White dots keep appearing by the dozens every month???? Help!!!

[CrazyDaysHair]

Hello there everyone :)

so a couple of months ago, I started taking better care of my hair and my health by starting weight watchers and trying to grow my hair out long and healthy. I bought a pair of ice tempered scissors and deep conditioners and have been washing my hair every 2-3 days in lukewarm water and rinsing in cold water. Last month I cut out all of my white dots and splits I had in my ends.

Recently i I have gotten a job at a restaurant called chipotle. The requirements for hair is up in a bun or in a braid. Since I have a hat I have to wear with it, I have been pulling my hair up in the safe style of a Cinnabun, with a thick band. The hair isn't ripping out when I proceed to take out the bun after work so I don't know if the bun is the issue here.

today I waned to check up on my hair and to my surprise, my hair had dozens upon dozens of white dots! I don't know what I'm doing wrong with my hair!

should I use hair sticks instead of the band with the cinnabun?

my products I use in my hair are mane n tail shampoo and conditioner that is moisturizing, and I use an argan hair mask for an hour the day I wash my hair (2-3) days.

would a braid be better and that is what is causing my white dots again?

[CurlMonster]

Maybe the hat is the problem? I have heard that things like bicycle helmets can cause friction and breakage on the hair, so maybe your hat is doing the same thing?

[minxe]

That's normal if you're only just recently starting to take care of your hair. You didn't specify what your routine was like before you made the change, but heat damage, chemical damage, and mechanical damage are all permanent. If your hair is damaged, it's going to stay damaged until it's all cut off.

[CrazyDaysHair]

That's normal if you're only just recently starting to take care of your hair. You didn't specify what your routine was like before you made the change, but heat damage, chemical damage, and mechanical damage are all permanent. If your hair is damaged, it's going to stay damaged until it's all cut off.

I had a lot of damage prior to my hair journey. I would straighten my hair almost every day, wash my hair in hot hot water, wash it everyday and towel turban it.
8 took horrible care of my hair.

I recently havent vent used any heat tools, no towel turban, I wish my hair with it down my back so it's not toppled onto my head. I really am taking good care of my hair.

I made sure to cut off all my splits and as many white dots as I could find. My hair is in short layers so it's impossible to trim it efficiently without my hair being to my ears!

[Firefox7275]

Various possible issues
- old damage that simply needs cutting or growing out
- the hat (silk or satin lining or band, silk or satin bun cover)
- the band/ repetitive style (could try silk or satin scrunches, vary your styles, use Spin Pins)
- protein overload making hair brittle (Mane'n'Tail is more strengthening than 'moisturising' as such)
- a combination.

http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.co.uk/2011_11_01_archive.html
http://pedaheh.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/goosefootprints-hair-analysis-with-my.html

[Temme]

I'm not sure, but it might be the Mane 'N Tail. Is your hair dry? Mane 'N Tail is known for having lots of protein, which can be drying. If your hair isn't dry though, it's probably fine. It might just be the fact that your hair is still damaged from your previous habits, and the damage will have to be cut off.

[Coolcombination]

Have you recently stopped using silicones? Silicones mask damage

[jeanniet]

If you just recently stopped straightening it, then unfortunately your hair is still damaged from the heat. The only way to get rid of that damage is to grow it out. You can be as gentle as possible in the meantime, to minimize breakage and so forth. I would actually find a sulfate-free shampoo. Mane & Tail is pretty harsh. Dilute your shampoo, and use a good conditioner (maybe leave some in, too). Since you're in Vegas, you should also check ingredients because humectants (glycerine, propylene glycol, etc.) aren't good in a desert environment--they pull water from the air, but if there's no water in the air it gets pulled from your hair.

[CrazyDaysHair]

Maybe the hat is the problem? I have heard that things like bicycle helmets can cause friction and breakage on the hair, so maybe your hat is doing the same thing?

It could very well be my hat.
I have white dots on top of my hair now and they weren't there before.
The problem is that I can't opt out of wearing the hat at my work. It's protocol to wear it and I dot know of any way to orotect it from the harsh fabric.
Are there silk hats for that?

[ExpectoPatronum]

This was my situation...Because of past damage, no matter how well I treated my hair I still ended up with white dots. I ended up patiently growing out the damage until my 'virgin nice hair' was at a length where I wouldn't feel bad cutting all the damaged length off. I did that a couple of days ago and my hair looks and feels so much better.

If that's the case with your hair, I'm afraid that growing it out is really the only way to get rid of the damage that's causing the white dots for good :/

[lapushka]

so a couple of months ago, I started taking better care of my hair and my health by starting weight watchers and trying to grow my hair out long and healthy. I bought a pair of ice tempered scissors and deep conditioners and have been washing my hair every 2-3 days in lukewarm water and rinsing in cold water. Last month I cut out all of my white dots and splits I had in my ends.

There might even be more white dots to follow that you haven't spotted and are higher up in the hair. Since you've only started to take proper care of your hair a few months ago, it's a definite possibility.

Damage doesn't vanish "just like that". Taking proper care of your hair is a long process.

