are these white dots? PLEASE HELP!!

[princesssaffron]

I have noticed these white dots at the very tips of my hair (more so at the front of my hair), but you can only see them in certain lights! i will attach 2 photos, the exact same hair but in different lighting

cat see any white dots or splits here
http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy300/princesssaffron/13230869_1601567716819970_30830525_o_zpscctbaaat.j pg (http://s801.photobucket.com/user/princesssaffron/media/13230869_1601567716819970_30830525_o_zpscctbaaat.j pg.html)

but if i move my hair a different angle the light shows THIS! :eek:
http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy300/princesssaffron/13225200_1601567593486649_1767893222_o_zpsymzw5un1 .jpg (http://s801.photobucket.com/user/princesssaffron/media/13225200_1601567593486649_1767893222_o_zpsymzw5un1 .jpg.html)

are these the beginnings of splits? should i cut them off? i really dont know if they are bad or its just the lighting on my blonde hair, please help me!!!!

[Llama]

Those just look like dry ends to me. "White dots" are usually not on the very tip like that. I wouldn't go cutting them, maybe try a good moisture treatment/mask?

[Persiangirl01]

I never new that dots right on the end meant they were dry ends :bigeyes: I always thought they were the start of splits! Thank you Llama

[vega]

They are white dots I can see them I would get them snipped off before they work up hair shaft

[MariaPon]

It looks to me like white dots after breaking off actually :\

[Alex Lou]

That's what my strands look like at the tips when they're about to split. Make sure you use good sharp scissors intended for cutting hair. Dull scissors, especially on damaged hair, can cause splits, in my experience.

[lapushka]

White dots from heat damage aren't typically on the ends. This could be dry, parched ends (I agree) or blunt shears. I'd use a bit of oil on the ends and let it soak in right before a wash - see what that does. Do not go cutting crazy!

[Nique1202]

It could also just be because the tips of those hairs are blunt from your last trim, if it was fairly recent. On the most protected ends of my hair, even though I haven't trimmed in almost a year, I still get this appearance sometimes from certain angles in bright light because those ends haven't worn down to angles, they're still very blunt. If it goes away when you change the angle, I don't think it's a hair in the process of splitting. That's how I tell my blunt ends apart from my splits, anyway: my proto-splits and broken off white dots look white on the tips from all angles, and the blunt ends tend to look fine from other angles.

[school of fish]

I've observed that there are some differing ideas as to what white dots are, and where they show up on the hair strand, which makes me think that perhaps they exhibit differently on different people :)

What I can tell you for sure is that what you show above is exactly what *my* white dots look like, once they've broken off but before they start splitting. In my case, they are weaknesses along the strand (usually caused by a tangle that damaged a section) that either immediately or eventually break off. Most of my white dot damage is at the tips of my strands where breakage has occured, but I do also have strands where the dot is a little higher up, usually within an inch or so from the very ends.

Mine used to be far worse when my hair was parched dry from inappropriate care. Although you can't 'heal' them, you can get ahead of them with good care and a strategic plan. Again, that plan will be individual according to what your hair wants, but as a general guide moisture, sharp scissors for trims and/or S&D, and careful handling to reduce mechanical damage are all ingredients for success :)

I used to have thousands of these riddled throughout my length. I have thousands fewer now after 2+ years of microtrimming, moderate S&D (really only just on the dots that have turned into splits), careful handling and establishing a routine that gives my hair what it was wanting and lacking. It's been a long-term plan, but I haven't had to sacrifice length along the way :)

[Arctic]

On my hair hairs that are broken look like this. Mine rarely split, though.

Have the trimming scissors been blunt, or have your ends been razored? These could also damage the ends.

[lapushka]

Camera's these days are pretty detail-fetching. I think it might be "normal" ends that have just been magnified the hell out of. I think maybe we all have such ends - could be.

[spidermom]

Definitely try a few deep-conditioning treatments before you decide to cut anything.

[Lavendersugar]

I'd do a good SMT each week and look at your hair care routine. Rather or not that is white dots it's for sure a moisture issue. Better to figure out how to prevent it in the future.

[Deborah]

I would trim them off. About half an inch would take care of it I think. You would never miss such a small amount.

[lapushka]

I would trim them off. About half an inch would take care of it I think. You would never miss such a small amount.

Chances are the ends will be just the same. :shrug: If I were the OP, I'd try moisturizing first before turning to the scissors.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Chances are the ends will be just the same. :shrug: If I were the OP, I'd try moisturizing first before turning to the scissors.

Yes, don't be in any hurry to trim.

[princesssaffron]

Those just look like dry ends to me. "White dots" are usually not on the very tip like that. I wouldn't go cutting them, maybe try a good moisture treatment/mask?

thats what i thought, thankyou so much for your advice! :) that makes me feel much better haha

[princesssaffron]

It looks to me like white dots after breaking off actually :\

i dont think they are because my hair is bluntly cut one length and its on all the ends, but my hair is still blunt? so if all of them ore broken hairs surely they wouldnt still be perfectly even?

[princesssaffron]

White dots from heat damage aren't typically on the ends. This could be dry, parched ends (I agree) or blunt shears. I'd use a bit of oil on the ends and let it soak in right before a wash - see what that does. Do not go cutting crazy!

i have started putting argan oil in my ends every night, i will keep doing that and look for any improvement! if they dont go away, i think i will just get a trim :(

[princesssaffron]

It could also just be because the tips of those hairs are blunt from your last trim, if it was fairly recent. On the most protected ends of my hair, even though I haven't trimmed in almost a year, I still get this appearance sometimes from certain angles in bright light because those ends haven't worn down to angles, they're still very blunt. If it goes away when you change the angle, I don't think it's a hair in the process of splitting. That's how I tell my blunt ends apart from my splits, anyway: my proto-splits and broken off white dots look white on the tips from all angles, and the blunt ends tend to look fine from other angles.

thank you so much for telling me!! i havent had a haircut in 5 months (although i did dust some of the front hehe), but i always get it cut very bluntly on the ends, and my ends still look very blunt so i am assuming that you are right! that makes me feel a lot better :D

[princesssaffron]

Camera's these days are pretty detail-fetching. I think it might be "normal" ends that have just been magnified the hell out of. I think maybe we all have such ends - could be.

i sure hope so! as yo can see in the different lighting they look perfectly healthy with no splits! my hair doesnt split very easily but i do get dry ends so hopefully they are just normal ends!

[nalgena]

From my experience, this doesn't mean anything good. In my case it meant the beginning of split ends, I would most definitely cut them off asap.

[gthlvrmx]

I honestly thought those "white looking dots" that appear at certain angels on individual hairs were what people called "white dots" all this time. After reading some comments here, I have learned I have been cutting unnecessary length during S&D. You guys just saved some more hair on someone else :P OP, I have the same thing happening when I put my hairs in a certain angle, some hairs look like white dots in the sunlight. The ends of my hair feel dry. I think it might just be how the light reflects off the the very tippy top ends of the individual hairs that causes the "white dots" to appear at certain angles.