently
We’re all guilty of throwing a towel on our head and doing crazy hand movements to dry our hair, but instead try to gently hold the towel around your hair to squeeze out excess moisture.

Find the right brush
Tugging the wrong brush through wet tresses is a sure-fire way to get some splits in those ends. Wet hair swells, and in this state it is very fragile, needing gentle treatment with a flexible brush such as Tangle Teezer rather than a strong plastic-bristled brush. Tangle Teezer has multi-height soft plastic bristles which work knots out of the hair in a more gentle fashion.

Trim, trim, trim
It feels like a step backwards if you’re growing your hair longer, but a trim every six to eight weeks is important for hair health. A snip will stop smaller split ends in their tracks.