A note from Cleveland Clinic 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.
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].
What is the White Bulb at End of Hair? The white bulb at the end of your hair is essentially a bundle of protein, known as keratin. The role of the white bulb is to help the hair follicle root to the scalp, which then allows the hair to grow until it is shed.
Breakage is when hair strands break anywhere along the strand or shaft. You can identify breakage when you find strands of your hair in your brush, comb, clothing or countertops, etc. with no white bulb at either end. Shedding is hair loss from the root.
From the description of your recent loss of hairs with tiny hairs with black bulbs these are typical "Exclamation Hairs" which are seen usually in a condition called alopecia aerate . This condition is not helped with hair transplantation -- You need to see a Dermatologist for treatment as soon as possible.
Myth: A hair falling out with a white bulb attached means it won't grow back. False! If you notice that some of your fallen hairs have a small white lump or bulb at the root, you shouldn't worry. This does not mean that the root of your hair has been removed, or that the follicle is dead.
Piedra is a superficial fungal infection of hair shafts, which presents with small nodules stuck-on to the shaft. Black piedra, caused by Piedraia hortae, is characterized by black-colored nodules and is common in the tropics, especially in individuals with long hair and poor scalp hygiene.
Myth: A hair falling out with a white bulb attached means it won't grow back. False! If you notice that some of your fallen hairs have a small white lump or bulb at the root, you shouldn't worry. This does not mean that the root of your hair has been removed, or that the follicle is dead.
These sneaky little knots are known to cause breakage and split ends when handling the hair. The catch of course, is preventing them, which can take a lot of time, effort and patience.
These black dots are also known as comedo-like cadaver hairs and have been found in half of those with alopecia areata. You may be at risk of alopecia areata if you're affected by an autoimmune disease, such as thyroid disease or psoriasis.
"The white bulb at the end of the hair is keratin (or protein) and is the same keratin that makes up your skin and nails. A white bulb is not indicative of hair loss," said stylist Carrie Capalbo of Salon YOSHIKO. "It's part of the lining of the hair follicles.
However, if done correctly, you can keep it from growing back for up to 6 weeks as plucking removes the hair from the follicle. And, even though it will not permanently stop hair growth, in some people, there may be a reduction in the amount of hair produced in that area, if done correctly.
Plucking can actually damage the hair follicle causing it to send a message that there's no real need for it to produce hair in this area. The result? Potential bald spots. It can also ruin the texture of your hair and is not a permanent fix.
When you pull out your hair "by the root," you may observe a transparent swelling called the "bulb." The area above the bulb usually seen on a plucked hair is the root sheath, the growing area of a hair. The size of the hair bulb on a plucked hair varies with the phase of growth the hair was in.
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.
Stress hair loss, or telogen effluvium, looks like hair falling out quickly from combing, washing, or even just touching the hair. The hair on the scalp may be thinning, but the scalp looks healthy and does not have scales or rashes.
The hair bulb comprises the expanded portion of the inferior hair follicle and contains the dermal papilla and hair matrix. The dermal papilla consists of mesenchymal cells which function in the regulation of hair growth.
Can White Hair Turn Black Again Permanently? If your white hair is caused by genes, then It is not possible to turn white hair black again permanently. However, if it is caused by nutritional deficiencies or other factors such as thyroid disease and vitiligo, you can use various methods to reverse white hair.
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.
About head lice and nits
Brown-black nits are eggs that haven't hatched into lice yet. White nits are eggs that have already hatched.
White Piedra (Piedra is a Spanish word for stone) is a rare type of hair fungal infection caused by multiple species of fungi of the genus, a yeast-like fungus called Trichosporon. Primarily there are two types of fungus that cause this infection- T. Inkin and T. Ovoides.
You're born with millions of hair follicles in your skin. You can't pull out hair follicles. Damaged hair follicles lead to hair loss or reduced hair growth.
Plucking stops hair growth temporarily (it will never stop hair growth permanently!) by removing the hair shaft. When done correctly, plucking can stop hair growth for up to six weeks, longer than many alternative hair removal methods.
Long-term, or chronic, stress puts people at risk for a variety of health problems. These can include depression and anxiety, as well as problems with digestion and sleep. Chronic stress has also long been linked to hair loss, but the reasons weren't well understood.