Why Is My Hair Falling Out With a White Bulb?

Sure, we’ve all seen loose hair strands, whether in the hairbrush, on the pillow, or circling the drain. But you might do a double take if you notice a little clump or a white bulb at the end of a hair.

Your next move might be to Google “What is the white bulb at the end of the hair?” which landed you here. Don’t worry — it’s not lice or dandruff. In fact, it’s quite normal.

The white bulb at the end of a hair strand is a clump of keratin, a type of protein. This clump forms around the root when the hair follicle transitions from the growth to the resting phase and it helps to anchor the hair to the follicle until it’s shed. When the fully-grown strand of hair eventually falls out, you might see this tiny white ball at the end of it.

Generally, the white bulb at the end of a hair that’s shed isn’t cause for concern. All of us shed a certain amount of these so-called “club hairs” every day.  But if you’ve noticed excessive hair shedding, more than is normal for you, there may be  potential underlying reasons to consider. The good news? Excess hair fall is often temporary and will resolve on its own.

Below, we’ll get into how hair grows, when shedding is actually hair loss, the root causes of hair loss, and what you can do to treat it.

That white bulb at the end (or should we say beginning?) of a hair is the hair root surrounded by a clump of keratin.

Many people think a hair falling out with a white bulb is a hair with a follicle attached. It’s not actually a follicle but rather a bundle of keratin containing cells, which act to hold the hair in place within the resting follicle until the hair falls out.

Let’s get into a little hair anatomy. Every hair has a hair shaft and root. The shaft is the  strand of hair that’s visible.

The root is the part of the hair located underneath the skin surface and is surrounded by  the hair follicle (a skin and connective tissue structure). 

At the base of the follicle is the hair bulb, where, during the follicle’s growth phase, new hair cells are continuously being made. These cells cluster, fill with keratin (a fibrous protein), harden, and form the hair shaft which gradually grows upward and through the skin.   

Eventually, as part of the follicle’s natural cycle (more on this below), hair growth stops, the follicle transitions to a resting phase, and the hair is eventually shed.

After shedding, the follicle regenerates and , cells in the bulb start multiplying to form a new hair and the growth cycle begins again. Rinse, wash, and repeat!

While that little white bulb at the end of a hair strand may look suspicious, it just represents a normal part of your hair growth cycle.

To understand why your hair is falling out with a white bulb, it’s helpful to get familiar with the hair growth cycle and how it works. Every hair follicle on your scalp and body cycles through three stages called the anagen, catagen, and telogen phases.

• Anagen phase (or growth phase). In this stage, your hair actively grows from the follicle to its full length. About 85-90 percent of your hair is in this phase at any given time. For scalp hairs, the anagen phase can last several years. For body hairs, it may only last a few months. When anagen ends, the follicle moves into the next phase. 

• Catagen phase (or transitional phase). During this stage, the hair slowly stops growing, detaches from its nutrient supply, and starts moving up towards the scalp surface. At the same time, keratin filled cells surround the root, forming a club hair. This transitional phase lasts about two weeks and is followed by the resting phase.

• Telogen phase (or resting phase). At this point, the hair has totally stopped growing  and enters the resting phase.. That tiny white bulb keeps it in place until the hair sheds.

The exogen phase (shedding phase) involves the actual shedding of the hair from the follicle. It’s often described as a continuation of the telogen phase but sometimes it’s described as a distinct fourth phase of the hair cycle. It’s during the exogen phase that the hair is actually shed, often with the white bulb still attached.

No, a white bulb isn’t a sign of permanent hair loss, so you don’t need to start saving for a hair transplant just yet.

Some hair fall is normal. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD), most people naturally shed between 50 and 100 hair strands a day.

But if you’re seeing a lot more of those hairs falling out in the shower or on your pillow, you might want to take a closer look at potential causes of excess hair shedding or hair loss. Some types of hair loss are gradually progressive and permanent, while others are temporary and typically will resolve.

We’ll break these down below.

Telogen Effluvium 

Telogen effluvium is a condition characterized by sudden hair loss after some sort of physiologic by a “shock” to the body or severe emotional distress (such as a death in the family or a divorce).

Usually, you’ll notice the excess hair shedding beginning two to three months after the triggering event, and it can last up to six months.

