How do split ends start and form?

How do split ends start and form?

• A. They start as internal cortex cracks.
• B. They begin with moisture loss causing shrinkage.
• C. They start at the root and move downward.
• D. They start as cracks in the cuticle that deepen into the cortex, eventually splitting the hair.

Answer: (D)

Split ends form when the outer protective layer of the hair, the cuticle, is damaged. The cuticle’s scale-like cells lift and crack, creating openings on the hair shaft. Those cracks extend deeper into the cortex, weakening the fiber and causing the end of the hair to split into multiple strands. The ends are the most exposed to friction, brushing, chemical processing, heat, and dryness, so they are where splits typically develop. This process is different from a clean break inside the shaft or a split caused merely by moisture loss, and it doesn’t start at the root. The key idea is that damage begins at the cuticle and progresses into the cortex to produce a split end.

Split ends form when the outer protective layer of the hair, the cuticle, is damaged. The cuticle’s scale-like cells lift and crack, creating openings on the hair shaft. Those cracks extend deeper into the cortex, weakening the fiber and causing the end of the hair to split into multiple strands. The ends are the most exposed to friction, brushing, chemical processing, heat, and dryness, so they are where splits typically develop. This process is different from a clean break inside the shaft or a split caused merely by moisture loss, and it doesn’t start at the root. The key idea is that damage begins at the cuticle and progresses into the cortex to produce a split end.