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Why Does My Hair Curl at the Ends? Can I Stop My Hair From Curling?

Published Categorized as Beauty Tips

Have you been wondering why lately your hair has been curling at the ends? Is this something that it has always done? If not, why has it started to curl at the ends?

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These are all questions you may be asking yourself and the truth is, there are many reasons you could be noticing the curling at the ends of your hair.

This is not something to worry about, and there are ways to help fix this!

So, if the curls at the ends of your hair are not something you like, then look no further. This article will help you to not only understand why your hair is curling at the ends, but will help you work out the best way to stop this.

Table of Contents

why does my hair curl at the ends

Why Does My Hair Curl at the Ends?

As mentioned, there are a number of reasons your hair may curl out at the ends, but I have pulled together some of the main causes to why this may be happening.

Thinning

Your hair is naturally thinner at the ends than at the roots or in the middle. This is simply because over time the hair becomes weakened by a number of factors, such as heat, sun, brushing, washing and styling. The hair that is closer to the root has had less experience of being damaged by everyday factors, and therefore it is naturally stronger.

You can think of it as being similar to leaves. As leaves become browner in the fall, it is the ends that begin to change color first, and eventually crisp and curl up. That is because all of the nutrients from the plant are being fed into the base of the leaves, much like all of the natural oils and nutrients from your scalp are being fed into the roots of your hair.

The hair not only becomes thinner, but this thinness means the hair is a lot lighter, and therefore there is no weight pulling it down to cause it to straighten. As a result, the ends begin to curl.

Damaged Ends

Why does straight hair turn curly at the ends?

Much like your hair thinning naturally, your hair may also be damaged and it tends to be the ends of our hair that face the most damage. This is not only because it has spent more time being damaged, but it is because it is the most exposed.

Using heat, whether that be drying, curling, straightening – you name it – often targets the ends of your hair the most. This is simply because we are not as fussed about curling or straightening the roots of our hair as they tend to fall pretty straight anyway.

It is also because the sun tends to target the roots of our hair more, particularly if you tend to wear a hat. If you are someone who often bleaches their hair or has their hair dyed a lot, you will know that a lot of the time the hairdressers do not apply color to the ends of your hair until after the roots. This is because the roots take more time to absorb and become affected by the color due to the protection they have from natural oils.

The ends of your hair do not tend to have as many natural oils, and so they become altered by heat, dye, bleach and sunlight a lot more easily. This damage will cause the hair to thin, and much like as mentioned above, this can cause the ends to curl and curve up.

Natural Curls

Now, this may seem pretty obvious, but if your hair is naturally curled or wavy, then typically the ends will be even more so. If you have grown up with naturally wavy hair, you probably already know this and so you are used to maintaining the curls. It is typical that people often find that whilst their hair is curly at the bottom, hair closer to the root is naturally more easy to tame.

However, many people tend to notice their hair becoming more wavy with time. It isn’t completely understood why, but it is suggested that this is down to hormonal changes, and many women start to see a lot more curls in their hair after pregnancy.

If this is you, then dealing with curly hair at the ends may not be something you are used to. It is likely that this isn’t so much due to damage, but is more just the new, natural structure of your hair.

If natural waves are a part of your life, you will see more curls towards the ends of your hair where it is thinner and lighter. There are still many ways to maintain these curls and I will go on to tell you about them shortly!

Length of hair

Why does my hair flick out at the bottom?

Finally, the length of your hair can impact the shape it takes. Longer hair tends to be heavier, meaning the curls and waves are pulled slightly more and become less-prominent.

Contrary to this, shorter hair tends to see a lot more waves. Hair that comes to shoulder length often takes shape around the shoulders and a natural curve can form at the ends of your hair.

Similarly, those who have a bob may see their hair naturally curving around the bottoms of their jawlines. This is simply because the falls and gravitates towards your facial structure and so you may see changes in the direction of your hair curving depending on the length of your cut.

So, now that we know that there are a number of reasons causing your hair to either curl at the ends or curve and flick at the ends, you are probably wondering how you can manage this.

How Do I Stop My Hair From Curling at the Ends?

It is typical that curling at the ends, if not down to your natural hair, will be down to damage caused over time – even if this is nothing you have inflicted upon yourself. There are a number of ways you can help eliminate this and prevent your hair from curving at the ends.

Maintenance

Maintaining a healthy head of hair is really important. The key way to keep your ends in tact is by having your hair regularly trimmed and cut. This removes any dead and split ends, meaning your hair can continue to grow happy and healthy.

