White Dots

[practikalmagik]

Just did my first session of S&D hurrah. I figured it would make sense to do it whilst using my BBB as my hair is so thick that I need to section it off quite a lot which obviously makes split ends easier to find.

It was actually very theraputic sitting there with some music, brushing and snipping.

I was pleasantly suprised to find what I thought were massess of split ends to infact be intact hairs of different lengths, a left over from my short layered hair of 2 years ago! Yey few splits!

However I did notice near the bottom of a fair few hairs were these strange whitish dots. It wasn't fluff or a split and I couldn't figure out what it was. Is it some kind of damage and should I snip them off too? Or could it be build up? I use Tresemme Cleansing Shampoo and Anti-Breakage Conditioner (which smells like roses *love*) about 2 times a week, with Coconut Oilings after washing. Surely that wouldn't cause these dots.

Any ideas?

[granitbaby]

If it's build up it can be removed my gently pulling the white dot, but as you describe it's probably the beginning of a split end. A split end often begins with the end getting fuzzy and that is the white dot.

Congratulations to not finding many split ends :)

[Hue]

Sometimes there are dots eight at the very end of a hair, and those may be where a hair has just snapped off. In that case, the dot is an end just a wee bit frayed and susceptible to more damage. I snip those off just above, because those ends seems to tangle more with other hairs. (Now that the full length of my hair is in better condition, I do a lot of my S&D by slowly separating strands and seeing where they snag on each other -- usually a white dot, split, or fairy knot, sometimes just around a wee bit of fluff.)

Other white dots are further up along the shaft. Sometimes these are just bits of fluff or dust [or buildup], but sometimes these are damage. I check by bending the hair at that point. If it goes into a sharp-angled bend right at that point, rather than a curve, I snip it because (in my hair, at least) it's well on its way to breaking off anyway, and it wants to take down the innocent with it. :mad: :mad: :mad:

[mira-chan]

If the hair bends at the dot it's a break, if not, it's dirt.
I took a picture in the microscope of a white dot.
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/microscope/mewhitedot40x2.jpg

[practikalmagik]

Wow mira_chan, it's scary to think that a harmless white dot is that much damage.

I think I'll take the advice of you all and establish which ones are breaks and snip 'em.

[~GypsyCurls~]

I hate those things! It seems I have more of them than actual splits.

[spidermom]

When I find a white dot while S&Ding, I first run my fingers down the hair shaft. If it's a speck of dust, it comes right off. If it doesn't, I put fingers above and below it and gently pull. Usually it breaks right off. I don't know why but I rather enjoy the little pop when it breaks. Then I snip just above where it broke.

[ktani]

I no longer get split ends but I do get white dots. Not many now. Even though I am sure than an s&d cannot get every one, I still do not get split ends from the ones I miss. Some damage in long hair is inevitable, IMO. In my case it is mechanical damage. I am not as gentle with my hair as I should be, all of the time.

[Katze]

I also cut white dots-for me they are damage, and they do cause tangles.

I really look forward to the day when the several inches of damaged hair I have left are gone - fallen out, trimmed, S&D'd - and I have no splits or dots. The difference between now and even a year ago is noticeable, so I am hoping the progress continues.

Mira-Chan, that pic was grisly. :D

[Nightshade]

Here's another white dot:

http://www.pg.com/science/haircare/hair_twh_74/hair_twh_74_03.jpg

[dorothea-brooke]

Here's another white dot:

http://www.pg.com/science/haircare/hair_twh_74/hair_twh_74_03.jpg

Gack! Why do you do this to us?! :wail:

[And BTW, :waving: I just left a message in your blog.... :)]

[practikalmagik]

Here's another white dot:

http://www.pg.com/science/haircare/hair_twh_74/hair_twh_74_03.jpg


EEP!! It looks like some evil spindly insect or something.

I wanna make that into a large poster and give it to everyone I know who uses straighteners and hairdryers everyday to convince them otherwise.

*baby's hair with oil instead*

[Rohele]

I wanna make that into a large poster and give it to everyone I know who uses straighteners and hairdryers everyday to convince them otherwise.

It was pics like these that convinced me to stop heat styling and dying.

[jojo]

When I find a white dot while S&Ding, I first run my fingers down the hair shaft. If it's a speck of dust, it comes right off. If it doesn't, I put fingers above and below it and gently pull. Usually it breaks right off. I don't know why but I rather enjoy the little pop when it breaks. Then I snip just above where it broke.

omg i like that too! I also get pleasure out of snipping a split of a coarse hair, i like the crunch! :o

[Nightshade]

EEP!! It looks like some evil spindly insect or something.

I wanna make that into a large poster and give it to everyone I know who uses straighteners and hairdryers everyday to convince them otherwise.

*baby's hair with oil instead*

*chuckles* There's a whole lot more where that came from in my damaged hair article if you're feeling brave ;)



Gack! Why do you do this to us?! :wail:

[And BTW, :waving: I just left a message in your blog.... :)]

:twisted: Well the answer to the first question should be fairly obvious :lol:

Good to have you back! :flowers:

[Anje]

I've heard that heat can cause the white dots that are breaks. I've found that little knots also can -- they cause the hair to kink in ways that cause damage, especially if you pull the knot tight while trying to detangle.

Now if I could prevent hairs from tying themselves in knots....

[Nightshade]

Now if I could prevent hairs from tying themselves in knots....

Do they make RAID for fairys? ;)

ETA:
http://dcl16.nl/dvd/screenshot/labyrinth1.jpg

[Aisha25]

Do they make RAID for fairys? ;)

ETA:
http://dcl16.nl/dvd/screenshot/labyrinth1.jpg
If you ever find it please pm me;) k thanks!

[mira-chan]

omg i like that too! I also get pleasure out of snipping a split of a coarse hair, i like the crunch! :o
Hairs don't normally go crunch? :bigeyes: The sound kind of freaks me out but then again I'm scissor avoidant.

[vampodrama]

I have lots and lots of white dots at the very end of my hair and I know those are the points where hair has been broken and the white dot is the broken end.

I try to remove them the best I can with S&D but there are way too many so it's a long, long battle...

[jojo]

Hairs don't normally go crunch? :bigeyes: The sound kind of freaks me out but then again I'm scissor avoidant.listen when you cut a wirey hair it does make a crunch sound, its very addictive!

[paper]

I've been wondering this same thing! I don't have any splits, but alot of white dots. I don't use heat. But the last time I had my hair trimmed, my hairdresser used a Flat Iron on me. I'm wondering if thats where the damage came from? I've used some of the advice given in this thread. It's been very helpful!

[mira-chan]

listen when you cut a wirey hair it does make a crunch sound, its very addictive!
I have coarse hair, most of which is wiry coarse. You can hear my hair being cut from across the room. Especially if it's more than one hair in a trim. Always freaks me out but then I'm weird about this.