The main symptom of white piedra is the formation of clusters of tiny nodules along the hair shafts. These rock-like structures appear white, gray, or tan. The stone-like depositions are soft, gritty, and easy to remove. However, removal may cause the affected hair shafts to split or break.
It's important to keep in mind that the white bulb is not the actual hair root, but rather, the protein bulb that is present during a specific phase of the hair growth cycle. This protein bulb is the closest part of the hair follicle that attaches to the root.
A white bulb at the end generally indicates that the hair is in the resting phase, and they a new hair has pushed it out (causing it to shed). This is the natural process of hair growth. A new one is simply taking its place.
It's your hair follicles. Sometimes when you shed a hair from the root there will be a little white bulb at the end of the hair. This happens when the hair is ready to fall out as opposed to breaking. Sometimes the bulb will separate from the hair and stay loosely in the scalp. When scratched it will come loose.
The white oily waxy stuff is called sebum, from the Sebaceous gland. It helps lubricate and waterproof the hair. When you're overheated it also helps keeps moisture near your skin as opposed to dripping off with the rest of the water in your sweat.
White Piedra hair can be due to various reasons. This fungus is sometimes found on your skin but is usually associated with bad habits. If you have poor hygiene and shampoo infrequently, or you use stagnant dirty water, this fungus can get transferred onto your hair.
A build-up of sebum can make the hair look greasy, dull and oily rather than looking healthy, shiny and voluminous. Then there's the risk of scalp and hair damage. The naturally occurring, dandruff-causing microbe Malassezia globosa is one organism that has evolved to live in sebum.
White piedra is a superficial fungal infection of the hair shaft. It can affect people of any age and tends to occur in semitropical regions of the world. Shaving the affected area and completing a short course of a topical antifungal can treat white piedra.
Dandruff. Dandruff can sometimes be mistaken for lice, but the symptoms are different. While lice is a parasitic infection, dandruff is a skin condition.
Use a clarifying shampoo: Clarifying shampoos are designed to deep-clean your hair and scalp, removing buildup and impurities. Look for a clarifying shampoo that contains salicylic acid, which helps to break down sebum plugs.
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.
Treatment. Piedra can usually be effectively treated by cutting or shaving the affected hairs, with or without the addition of an antifungal shampoo. Oral terbinafine has been reported effective in a single case. Trichomycosis axillaris responds to benzoyl peroxide wash or gel.
Official answer. Sudden hair shedding or thinning, especially when accompanied by a white bulb at the end of the hair, is often due to a condition called telogen effluvium.
Generally, he says, the range is somewhere between once a day and once a week. “If you have very fine or thin hair, you may need to wash more often, while those with thick or curly hair may need to wash less often,” says Dr Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand, a double board certified dermatologist and hair health expert.
Head lice usually look grayish-white or tan in color, though they can camouflage. Adult lice are around the same size as a sesame seed. Lice eggs may look like tiny ovals on the hair shaft. Head lice are tiny parasites that live on the human head and feed on blood from the scalp.
This is a tactile hallucination known as formication. People with this condition are convinced the bugs are real, even with reassurance from others they are a hallucination. This makes formication difficult to treat for the person and their medical provider.
Piedra is a fungal infection of the hair, characterised by the deposition of small black or white nodules along the hair shaft. These look like small stones, hence the name piedra, meaning 'stone' in Spanish.
Symptoms of a fungal scalp infection include small patches of scaly scalp skin (which may be sore), patchy hair loss and itchiness. Other types of fungal infections (including ringworm) are generally treated with antifungal cream from the pharmacy, and you don't need to see a doctor unless it persists.
Scalp 101
Have you ever scratched your scalp and noticed white, waxy buildup under your nails? That's sebum mixed with dead skin cells. It's hard for shampoo alone to wash away your oily scalp issues. And issues like stress and weather can increase the scalp's sebum production, making you even oilier.
Sebum is an oil produced naturally by your skin, which maintains optimal skin barrier health and prevents surface dryness. Microscopic sebaceous glands (sometimes paired with hair follicles) produce sebum, a white, yellow, or clear fluid composed of fatty acids, wax, and squalene.
Sometimes when we touch our scalp with fingertips, especially in case of oily skin and if we are particularly careful, we might feel some very small sand grains. These are nothing but sebum leftovers, dandruff or “pollution” which lie on the scalp and prevent it from breathing properly.