Split ends are commonly caused by harsh coloring or perming solutions, straightening, too much sun, poor health, wrong treatment and damage from heat during hairstyling work. The hair usually splits at the end of the hair forming a Y-shape because it's deprived of sebum. The split ends should be snipped off with a pair of scissors until all the split ends have been cut off. Split ends that are not removed can travel up the hair, causing breakage at different lengths.