New onset white-dot breakage

[Teakafrog]

Just the last couple weeks I've noticed a ton of white dots on the last few inches and it's been breaking off horribly. The main difference in this time period is that it's freakin' COLD and the heat's blasting everywhere, so I've been trying to use extra leave-ins to combat it. The other thing is my conditioners have been more protein based (yes, I am a product junkie and switch stuff around all the time :o).

Do you think it could be the extra protein, or is it just the heat and dryness? What else can I do, besides the obsessive S&Ding I've been doing the last few days? I've been doing extra SMTs trying to load up on moisture, but nothing seems to be helping! Ideas?

[GoddesJourney]

I vote heat and dryness.

[danacc]

Add my vote for heat and dryness as the cause.

Keep S&Ding. Also, step up the moisturizing leave-ins that you use. If find daily oiling more protective and helpful than deep moisturizing treatments that I rinse out. The winter dryness is assaulting your hair all day long.

[Gladtobemom]

I haven't been getting ANY white dots since I quit using a blow dryer.

I do use a hard bonnet dryer, but the temp varies from 120-130 (Dh unhooked one of the coils for me).

It could be that the cold is causing the damaged sections to show up more, or finally "fray" out.

[Crysta]

I'd quit all heat, carry on using S&D keep up with the SMT and mabey use some oil treatments.
winter can be harsh on your hair.

centeral heating in your house can be aswell. so if you are using it, instead i'd suggest wrapping up in more clothes to keep warm, rather than centeral heating. (and try not to go to sleep with it on)

[florenonite]

The extra protein could have an effect, becuase I think that if you add protein then your hair craves more moisture, too. I'd go for using the protein conditioner less frequently (every other wash, maybe?) and use one without protein the rest of the time, seeing as the weather's probably quite dry, too, if it's cold out.

[Teakafrog]

Well, I washed this afternoon, and put in double my normal amount of aloe gel and leave-in conditioner, and my hair just drank it up. I waited until it air dried, then put on twice as much coconut oil as I usually use, and it sucked that right up too. Doesn't look too bad right now, not near as many white dots visible.
Guess this seals the deal, I am definitely going to chop off that last 3-4 inches that have been dyed. It'll take me from almost waist back up to just past BSL, but apparently it's just going to break off anyway. Then I'll have all healthy virgin hair to work with, so it's all good! :)

[heidi w.]

Just the last couple weeks I've noticed a ton of white dots on the last few inches and it's been breaking off horribly. The main difference in this time period is that it's freakin' COLD and the heat's blasting everywhere, so I've been trying to use extra leave-ins to combat it. The other thing is my conditioners have been more protein based (yes, I am a product junkie and switch stuff around all the time :o).

Do you think it could be the extra protein, or is it just the heat and dryness? What else can I do, besides the obsessive S&Ding I've been doing the last few days? I've been doing extra SMTs trying to load up on moisture, but nothing seems to be helping! Ideas?


It's rather unusual that heat and dryness alone will cause a large volume of white dots, yet not impossible depending on how dry the hair is.

But it is DEFINITELY possible that protein overload can cause hair to break off, suddenly, a lot of it.

If your chosen method for combat is to pile on the leave-ins, on top of conditioners with protein, even after shampooing, then you well could be causing some issues.

Here's my suggestion. Let's pretend it IS protein overload, and let's lay off the purchased leave-in products. I know, a product junkie has a hard time with this. But generally simple is best.

Then instead, think about using only oils, or shea butter or even cholesterol (found in the ethnic beauty aisle, and usually reserved as a recommendation for super coily locks).

I suggest, also, that at least at night, you add some moisture into the dry air by running a humidifier, and at least at night when all loaded up with warm blankets and maybe even jammies, think about lowering the heat, as well as lowering it for when you're out of the house.

I have been known to run a humidifier in several rooms of the house at once, such as the kitchen if it's a winter day and I'm doing a lot of cooking for the day AND somewhere else.

Humidifiers are relatively inexpensive. It doesn't matter if you choose only a cold mist or one that provides a warm mist. Humidifiers help with colds -- mine has a little well for adding vaporizor and that kind of thing. I run this all winter long now that I live in snow country. It helps my dry skin, my nose bleed or dry nose, dry throat stuff, and my hair from really drying out and getting into fly-away zonage. It's just enough to help. This is nowhere near adding humidity the likes of heat/humidity in high summertime or the humidity from a steam shower. It's just a little bit.

Be sure to sleep on a smooth surface pillowcase so hair can slide. IF you like fleece sheets or whatever, just don't do it on the pillow. Slippery slide the hair on the pillowcase.

