signs of high (aka healthy) hair elasticity If you're gentle on hair and regularly incorporate molecular repair into your hair routine to combat damage, then you should have a healthy level of elasticity. This may look like: Bouncy + resilient hair. Keeps style + shape.
Elasticity in your hair is a good sign, but just like with moisture, too much of a good thing can be fatal for your hair's health.
High elasticity: This is the strongest of all the hair types as it stretches a long way before breaking. It's also usually shiny and bouncy. Hair density and elasticity determines what kinds of products you will use. So, be kind to your hair by feeding it with nourishing products.
You can try this test by taking a slightly moist hair strand and gently pulling it from each end. If the hair stretches and bounces back to its original position, it has good elasticity, but if it breaks or doesn't return to its original shape, it will require the proper hair treatment.
Learn more about hair's elasticity. Low elasticity is when the hair is brittle and dry, which means the hair is out of balance and primarily is more protein and has little to no moisture. The hair will stretch too much with high elasticity and does not return to its original shape or break.
Brittle hair occurs when hair lacks moisture. If this goes uncorrected, the hair can become dry and break easily, especially at the ends. Brittle hair can feel straw-like to the touch. The dryness that leads to brittle hair can happen because of overwashing, styling products, or blow-drying.
Take a close look at the ends of your strands and the hairs around your face to spot those that are splitting or breaking. The less breakage you have, the healthier your hair is because when your hair is strong, it's more resistant to breaking.
When you add an excessive amount of protein to your hair you're creating an intense barrier on your strands. Protein buildup like this can be a real problem as water and other moisturizing ingredients aren't able to penetrate the strand, leading to dry and dull hair that may feel limp and stiff.
There are MANY REASONS hair can lack BOUNCE and BODY – be it STRESS, a LACK OF VITAMINS or, simply, AGE.
If you've recently highlighted or chemically treated your hair, you also need to use protein regularly. Protein treatments can help strengthen the hair shaft and restore its structural integrity. On the other hand, if your hair feels dry, frizzy, and lacks elasticity, it's likely in need of moisture.
Stretching Can Reduce Tangles
In the same vein, regular stretching of your natural hair can prevent all types of knots and tangles by keeping the strands elongated. When your curls are in their natural state, it can sometimes be very easy for the curls and coils to become locked together in breakage-causing knots.
Hair breakage is usually caused by a lack of moisture and depleted nutrients in hair strands. If your hair is too dry and not well-nourished with the proteins and vitamins it needs, it's unable to deal with environmental and styling stressors, and will start to break.
Over-hydrated hair can become overly flexible and stretchy, while extremely dry hair can become brittle and less elastic. Protein Deficiency: Hair requires a balance of moisture and protein. A deficiency in protein can lead to weakened hair that stretches more easily.
If you notice your tresses have become stringy, limp, or gummy (meaning hair stretches like a rubber band and snaps) you could be lacking protein.
Signs Your Hair Is Overly Moisturized
Your hair is limp and falls flat. Your hair is dull and flat-looking. Your hair feels spongy and mushy when wet and feels too soft and fluffy when dry. Your hair has low elasticity — stretches when wet but doesn't bounce back when released.
Wet Your Hair: Start by thoroughly soaking your hair with warm water. This helps open the cuticles and prepares your hair for deep cleansing. Apply the Shampoo: Take a generous amount of clarifying shampoo and apply it directly to your scalp. Focus on the roots, where buildup tends to accumulate the most.
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.
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.
The signs of healthy hair include thick, soft, and shiny hair. Having silky hair is something not every person is born with. Your hair may become dry and brittle if your diet is not healthy or if you use hair products that are not meant for your hair type.
Jennifer Aniston shared the product that helps her hair grow “at an alarmingly fast rate.” She uses her brand LolaVie's newest addition, the Exfoliate & Detox Scalp Shampoo. “I really do owe it to the scalp scrub of just the overall use of all of the LolaVie line because it's just changed my hair,” she said.
Coily hair (Type 4) is the most common among African Americans. Unlike curly hair, this hair type is tightly curled with defined ringlets and zigzags, maintaining its hair type whether it is dry or wet. This hair type is fairly coarse in texture and is more fragile, being prone to damage and breakage.