Anagen phase A hair pulled out in this phase will typically have the root sheath attached to it which appears as a clear gel coating the first few mm of the hair from its base; this may be misidentified as the follicle, the root or the sebaceous gland by non-health care professionals.
The clear coat you sometimes see on the ends of hairs you've pulled out is likely a mixture of sebum (natural oils produced by your scalp) and possibly some product residue or moisture. This coating helps protect the hair shaft and keeps it hydrated.
It's the inside regenerative lining of the hair follicle - technically part of the outer layer of skin, but sits deep inside the follicle. The white stuff is cells - you'll notice you can remove the cells from the hair if you rub it between your fingers, and they're kinda sticky.
The white element you see at the end of your hair when you pull it is likely the hair's bulb, also known as the hair follicle. This bulb is the part of the hair that is embedded in the scalp and is responsible for hair growth.
Sebum is an oily substance made by skin glands to help moisturize your skin. When your scalp overproduces sebum, or it is not washed out often enough, the excess sebum mixes with dirt, sticks to the hair shaft, and builds up on the scalp.
Serous drainage, or blood serum, is a type of fluid that comes out of a wound with tissue damage. It's normal for your wound to leak small amounts of this clear fluid. However, if you notice your wound drains a lot of fluid, or if the fluid draining is thick like pus, contact a healthcare provider.
A black dot could result from a fungal infection on the scalp known as tinea capitis or traction alopecia, causing broken hairs from tight hairstyles that look like black specks. Black dots could also be a symptom of alopecia areata, an inflammatory disease, or even a sign of scalp melanoma.
Waxing and plucking can damage the hair follicles, causing new hair growth to be slower and thinner over time. These methods are not considered permanent hair growth, though.
The white bulb indicates that the hair was in the resting (telogen) phase of the hair growth cycle. Normally, about 10-15% of your hair is in this phase, but with telogen effluvium, up to around 70% of your anagen hair (hair that is actively growing) may enter the resting phase and fall out prematurely.
Anagen phase
A hair pulled out in this phase will typically have the root sheath attached to it which appears as a clear gel coating the first few mm of the hair from its base; this may be misidentified as the follicle, the root or the sebaceous gland by non-health care professionals.
Hair follicles are part of your skin that are responsible for growing your hair. If you accidentally pull out a strand of your hair and it has a ball (bulb) on the end of it, you didn't pull out the follicle, and instead, you removed your hair root. That root grows back and your hair will grow back, too.
So what is this small white particle? In fact, the white small particles in the roots of the hair are fat particles composed of sebum and oil.
Even getting out your tweezers for the odd hair might seem harmless, but next time swap the tweezers for your razor and some shaving gel to remove those stray hairs. This is because plucking hairs can traumatise the follicle, causing scar tissue to build-up around the pore.
Most people who are healthy lose up to 100 strands of hair per day. If you have telogen effluvium, you may lose up to 300 strands of hair per day. Telogen effluvium may affect the hair all over your scalp, but it most commonly appears on the top of your head rather than the back or sides of your head.
White Piedra. This is an infection of the hair shaft which is caused by a fungus variety known as Trichosporon, which is found in soil and dirty water. It is not considered to be wildly contagious but can spread within contaminated environments.
A visible scalp through your hair can be a sign that it's thinning (but not always). The factors that contribute to thinning hair (and thus a visible scalp) include stress, diet, vitamin deficiency and ageing.
Every time you pluck a hair from the root, it causes trauma to the follicle, resulting in inflammation. This often leads to a small spot at the sight of removal. Each hair you pluck also leaves an opening for bacteria, and how often do you clean your tweezers?
Give hair a tug
Spending 2 minutes a day gently pulling on your locks can increase the diameter of each strand by 8%, leading to a noticeable boost in thickness in four months, says one study. That's because it activates genes that encourage hair growth.
Temporary methods include shaving, hair removal cream, trimming, and waxing. Electrolysis and laser hair removal can remove pubic hair long-term, however, there is a higher cost and discomfort to consider.
If an ingrown hair becomes infected, you may notice the bumps getting bigger and more painful. Pustules occur when there's pus around the follicles. This infection can lead to scarring.
Squeezing out the hair follicles can disrupt the hair removal process and damage the hair follicles, potentially causing scarring and hyperpigmentation. Squeezing can also introduce bacteria into the skin, leading to infections and even breakouts.