The "white gunk" you might notice in hair follicles is typically sebum, a natural oil produced by your sebaceous glands to protect and hydrate the skin and hair. Sebum, combined with dead skin cells and other debris, can build up around the hair follicle and harden, often looking like a white or yellowish gunk.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Nits (eggs) are tiny white specks attached to hairs close to the scalp. Unlike dandruff or sand, nits can't be shaken off the hair shafts. Best places to look for nits: behind the ears and along the hairline at the neck. Itching of the scalp is the main symptom.
Essentially, crystal hair removers are small, glass-like gadgets that resemble frosted oval pebbles. They claim to painlessly remove unwanted hair by simply rubbing them in a circular motion against your skin. The concept is pretty outlandish, and you're not alone in feeling skeptical.
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.
The black dots are due to remnant of the upper part of the hair root, which remains adherent to the hair-follicle ostium. Hair powder, also known as hair dust, on the other hand, is caused by complete destruction of the hair shaft, leaving a 'sprinkled hair residue' [1].
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.
What are the symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis? Itchy white flakes of skin on your scalp (dandruff). When scratched, the flakes come loose, mix in with your hair, or fall onto your neck and shoulders.
No, most experts agree that pulling out gray hair is an impulse best avoided. Though plucking white hairs may seem like a quick and easy solution to your haircare woes, repeated plucking can damage the hair follicle and potentially cause the hair to thin.
Dr. Kraleti explains that your hair turns gray or white when the pigment cells in the follicle surrounding the hair die. “When you pluck a hair a new one will grow in its place and because the pigment cells are no longer producing pigment, this new hair will also be white.”
Traction alopecia is hair loss due to pulling hair into tight hairstyles, which causes it to break and come loose. Hairstyles associated with this condition include: tight buns or ponytails.
Typically, dead hair follicles lead to a smooth patch of bald skin on the scalp – it typically will not look like general hair thinning. Doctors and hair specialists can get a look at your hair follicles by using a microscope.
This white bulb at end of hair is called a club hair, and it essentially is a hair that includes a bit of protein on the end of it that is supposed to root the hair to the scalp. When you lose a club hair, it just means that you have lost a piece of hair that is in the telogen phase of the hair growth cycle.
Hirsutism is linked to hormones called androgens. It can happen if the level of these hormones increases or if your body becomes more sensitive to them. The most common cause is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This is a condition affecting the ovaries that can also cause symptoms such as acne and irregular periods.
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.
White piedra appears as white or light brown depositions that loosely attach to the tip of a hair shaft and may group to form clusters. The stones, sometimes called concretions or nodules, feel gritty and are easy to remove.
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.
Rub the pumice stone in small circular motions gently to avoid scratching your skin, and it will both exfoliate and remove the hair from your body. Bear in mind that exfoliation inherently removes the top layer of your skin and makes it more susceptible to sunlight, as well as rubbing away the natural skin barrier.
Nano Technology Crystal Hair Eraser: The bleam hair eraser uses Micro-Technology to gently remove hair on the surface it comes in contact with, simply by just gliding the hair removal surface onto the skin.
Pumice Stone
Yes! Simply soak the skin in warm water for 5 to 10 minutes, lather with soap, then rub the hair with a wet stone using a gentle circular motion. The movement works to pull the hair from the follicles. It does sting a bit and can dry out your skin, but it can be an effective method for fine hair.