Having your split ends trimmed: are you in favour of or against dusting?

Is the beauty of your locks being compromised by split ends, and do you dread getting your hair cut? Then you must be tempted by the "dusting" technique which promises to keep your lovely long locks intact. Here is everything you need to know about this technique before taking the plunge.

You have put in the time to grow your hair and as a result, you have the beautiful long locks that you have always dreamed of. The only slight drawback is that your hair has started to develop split ends, making your locks look dull and lacklustre. The dusting technique seems to be the only solution to remove your damaged tips without sacrificing too much of your hair.

A subtle trimming technique...

When a hairdresser carries out a dusting treatment to restore your hair back to its former glory, they will work strand by strand. The hairdresser places the first strand between their fingers and meticulously smooths it out, from the roots down to the tips to expose the split ends. Gradually, the hairdresser will remove the split ends and any rogue hairs which are sticking out. They will do so until the "cleanup" of your hair is complete. The result: only the unsightly and brittle hairs are removed, without touching the length of your hair.

...Though not a miracle worker

Removing split ends without cutting off the length is nothing new. In Brazil, for example, the "velaterapia" technique consists of removing split ends by burning them off. Hairdressers strongly advise against this method, as it weakens the hair fibre. As for dusting, it is not popular with everyone, due to its time-consuming nature. Moreover, do not try dusting out on yourself at home, as only an expert's precision can yield the best possible results. Finally, if your hair is very damaged, you should opt for a radical haircut to say goodbye to those split ends once and for all.