Healthy hair readily absorbs and retains moisture. Hair that is adequately hydrated will also have a nice amount of spring or recoil once stretched. You hair should not appear rough or brittle and the ends of your hair should also be intact (not split or broken).
While healthy hair feels smooth, has minimal breakage, and appears shiny, unhealthy hair usually has frizz, split ends, roughness, and a lack of luster. All of these latter signs point to intrinsically weaker hair1.
Healthy hair should have some elasticity, meaning it should allow for some stretch before it breaks. When hair moisture and protein levels are depleted, it loses this ability which can make hair prone to breakage, a telltale sign of damage.
A damaged hair strand refers to a hair fiber that has lost its natural structure and strength due to various factors such as heat styling, chemical treatments, and environmental stressors. Damaged hair strands may appear dry, brittle, and dull, and can also have split ends and frizz.
What Are the Signs of a Healthy Scalp? "A healthy scalp is pink in tone, well-hydrated, smooth, and free of flakes and any redness," says hair specialist Abe Ayesh.
Generally, he says, the range is somewhere between once a day and once a week. “If you have very fine or thin hair, you may need to wash more often, while those with thick or curly hair may need to wash less often,” says Dr Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand, a double board certified dermatologist and hair health expert.
If your hair's looking dull, feeling rough, and breaking easily, it's probably damaged. Look out for dryness, lack of shine, split ends, frizz, and tangles to confirm if your hair is damaged.
Excessive hair touching is a repetitive and addictive habit that can be extremely hard to stop and can lead to Trichotillomania - a hair pulling disorder. Many women who's hands are always buried in their hair, typically suffer from very dry ends, oily roots, hair loss and poor overall hair condition.
Apply shampoo to your scalp, instead of the entire length of your hair. This way, you cleanse and wash away built-up products, dead skin, and excess oil, but avoid drying your hair too much. Use conditioner after washing your hair. Conditioner moisturizes and detangles your hair, and makes it easier to manage.
Natural hair that is properly hydrated and moisturised will shrink. Shrinkage is also a sign of your hair's elasticity and its resistance to breakage. Shrinkage is an indicator that your hair is healthy, hydrated and happy but even though your hair is happy, it can really frustrate the owner.
Product Buildup: Without proper cleansing, daily wetting can cause styling products and environmental pollutants to accumulate on the hair and scalp, leading to a dull and lifeless appearance.
Fine hair is the most fragile texture. It's easy to blow out and straighten, but doesn't hold a style well, tangles easily, and is more susceptible to damage and breakage.
WHAT IS TYPE 4C HAIR? 4c curls are the curliest of curls on the spectrum. Often described as tight, springy, 'Z' shaped ringlets, 4c hair tends to clump more at the ends and is even more prone to shrinkage than other curl types. 4c coils are so springy that they can shrink up to 75% of their length.
Seborrheic dermatitis is a common inflammatory skin condition. It causes flaky, white to yellowish scales to form on oily areas such as the scalp, face, or inside the ear. It can occur with or without reddened skin. Cradle cap is the term used when seborrheic dermatitis affects the scalp of infants.