In some cases, the black dots may simply be dead hair that is still visible on the surface of the skin. This is particularly common in areas with thicker, coarser hair. However, in some cases, the black dots may be a sign of new hair growth.
These are often referred to as a “shadow.” These dark spots indicate that your hair follicles are in the active phase of hair regrowth. The spots look dark because of the color pigment (melanin) in the hair shafts about to grow in the anagen phase (2).
A black dot could be the result of 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.
Sign #1: Dark patch of hair on head
Can you see dark spots around your hair follicles? If so, the dark patches indicate clear signs your hair is growing. As the anagen phase produces new hairs in the follicle, pigment cells form the colour. When they emerge from the scalp, you see this dark hue on the surface.
For the most part, hair growth is easy to see -- just look for new hairs in areas of your scalp that have visible thinning. These hairs may start out as small dark spots on your scalp as they begin to grow from the hair follicle and out through your skin.
Although growth rates vary depending on hair loss causes, when it comes to how quickly hair grows back, you usually should see progress within a few months. It is important to identify the cause before you try to treat hair loss as you may require medical treatment before your hair can recover.
According to Web MD, most hair strands grow at an average rate of about 0.3 to 0.4 mm a day. Therefore hair will grow: Around 2.5 mm, or a tenth of an inch, in a week. Around half an inch in a month.
Ingrown hair could also be the reason why your skin appears dark and dry. Ingrown hair occurs for several reasons including clogged pores that are caused by improper shaving which can cause hyperpigmentation.
Genetics, hormones, nutrition, and stress levels all play a role when it comes to the health and growth of tresses. An average person loses about 50 to 100 hairs every day and grows the same amount.
Signs and symptoms of hair loss may include: Gradual thinning on top of head. This is the most common type of hair loss, affecting people as they age. In men, hair often begins to recede at the hairline on the forehead.
“A black dot is defined as a hair in which the upper part of the hair root remains adherent to the hair-follicle ostium, giving the macroscopic appearance of a macrocomedo.
Also look for lice feces, that look like tiny black specks on your child's scalp. If you see black specks, care- fully examine the rest of the head for live lice. Eggs: Female lice typically attach eggs 1/2-inch from the scalp. There can be from a few to several hundred nits in a child's hair.
Viable eggs are brown. Once hatched, the spent eggshell, the nit, is white. Nits are easily confused with tiny white globs of hair product like gel, dandruff and hair casts.
Black dots correspond to remnants of hair shafts in the follicular ostia and cannot be removed mechanically. They are usually associated with other forms of broken hairs. The second trichoscopic finding is hair dye; if hair is improperly washed, dye can deposit on the scalp and may even penetrate the follicular ostia.
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.
Many hair follicles stop producing new hairs. Men may start showing signs of baldness by the time they are 30 years old. Many men are nearly bald by age 60.
You can distinguish the difference between breakage and new growth because the new growth will be all the same length and all over the head, explains Capri. "If the flyaways are in just one section, it's most likely breakage."
Clogged pores
Removing the hair on your legs by shaving or waxing exposes that oil to the air. “The oil combines with oxygen (oxidizes) and turns darker than usual, giving you small black dots all over your legs,” explains Dr. Janik. “That leads to the strawberry legs effect.”
It most likely related to your hormones.
“Androgens (male hormones), specifically testosterone, are responsible for the changes,” she explains. “Estrogen levels decrease during menopause, creating a disruption in the balance between estrogen and testosterone that can cause hair to grow darker or longer.”
Razor burn can cause folliculitis to develop, which results in ingrown hairs. Ingrown hairs can look black, and when there are many ingrown hairs, the legs can look like they are speckled with black dots. Some people are born with large pores on the legs or thick body hair.
Asian hair is also the fastest growing, at over half an inch per month. Caucasian hair can be stick straight, wavy, or curly.
Genetics: A person's genes will dictate how quickly their hair will grow. Sex: Male hair grows faster than female hair. Age: Hair grows fastest between the ages of 15 and 30, before slowing down. Some follicles stop working altogether as people get older.
How Fast Does Hair Grow? According to the American Academy of Dermatology, your hair grows at a rate of approximately six inches per year, or about half an inch per month. This means that over the course of six months, you can expect the hair on your head to grow by approximately three inches.