Uh, What Are Those White Dots At The Ends Of My Hair? A Hairstylist Explains

Ever noticed some white dots on the ends of your hair? You know, those light, tiny speckles peppered throughout your ends. It's as if you dunked the ends of your hair in a pot of glitter, only way less fun. They're especially noticeable on darker hair, and they're oh-so-easy to snap—just a gentle tug, and the hair breaks clean off.

"These dots indicate that the hair is fractured or broken,' says celebrity hairstylist Nick Stenson, artistic director of Matrix. But they're not exactly your run-of-the-mill split ends that we typically think of: The hair may not split into a familiar "feather" or "tree," but the ends are certainly frayed, typically from excessive heat styling or chemical treatments. As Stenson notes, "Noticing those white dots at or near the ends of your hair means you have irreversible damage to the hair structure due to chemical or mechanical damage." However, even if you steer clear of chemical treatments and hot tools, you can still experience white dots; your hair just may be severely facing other types of damage (physical wear and tear, dehydrated strands, and the like). 

The reason they're so easy to snap off is because they signal the weakest point in the hair shaft, thanks to the damage we referenced above. And while it may be tempting to pluck off each and every one, you'll want to go for a full trim and let a professional do the job. Snapping off all those broken ends (albeit satisfying) may leave your hair looking brittle and uneven.