White dots

[Sara Smile]

While I've been lurking for a while, I am new to posting. I have a question that I haven't seen anywhere, but maybe I've just missed it. :confused:

What do the white dots look like? I've seen the chart for split ends and the pictures of damage, and looked at my own hair. I hear you talking about white dots on your hair that lead to breakage, and I can't visualize that. Does anyone have a picture?

[Wavelength]

I don't have a picture handy, but they literally look like tiny white dots right on the hair shaft. Usually they show up right on the very end of the hair strand (one white dot per end) but they can also show up higher up on the hair shaft. That generally means the hair is about to split or break at that point.

[SpinDance]

If you try to bend the hair at one of the white dots, when it is not at the end, you'll notice that it is often (always) actually broken at that point. If it is at the end the rest has already fallen off, and the hair just hasn't split open yet, but will.

[Sara Smile]

Ah-ha! I think I found one. That hair was already kinked and bent, so I'm not upset that it had a white dot. But I've only found one. Either my hair doesn't have very many of them, or I'm still not seeing them.

[Akiko]

Sara Smile, I wonder if your hair color is light? My hair is black and white dots are just too visible!!!:(

[Sara Smile]

Yes, my hair is strawberry blonde. It's getting darker, but of course the ends are much lighter from the sun. Maybe that's it (or part of it).

[Wavelength]

Yes, my hair is strawberry blonde. It's getting darker, but of course the ends are much lighter from the sun. Maybe that's it (or part of it).

That might be it. My hair is auburn and some strands are lighter red than others. I can only find splits if I'm looking at my hair with the sun or a lamp behind me, and a dark surface in front of me. I have to hold my hair up against the dark background and then the white dots and splits show up. If I don't have either the light behind me or a dark surface in front, then my hair looks damage-free and wonderful. But it's all a lie! :p

[SpinDance]

I find that all S&D missions must be done in good light, with a contrasting background. Since some of my hairs are now white/lighter, with the rest being dark, that is getting to be much more challenging!

[Rentlle]

I don't have a picture of white dots either..
But they are simple to recognise..

Look at your hair.
If your hair is the same colour untill the end
and if you look really close you see that it's ending in a point

then it's oké

I'm sure you will recognise the white dots once you see them
Except if you have blonde hair, then it's understandable not to see them :)

[Arkady]

I usually do S&D whilst sitting in front of my Mac, reading LHC - my Mac has a huge 21" Cinema display screen, and the bright white & grey colours of the forum are just perfect to hold my hair up against! :)

[mellie89]

You are lucky that you can't find them in your hair! I also have blond hair, but I have a TON of white dots in the front on each side. I guess straightening bleached safety-scissor self-cut bangs will cause a bit of damage. ;) (Sorry if that sentence caused any of you physical or emotional pain.)

My hair is growing nicely, but the front bits haven't done much growing since my last cut since I have so much breakage. Thank goodness they are small sections. They might have to become real bangs one of these days. :o

[Sara Smile]

Well, as far as I can tell, it's just that one. I'll cut it off tonight, when I get home.

I'll keep looking for them, but I've always had pretty sturdy hair, with few split ends. Maybe I just don't have many white dots. :)

[Elenna]

I don't have splits, but do get white dots. I trim the hair below the dot. My hair is very fine and fragile.

[Pear Martini]

Crap, I have so many white dots. I trimmed this section of hair a week ago and see a whole new crop of splits. How could this be?

[Arkady]

Blunt scissors perhaps - if your blades aren't sharp enough, they'll actually cause more damage than they trim out.