You can consider a deep oiling overnight and wash out in the morning, still conditioning.

You seem to have some body so I'm betting you'll like Shea Butter a lot, and consider trying Cholesterol on length only. Apply according to directions.

These steps won't make the current white dots go away, but they'll likely contribute to ceasing the breakage that is most likely being caused by protein overload, especially if you're running to the facilities to load on yet more store-purchased leave-in.

Some in this thread and elsewhere on LHC refer to oils as leave-in because, well, in a context that makes sense -- oils are left in the hair. But it gets a little confusing then to separate meaning from store-purchased leave-in products. (ETA - Exhibit A: danacc above...I think she means leave-ins referring to oils. Clearly the OP is pounding on the leave-ins, and is experiencing breakage....on top of a high protein conditioner....)

I'm betting, too, that you'll respond well to a version of CO washing that is conditioner only to the length for winter, and just a tidbit of shampoo on the scalp skin for hygiene of that skin and related hair.

Then you can oil while still damp once out of the shower.

A few more thoughts about conditioning.

For those who have to amp it up in winter, here's some pointers for how to effectively condition the hair.

Anyone, whether straight or curly, can apply a good coating of conditioner to hair (no matter the hair wash method), and leave it in. Then take a VERY wide tooth comb, perhaps even more like a pick (found again in the ethnic aisle of a drugstore or grocery store even), and coat the comb over & over again with conditioner and work this through hair length. This will mean the conditioner stays on longer in a warm, humid environment, and is distributed well throughout all the length, all the individual strands.

You see, wet hair tends to clump or rope up, and the inner strands of a bulk of wet hair may be LESS wet and also thereby receive LESS conditioner, meaning some hair strands don't get what it needs.

One way or the other you can flatten these clumps or ropey sections out a bit and get conditioner applied to the length and inner strands, ensuring that the hair is VERY wet.

Conditioner bonds with the cuticle. If the cuticle isn't open, conditioner tends to then lie more on top of the hair and not absorb so well. SO how to get it to the cortex? Well, the above will help because then you're flattening out hair and ensuring it's wet and well worked through.

If you're like me, you can use a different method, and simply gently fan wet clumps so it's flatter, and then wet the inner hair really well. For any conditioning I'm really big on THE WATER BEING FAIRLY WARM, because this opens the cuticle and helps the conditioner smear around. THEN once the hair is flattened, I coat again with conditioner (leaving the former application of conditioner in), and wet the hair with warm driblets enough to help the conditioner smear around yet not rinse it out. I look for the conditioner to become, creamy, is one way of describing it. I want to see no white stuff sitting on my hair, eventually. This means it's absorbed then.

THEN I rinse it out.

So leave conditioner on longer, consider one of the above methods to flatten out clumpy ropes of hair and get everything really wet, and work with fairly warm water. In winter, leaving that conditioner on a bit longer can make a difference.

Then, oil per usual.

One more thought, some people can get away with washing less frequently in the winter months, especially in wintery snow climates. This will help with a little bit of sebum smearing about, especially for dry scalp skin.

And those who normally don't CO the length only, may be able to use this idea on length only for winter. Say, every other hair wash, some shampoo is applied to length. Truly, though, I rarely wash my hair length since I'm an office worker and don't rough and tumble a lot. I let some soapiness of the shampoo dribble through the length after applying to scalp skin and related hair...rinse, then condition per above, fanning hair out and putting on a fair amount of conditioner in warm water, and allowing some warm water to go over the hair.

Also, if shampoo or conditioner is cold it emulsifies less easily. I no longer have this issue, but for a period of time I was working in a very cold bathroom, and the smeariness of product in winter was hard, so I had to basically, warm it up by letting some warm shower water dribble into the puddle of conditioner before I applied it or it rather stayed there and sat on top of the hair. I then would do the dribbling thing of pretty warm water while letting the conditioner sit on my hair to assist with uptake and bonding with the cortex.

And I think a lot of people will appreciate that little additive of moisture that a humidifier offers.

You can use a humidifier year after year, but take it apart at the end of a season and clean it really well, and dry it out before putting it away, say, in March.

I use distilled water for reasons of the directions AND to prevent the hard water mineral buildup.

The humidifier can be placed somehow centrally in a room, but for me, I like it pretty near my bed.

I learned about the humidifer tip from the beautiful Lady Grace who has magnificent hair. We're about the same age and she's still growing strong! Amazing hair, and wonderful wonderful person. I like to give credit whenever I can.

heidi w.

[heidi w.]

Ahhh, one more thought. You may be able to simply shampoo hair to remove products, but it's possible that you may need to clarify.

