White dots and strands on ends?
I need a little help figuring out what's going on. The ends of my hair remind me of the blunt ends of plastic optical fibers (you know, the ones that light up and stuff). There's also little tiny curly strands coming off of some other individual strands. I know they're split ends, but i'm not sure what i'm doing wrong!
I have completely virgin hair, no bleach, no highlights, no box dyes, no chemical treatments or straighteners, no perms. I never use heat to style- no irons, no rollers, not even a hair dryer. I will always let my hair air dry while loose. I only shampoo my roots and let my conditioner set at my ends for at least 5 mins before rinsing. After shower I gently comb in leave-in conditioner, then seal ends in a light hair oil (oil was only recent, I've noticed ends do feel a little better). I never tug while I brush or comb, and it's always from bottom to top. I don't twirl or play with my hair. It gets braided before bed. I get a trim every 6 months at the very least for dead ends. I use a clarifying shampoo around 1-2 times a month, as I don't use any styling products. I wash it 2-3 times a week. My diet is good, I drink 64 oz of water a day, and I take prenatal vitamins for my hair and skin. My hair porosity is great and my hair is very soft and shiny.
I'm not sure what's causing this issue. My ends don't feel super dry, but with all the gentle care i'm doing, I feel like my hair shouldn't be getting splits like this, especially less than 4 months since my last trim.
Do I need a bigger trim this time? Like around 1-2 inches? What else can I do to protect the ends of my hair so there is less splitting? Are there any treatments or masks for my ends that may help? I'm trying to grow out my hair as long as possible, but health has always mattered more than length, and i'm certainly no stranger to taking a few inches off.
Thank you!