These Creepy Photos Give You a Zoomed-In Look at What Hair Damage Really Looks Like

If you've ever wondered what multiple hair color sessions can do to your hair, this is it. As you can probably tell from the images, the most significant damage comes from the midsection down (as opposed to at the root, which is where new hair grows in). "The [ends] show a complete absence of all protective cuticle scales, exposing the underlying cortex," said Dr. Kim Nickson, a senior scientist at the lab. Translation: that area of the hair strand is completely dead. The scale-like texture and fraying, she told us, are a direct result of chemical processing.