I just got into another thread yesterday discussing the dovetail between buildup and protein overload. One member made a valid point that protein overload is a version of buildup. It can be, especially if re-applying over&over without washing in between, and not really getting the old stuff out very well. I went about trying to explain how it could well be a dovetail, and then other times, no dovetail -- that there are instances of protein overload.

But you might find starting fresh helpful. Clarifying is DRYING to hair in and of itself, so part of clarifying is really taking care to apply conditioner so the hair has added back in some of what's been removed. Never clarify without also conditioning well. The hair, unconditioned, will come out feeling kind of odd, brittle, a strange texture. It worked. The point is to remove all product off the surface of the cuticle, which leave-ins can do -- stand on top of hair.

Then oil while damp....and so on. (Or shea)

You can use cholesterol as your conditioner! My wurly, curly, coiled hair locks best friend uses cholesterol and only cholesterol, with the smallest bits of shampoo on scalp hair, works the cholesterol in with that comb method I describe above, and never touches her hair once air dried. She detangles with conditioner per above with a comb in the shower using the power of the shower water and loves that suggestion. She loves her hair again -- and she colors at home!

I hope this helps a bit.
heidi w.

[heidi w.]

In general, in most brands of products, protein is balanced out within a brand line between a shampoo and conditioner.

There's a lot of hype about add more protein to hair because the idea is that this improves the strength of hair.

Well, you have to take it easy sometimes. Those who color or perm and chemically alter hair's structure may have a porosity issue which could be exacerbated by protein applications.

It just all depends.

So much of purchasing products is hard because we're told so much stuff and we just don't know enough. Not everyone can be a chemist!

So, I say, take it easy on protein unless there's a fairly clear reason for applying this.

Further, if you're blending amongst product lines, mixing, matching, piling on product on top of product, this is problematic and you can easily end up in protein-overload land, the key signal being suddenly hair breaking off and a lot of it. Too little or too much, same symptom - hair breakage, and a lot of it.

Now, for example, flat ironing I notice produces a lot of white dots which then contributes to a lot of breakage, such as running the fingers through the hair and a bunch of bits show up in the palm. I once stood across a counter from a Sally's Beauty clerk and she saw my hair and asked me to check out her hair. I stood right there and she ran her fingers through her hair, and I could tell she was a flat-iron person from the way her hair looked and I had the unenviable task of advising her that she might want to reconsider flat-ironing. She didn't understand that the serums do nothing for preventing this level of heat damage. She DID ask my opinion flat out, so I gave it to her as politely as I could. Otherwise I'd keep my mouth absolutely sealed.

Anyway, I hope this helps you solve your problem.

Generally, once buildup from protein overload is removed out of the hair, generally, that breakage should cease. Given you have all these white dots, that can't be fixed.

Also, white dots occur just in regular wear & tear of hair, and in the ends where you describe in the last few inches is pretty normal. Your length OP, if that's you in your avatar, is around now 4 years old or more, perhaps, and it's not unheard of to discover a number of white dots in this bottom area of the hemline at this point.

heidi w.

[heidi w.]

Word to the wise, even deep oil treatments that are store purchased might have added protein. V05 is one such hot oil treatment!

I've used this mixed with oil, half and half measurements. It went ok but I don't have problems with protein overload. I think I've only ever done this about twice in my life though.

For the people who are product junkies, as fun as that can be (and if you have the buckolas to afford it), for those who want wonderful hair at any length, it really is best to find your routine and just stick it out. Benign neglect combined with a hair care routine that you know works is the best combination for producing long, healthy hair (or even short, healthy hair).

Everyone that I know who has uber long hair is a bit like me. They have a ETA relatively simple END ETA routine and really pay attention to nutrition. Occasional trims, ETA wear it up most of the time END ETA and most of the time, forget about it.

That's pretty much it.
heidi w.

[Teakafrog]

Wow, Heidi, you could teach a class in hair care!

I already do a lot of what you suggested. I CO length and use just a drop of shampoo on scalp. I do use cholesterol, but usually only as a deep treatment. I may have to try using it more often. I'll definitely try cutting back on the protein for awhile and see if that helps. Lots to go back through. I do use a humidifier at home, but no chance of one at work. I do most all of the other basics you mentioned, from satin pillowcase to wearing it up often.
But as you mentioned, those last few inches have been through a lot. You can see in my avatar, they have been bleach damaged. I've been growing for about 4 years, and those last 4 inches or so are all that are left of my old bleached hair that hasn't been trimmed off yet. Another reason I think a trim is in order. My virgin hair that has been treated this way is very healthy and I have no breakage above the last 4 inches.