There are a number of potential trigger of telogen effluvium and these include:

• Major surgery

• Childbirth 

• Hormonal changes

• Severe stress and emotional trauma

• Severe illness or infection

• Nutritional deficiencies

• Certain medications

Telogen effluvium may be labeled as chronic if the shedding period lasts longer than the typical six months. This can happen e.g. if the triggering factors stay persistent — like if it’s due to a medication you may be taking regularly.

Unlike female pattern hair loss, telogen effluvium is usually reversible once the triggering stressor is resolved. You can speak with a healthcare provider to discuss the possibility of telogen effluvium and to consider whether there are potentially treatable triggers that can be identified.

Other Types of Hair Loss

There are many other potential causes for hair loss but most common in women is female pattern hair loss — also called androgenetic alopecia — can cause you to gradually but permanently lose hair due to miniaturization of hair follicles. The condition is chronic and progressive. One of the early signs of female pattern hair loss include a widening hair part, and hair thinning on the crown.

Another type of hair loss to look out for is traction alopecia. This happens when you put too much tension on your hair follicles — for example, by wearing super-tight ponytails, braids, or ballerina buns. In early stages the hair loss is reversible. However, ongoing tension on the hair follicles can result in a permanent loss of follicles with subsequent hair loss.

Though hair falling out with a white bulb isn’t the end of the world, seeing your hair falling out in clumps might be shocking.

Thankfully, telogen effluvium is usually temporary and resolves on its own. Consult with a healthcare provider if the underlying cause is unknown and needs further investigation and/or if the shedding persists.

Commonly sold under the brand name Rogaine®,topical minoxidil is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment for female pattern hair loss. It is often used off label to treat a number of hair loss disorders including telogen effluvium. While telogen effluvium will generally resolve on its own, it can take many months. Minoxidil may hasten hair re-growth.

Minoxidil comes in several forms, including:

• Minoxidil drops. This dropper-style liquid solution makes it easy to target a bald spot or a wider part.

• Minoxidil foam. Easy-to-apply minoxidil foam can be quickly worked onto the scalp for diffused hair thinning (that is, hair thinning all over the scalp).

• Oral minoxidil. This can be a great option for someone who doesn’t want to change their styling routine. In one study with women who had female pattern hair loss,  1 mg of oral minoxidil had comparable results to the 5% topical solution. Just FYI, the oral version of minoxidil isn’t FDA-approved for hair loss.

Lifestyle Changes for Hair Loss 

There are also some lifestyle changes you can make to support healthy hair growth, such as:

• Eating nutritious foods. Nutritional deficiencies cause hair loss, so make sure you’re eating a vitamin-rich, healthy diet. Our biotin gummies are an easy way to ensure you meet your daily biotin needs and support healthy hair.

• Managing stress well. Since severe stress can cause temporary hair loss, managing your mental health can also have a positive effect on your hairline — Using gentle hair care methods. Avoid extremely tight hairstyles, harsh chemical treatments, and rough hair brushing. Tight hairstyles can potentially cause  permanent damage to your scalp. 

• Opting for quality hair products. Quality hair products can promote hair health, reduce breakage, and make your hair look fuller. For instance, you can try our volumizing shampoo and volumizing conditioner.

Learn more about the ways you can stop hair shedding in our comprehensive guide. 

Many people frantically wonder if hair fall with white bulb is good or bad. While hair falling out with a white bulb can seem like some type of funky bodily issue, it’s likely entirely normal.

But if you’re experiencing excessive shedding — white bulb or not — it’s important to act fast to diagnose and treat your hair loss. 

White bulb at end of hair? Here’s what you should know: 

• The white bulb at the end of a hair is a keratin bundle. If you see white at the end of hair strands, these are protein-filled cells that surround the hair root and help keep your hair anchored in the follicle as it enters the resting phase prior to shedding. s. Don’t worry if you see white bulbs on hair strands — a certain amount each day is normal.

• Many issues can cause excessive hair fall. Some types of hair loss are progressive and can lead to permanent hair loss (like female pattern hair loss), while others are typically temporary (like telogen effluvium).

• Act fast. If you’re noticing the signs of hair loss, connect with a healthcare provider to understand what the root cause might be and what the right hair loss treatments might be in order to help prevent further hair loss and promote hair regrowth — the sooner you treat it, the better.

If you’re ready to get the hair of your dreams, we can help you book a consultation with a licensed healthcare professional. And if you’d like to learn more about hair loss in women, our comprehensive guide covers all the bases.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards here.