what am I doing by doing this....

[sunnydays]

Lately I have a really really bad habit of finding ends that have a white dot about a cm up from the bottom of the strand, I really love pulling those bits off, but what am i doing by doing that? what are these little white dots at the ends?:confused:

Is it bad to keep doing it?

[SpinDance]

The little white dots are where the hair is broken. By pulling them off you then have a broken end which will fray and split. It is better to use sharp scissors and cut above the white dot.

[Tiina]

White dots are damage. The cuticle of the hair has worn off and is exposing the cortex within. You should cut them off instead of pulling so the fresh end wouldn't get damaged itself.

[Mesmerise]

Yup, a broken white dot almost inevitably ends up as a split end! If it makes you feel better...they'd probably break off on their own anyway, eventually. But ideally, when you find them, snip them off with sharp scissors and don't break them off!

[весна]

That is a sign of damage. Use scissors instead of pulling them. I have a friend that used to do that and her hair would just get damaged easier.

[starbucksaddict]

I have the same bad habit too, just remind yourself to snip off right untop of the little white dot :)

[alwayssmiling]

And if you are not already doing so perhaps lay off the heat which I believe causes my white dots (always more after straightening). I also got a bad batch of dots when I used a permenant dye.

[Annibelle]

I occasionally get those dots, too, and enjoy pulling the end off! But I only do it when I have my hair scissors handy-- I snip above the white dot right after pulling!

[spidermom]

When I'm S&Ding, if I see a white dot, I pull gently to see if the hair breaks at that point. If it doesn't, I leave it alone. If it does, I snip just above the break to prevent a jagged end that will easily split.