Many people fear having their hair cut because they want it to be long. However, your hair will actually grow quicker and become longer if it is regularly cut. This means that the ends will not become as weak and fragile, causing them not to break off. Ultimately, this also means they will not begin to curl as much as they will remain fuller and thicker and therefore heavier and straighter.

Conditioning

Using a good conditioner for curly hair can also make all the difference. You can buy conditioners and hair masks specific to helping heal the ends of your hair and targeting dry ends. However, once the ends of your hair begin to get damaged, the best cure is to have them cut off.

Many shampoos and conditioners provide a deep treatment which helps to bring nutrients back into your hair and allows it to reset and revive from any heat damage that may have been caused.

Using a deep conditioner once every week or two can be a great way to keep your ends healthy, preventing them from curling.

Protection

Whilst your shampoo and conditioner can help to protect your hair, using other forms of protection regularly can also help prevent any damage which will ultimately stop the ends from curling.

Heat protection spray is a fantastic way to protect your hair if you are regularly curling, drying or straightening it. It is very cheap and affordable and you can find one that is suitable for you. It is simple and quick to easy but can be very effective.

Brushing

Finally, brushing your hair regularly can be very important to retaining moisture in your hair. Whilst it may seem obvious, how to brush your hair properly can have a lot more to it than you may think.

Brushing from the roots right down to the ends of your hair can help to spread the natural oils through your hair and this helps to maintain healthy ends.

Using a good bristle brush or a Tangle Teezer can help prevent your from tugging too much at your hair as this can cause your hair to become thinned out and fragile, making the ends a lot weaker.

So, if your ends are curling due to damage, or due to natural curls, you can buy a number of products to help you, but ultimately you should maintain the health of your hair and this will help with the ends.

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Hair Curling Has Many Reasons

So, there are a number of reasons your hair may be taking a new shape at the ends.

Typically any curling, and potentially flicking, will be caused by damaged ends. Whilst your hair may be in excellent condition, the ends of anyone’s hair will eventually become weaker over time due to having to stay resistant for a lot longer than the rest of your hair.

Having your hair regularly cut and maintained is an excellent way to prevent damaged and curling ends. Using a conditioner can also help, and making sure you brush your hair properly will help to spread the natural oils and keep your hair healthy.

Naturally curly hair will always curl at the ends and many women may notice their hair beginning to curl more over time due to a number of factors. Whilst this can be a lot harder to prevent, you can use certain products to help maintain the curls and keep them looking glam.

If your hair is flicking or curving at the ends due to its style, then the simple solution is to style it differently. Whilst this does not mean you need to change your cut, you can find new ways to help reshape the ends of your hair which will give you the desired effect!

So whether it is natural curls, curls from over-bleaching and heat, or curls caused by your cut, there are many ways to keep your hair looking as contained and slick as you like!

FAQs

Why does straight hair turn curly at the ends? Why has my hair started curling at the ends?

Straight hair may begin to curl at the ends for a number of reasons. It is likely that your straight hair is beginning to curl at the ends due to damage and so ensuring you are using protection on your hair, having it cut regularly, and preventing using bleach on the ends if possible can all be great ways to protect the ends of your hair.

Why does my hair curve at the end? How do I stop my hair from curving at the ends?

If your hair is beginning to curve in at the ends due to its length, you can clearly consider choosing a different hairstyle.
However, most people choose the length of their hair because they like it, and so picking a completely different style is most likely not going to be an option.
If you do have a typical bob-length, and you are finding that your hair tends to curve at the ends and is coming in towards your chin, the best thing to do in this instance would be to style it.
As it dries, it is naturally going to curve under your jawline and this has nothing to do with the condition or damage of your hair. Unfortunately you will simply have to put some time into your morning routine to style this!
However, many people who go for a bob also love the curled look, so I would just rock it!

How do I stop my hair from flicking?

Quite the opposite to curving in, many people experience shoulder length hair beginning to flick out. Again, this is due to the length of your hair and if it naturally sits on your shoulders, it will dry around the shape of this.
Again, you can use hair straighteners to help shape your hair to the desired style. Alternatively you can blow dry your hair into the shape you want and then use a hairspray to help hold this.
However, if your hair is not at a shorter length and you are still beginning to notice it flicking out, this may be a sign of damaged ends. Before your ends begin to curl, they tend to start to flick. This is because as they become more weakened, they become lighter and the curling process begins.
If you think this is likely the cause, then it would be best to have your ends trimmed and then follow some of the steps mentioned in the above section!

By Ellis James

We design luxuriously glamorous bags, organizers and life essentials for you. At Ellis James Designs, it’s all about YOU. Your bag, Your way. Our exclusive designs are timeless, indulgent and most importantly inspired by you. What will be your first Ellis James Design?