This is African hair (as indicated by the groove along its length): this type of hair, more than any other, needs the protection of conditioning

smooth and shiny (less 'fly-away')- Dimethicone protects the hair from damage by reducing its resistance to brushing, combing and styling, when wet as well as when dry.
    Other ingredients in conditioners and other hair care preparations also work to smooth the outer layers of the cuticle. These may include protein extracts (collagen, and the amino acids obtained from silk) and panthenol and similar compounds, which are related to vitamin B5. Some of these are known to penetrate hair and to help to increase its moisture content. Well-conditioned hair is quite easy to de-tangle. Use a large-toothed comb or brush with rounded ends.
    The only way to avoid split ends altogether is to use preventive conditioning and to avoid all chemical treatments. Split ends, if they do develop, can never be repaired 'like new'. The so-called 'split end repair fluids' are applied

 

A split end that has been temporarily repaired

directly to the hair tips. They contain high-density silicone fluids which draw the splayed ends of the fibres together and hide their ragged appearance. The fluid is removed at the next shampoo, however.

Severe cosmetic damage

Hair that has been badly damaged by cosmetic treatments is surprisingly common. Of course, stylists and technicians are trained to examine hair before carrying out chemical treatment to determine its porosity, and whether there is any possibility of serious damage. But take an enthusiastic amateur embarking on bleaching and perming at home without any basic knowledge or experience, and combine this with a hair dryer used on its hottest setting: you have a recipe for disaster.
    Here are a couple of all-too-familiar examples of severe cosmetic damage. Both of them can be avoided by treating the care with the care it deserves.

Trichorrhexis nodosa
This is an explosion of the cortex at a single point on the hair. It looks like a tiny white bead on the hair, and can lead to hair breakage. It is a classic sign of cosmetic and chemical over-treatment of the hair. So its appearance should always prompt the thought, 'What is this person doing to the hair more than the rest of us are doing?

A case of trichorrhexis nodosa, where the cortex was disrupted by an overheated hair dryer