[melusine963]

That's normal if you're only just recently starting to take care of your hair. You didn't specify what your routine was like before you made the change, but heat damage, chemical damage, and mechanical damage are all permanent. If your hair is damaged, it's going to stay damaged until it's all cut off.

I agree with minxe. My hair was waist length before I learned to take care of it, which means I spent the first three + years of my long hair journey trimming off damage and not gaining much growth. It sucked, but it was worth it in the end. No matter how gently you treat it, the old damage will keep manifesting itself until it's cut off.

[AmyBeth]

Try not to worry too much. Sometimes the damage you have done in the past may take some months to really reveal itself. You can't change that, you just have to wait until it grows out and you can keep trimming it off, or wait until it is long enough to do a bigger chop. The point is that now you are taking good care of it and it will eventually pay off. If you want long healthy hair, don't get discouraged, be patient.

[Panth]

Definitely from the old damage. You're just going to have to either a) resign yourself to having lots of white dots until the bits of the length that were damaged are gone either via trims or via simply breaking away over time or b) S&D very regularly to maintain a white-dot-free appearance.

[Leeloo]

Definitely from the old damage. You're just going to have to either a) resign yourself to having lots of white dots until the bits of the length that were damaged are gone either via trims or via simply breaking away over time or b) S&D very regularly to maintain a white-dot-free appearance.

I agree with Panth that it’s old damage. Regular S&Ding will help and let you keep the length. If you’d like you can try searching LHC for catnip rinses thread. Catnip rinses help prevent future splits. And how about coconut oil? A tiny bit of coconut oil on dry ends will keep it more soft and flexible maybe helping prevent new white dots.

[CrazyDaysHair]

Is there any way that I can S&D and have my hair keep growing? I want to grow my hair out to tailbone and I was wondering if the damage is going to hinder my chances of growing my hair out for awhile. If so I can mentally prepare for having to wait a long time for healthy tailbone length hair.
On a plus note, my hair definitely feels better after the initial white dot trim I did in my hair the first time I did it. My hair feels silky smooth even with the white dots.
Thank you all for the help and I'll try to be patient with the hair growth and try to let it grow out.

[bunzfan]

Is there any way that I can S&D and have my hair keep growing? I want to grow my hair out to tailbone and I was wondering if the damage is going to hinder my chances of growing my hair out for awhile. If so I can mentally prepare for having to wait a long time for healthy tailbone length hair.
On a plus note, my hair definitely feels better after the initial white dot trim I did in my hair the first time I did it. My hair feels silky smooth even with the white dots.
Thank you all for the help and I'll try to be patient with the hair growth and try to let it grow out.
I'm no expert but, I have the same problem as you and I can certainly say you can s &d the white dots out I've done it for quite a while and my ends are looking better I also recommend oiling your hair daily it really helps..

[PrincessBob]

I notice that I cannot find a reference to your dtangling/styling tools and methods . Combs: firm or flexible? Seams or smooth? Widetooth or fine. What type(s) of brush do you use?

I find my white dots are based on mechancal damage,during the styling process. Most are spots where a fairy knot gets caught and breaks just at the knot.

There are many things that can be causing breaks. Do you rest your head on a rough couch cushion?

[CrazyDaysHair]

I notice that I cannot find a reference to your dtangling/styling tools and methods . Combs: firm or flexible? Seams or smooth? Widetooth or fine. What type(s) of brush do you use?

I find my white dots are based on mechancal damage,during the styling process. Most are spots where a fairy knot gets caught and breaks just at the knot.

There are many things that can be causing breaks. Do you rest your head on a rough couch cushion?

I strictly use a flexible wide-toothed comb when I comb out my hair. I don't get tangles on a regular basis, and my conditioner I use makes any tangles I had prior come out with ease by gently running my fingers through it.

The pillow I sleep on the cover is polyester.
I need to invest in a silk sheet soon so I can keep my tresses in check.

I do sleep on a fur cushion sometimes that is a little rough.

[Panth]

Is there any way that I can S&D and have my hair keep growing? I want to grow my hair out to tailbone and I was wondering if the damage is going to hinder my chances of growing my hair out for awhile. If so I can mentally prepare for having to wait a long time for healthy tailbone length hair.
On a plus note, my hair definitely feels better after the initial white dot trim I did in my hair the first time I did it. My hair feels silky smooth even with the white dots.
Thank you all for the help and I'll try to be patient with the hair growth and try to let it grow out.

Your hair will of course keep growing no matter what trim regimen you use. What you're concerned about is optimal length gain/retention. ;)

S&D is the optimal form of trimming if you want maximum length gain in a given time. That is simply because it only targets hairs that are actually damaged, so each hair only ever gets trimmed when it needs it. However, because you are trimming hairs individually, what S&D won't do is maintain a hemline. In fact, depending on how often you have to do it and how high up the splits/white dots are, S&D can make fairytale ends and taper slightly more pronounced.

So, basically it'll depend on your personal preference - do you want to race to TBL and don't care about the hemline? or do you want a certain hemline throughout the entire growing period? do you like fairytale ends or hate them? One you know the answers to those questions, it'll be easy to decide between S&D and microtrims (although, if you want to maintain a certain hemline and have white dots high up as well, you may have to do S&D and microtrims).