White dots?

[leo]

Recently, I've noticed an increase amount of white dots, where my hair splits and breaks apart. I wanted to know how could I stop this from occurring? As I feel they are decreasing my length by breaking my hair follicle. Could anybody help me??

[Miss Catrina]

I'm pretty sure those dots are a kind of split end/split ends waiting to happen. I get them at the tips of my hair and sometimes above the ends - and if I tug on the end, it just snaps off where the dot is.

So I'd trim them like you do any split end, and prevent them the same way split ends are prevented - careful brushing, good conditioning protective hairstyles, etc.

[monsterna]

It depends on your routine why you're getting them, if they are indeed white dots. Do you use heat? Do you brush or comb vigorously?

What I do when I notice them is clarify my hair and see if that helps it at all (well, it won't stop or get rid of them, but it will let me know if what I thought were white dots really WERE them or if they were something else, like dust or build up, etc.). Then all I can do is S&D them when I see them. Hope someone else can help you too!

[littlenvy]

From what I understand white dots are heat damage to your hair. It happens when the water in your hair boils and explodes the hair from within.

Aside from cutting just above the dot and avoiding heat, I have no clue what else you can do. Damage like that can't be repaired. :(

[krissykins]

I think that clarifying before you start a war on your split ends would be beneficial. I always see my splits better when my hair has been freshly washed. Make sure to use sharp scissors and avoid mechanical damage.

[leo]

What would be a good Clarifying shampoo? I been trying to find a good shampoo that is compatible with my hair but it's been very difficult finding a simple yet effective shampoo. I never press heat my hair or anything damaging like that. Recently, I bought a shampoo from Aussie I think the volumizing one and I feel it's worthless cause it isn't doing much to my hair, it leaves it pretty dull without any bounce.

[Firefox7275]

Welcome! It's well worth reading the 'Newbies Start Here' advice, also the Articles and Reviews (clicky at top of the page). I found just reading back through the hair boards valuable, as I learned stuff that I wasn't even looking for!! :)

[alwayssmiling]

It certainly doesn't sound like build up or lint (which can often be mistaken for splits ) as you have notice the hair breaks. So I probably wouldn't bother clarifying (though clarifying is worth researching for other problems). I suspect heat damage, if its possible cut them off individually (with good sharp hair scissors) just above the dot...or if there is too many of them you could consider a tiny trim - sometimes we have to go backwards to go forwards. Is there lots of breakage?

This is a very good article by Nightshade http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79

[RitaCeleste]

I blow dried a couple of times and let my sister flat iron my hair ONCE and ended up with white dots. THANK YOU! Now I know what did it. I have not used heat much and didn't know what caused it either. I had them when I was younger and was using a blow drier and curling iron and never did figure it out. I was really worried they'd travel up higher on the shaft. I've gotten rid of most of them but I had just trimmed my hair and was loosing even more length.

[torrilin]

It's not really clear from your profile where you are. That's going to have an impact on what shampoos you can find easily.

In the US, the most readily available clarifying options are Neutrogena's Anti-Residue shampoo, Clairol Herbal Essences Degunkify, Suave Clarifying and a dilute solution of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate).

The baking soda option is an extremely high pH option (so very basic in a chemical sense), and it must be followed with an acidic rinse or it can cause damage to your hair and make things worse. Most regular shampoos are reasonably acidic and match pH with our hair and skin pretty well, but... if you have hard water, an acidic rinse may help the clarifying shampoo work better. Vinegar is pretty readily available and works well as an acidic rinse. You'll need to dilute it, since most vinegar is sold in a 5% solution, and that's too strong for our hair. Try around 1tsp/5mL on up to 1Tbsp/15mL in 2 cups or 250mL of water.

[ouseljay]

I get these too (along with all varieties of true splits), even though I don't do any heat styling at all. It's really frustrating. :confused:

[alwayssmiling]

I get these too (along with all varieties of true splits), even though I don't do any heat styling at all. It's really frustrating. :confused:

Now this is really interesting to me. I always thought white dot breakage was exclusively heat damage....off to do some reasearch :confused:

[littlenvy]

Could it be old heat damage?? From when the hair was much shorter? And its just now coming to light?

[braidedbelle]

Heat styling, wind damage, chlorine damage, dull scissors, even just the lousy winter weather - I hear those all can cause splits, or those little annoying white dots. I used to get white dots but now that I put down the straightener I rarely see them anymore!

[ouseljay]

Now this is really interesting to me. I always thought white dot breakage was exclusively heat damage....off to do some reasearch :confused:
Please let me know if you find anything. Everything I've read says heat damage, but I really don't think it can be for me and I'd love to know how to stop it.


Could it be old heat damage?? From when the hair was much shorter? And its just now coming to light?
Hmm, I don't think so. By my calculations my current hairs are +/- 5 years old and I haven't used a blowdryer in longer than that, certainly. I think it must be coming from mechanical damage somehow, it's just weird.

[leo]

Yeah, I'm located in California, Oakland to be specific, but i am a guy and never use any sort of heat to my hair at all. I think it might be the wind damage since sometimes I just let my hair lose without securing it. I been reading those articles in the newbie section but it's so much information to navigate through, bit it has gave me a better indication of how to properly care for my hair. Could harder water be a cause of this, also?

[RitaCeleste]

I have really hard water all the time but usually no white dots. I noticed the white dots were mostly limited to my sides that hadn't been trimmed in ages because I was growing them out. I had trimmed my hair but I don't think the white dots were from my scissors. My cousin and I use to get them and she was afraid her hair was never gonna grow because of them.

[leo]

What's a good clarifying shampoo?