What Do White Spots on Your Hair Mean?

It’s not always easy to spot hair damage, especially if it doesn’t show up the way you expect. White spots might look harmless at first, but they can say a lot about your hair and what it needs.

Keshoume can help you revive your hair and get rid of white spots and other types of hair damage. If you see white spots, here’s what you can do.

What They Look Like

White spots usually show up at the end of your hair, just like split ends. That’s because they are a type of split end, though they don’t look like the typical y-split that you probably expect.

These white spots might look something like if you sprinkled salt or glitter into your hair, except they don’t come out if you try to brush them off. But if you try to break your hair where they show up, you’ll find that the strand snaps pretty easily. A lot of the time, you’ll notice them if you haven’t had a haircut in a long time or if you aren’t taking proper care of your hair.

What They Mean for Your Hair

White spots are a sign that your hair needs some love. They tell you that your hair is pretty badly damaged and it’s time to reevaluate your hair care routine.

White spots show irreversible damage to your hair. That doesn’t mean you can’t course correct in the future, but no amount of moisturizing and hair masks is going to make your hair healthy without putting in a little extra work.

A lot of the time, if you’re getting white spots, it’s a sign that you’re doing too many heat or chemical treatments on your hair. You’ll start noticing white spots down the shaft. When you see this (preferably before you see it) it’s time to give your hair a break and let it heal.

Sometimes white spots aren’t only a sign of hair damage, depending on how they show up. White piedra is a type of yeast infection that affects your hair. It’s not common, but depending on where you live, it’s something to look out for.

White piedra shows up as white stone-like spots throughout your hair. It starts at the scalp and can damage your hair. It can also be mistaken for lice (which can leave white shell casings in the hair). White piedra is most common in areas like the southeast US, Japan, southeast Asia, Africa, and some parts of Europe, but in every case it depends on the conditions where you live.

How Do You Get Rid of White Spots?

When it comes to white spots from breakage, the only way to heal your hair is to get it cut and take better care of it. Make sure you have the right hair care routine for your hair type—you’ll probably have to do more than give it a quick wash and rinse from now on. Better hair care might involve applying hair masks, getting a different shampoo or conditioner, and knowing how different environmental conditions affect your hair.

For white piedra, you’ll need to apply antifungal treatments to get rid of the infection. Those can come in the form of medicated lotions or shampoos. A lot of the time, it’s recommended that you shave the area, too, though this isn’t an option for everyone.

Ultimately, the best way to prevent white spots on your hair is to take care of it. If you get regular haircuts and care for your hair the way it needs, you can prevent the problem in the future. Keshoume has plenty of options to help you give your hair the love it deserves, from hair masks to shampoos. Plus, 10% of proceeds from your purchase goes to a cause that aligns with our mission.

Sarah Wood - August 3, 2021

Sources:
Schneider, Jamie. “Uh, What Are Those White Dots at the Ends of My Hair? A Hairstylist Explains.” MindBodyGreen Lifestyle. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/what-do-white-dots-on-hair-mean. Accessed 30 June 2021.

“Split Ends: Types, Causes, and Effective Ways of Treatment.” The Right Hairstyles. https://therighthairstyles.com/split-ends-causes-treatment/. Accessed 30 June 2021.

“White piedra: What to know.” Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/white-piedra#transmission. Accessed 30 June 2021.