Hair Elasticity: How to Test It and Improve Strength

Stretch and flexibility are words you probably think about in yoga, but have you thought about them for your hair? Breakage, damage, gloss, and shine are common terms in hair care, but you may have seen another phrase on your shampoo bottle. It’s elasticity, which is your hair’s natural stretch.

Elasticity affects your hair in many ways, like how easy it is to style and manage, how healthy it looks, and how shiny it seems. Before you start pulling your hair to see how stretchy it is, let's hear from some experts.

Key Takeaways

• Hair elasticity describes stretch and recovery of strands, shaping strength, styling, and shine.

• Low elasticity signals protein moisture imbalance; high elasticity stretches over 50 percent and rebounds.

• Check elasticity by stretching one wet strand and note how quickly it rebounds.

• Improve elasticity with oils, deep conditioning, protein treatments, less heat, and protective habits.

Hair Elasticity Types

Hair elasticity is how much a single strand can stretch before going back to its original state. To find out your hair's elasticity, wet a strand and stretch it as much as you can. This will show if your hair has high, medium, or low elasticity.

Low Elasticity

If your hair is hard to stretch or doesn't stay straight when you pull it, you likely have low elasticity. Low elasticity means your hair doesn't have the right balance of protein and moisture. It could be genetic or from hair damage. If the elasticity is only weak in some spots, it's probably from damage like heat or chemicals.

Medium Elasticity

Pull a strand and let it go to see if your hair has medium elasticity. If it slowly returns to its normal state, your hair has medium elasticity. This means your hair has a decent balance of moisture and protein. It probably hasn't been damaged by heat or chemicals, or only a little. It’s important to check your hair's elasticity often to make sure it stays consistent.

High Elasticity

If you have high elastic hair, it can stretch more than 50% of its length. It also quickly bounces back after stretching. High-elasticity hair is great because it means your hair is healthy with a good balance of protein and moisture.

Why is Hair Elasticity Important?

Now that you know how to classify your hair's elasticity, you might wonder why it matters. Good elasticity helps hair endure styles like braids without breakage. Discover how elasticity impacts your hair.

Strength and Resilience

Healthy hair is strong. When your hair has good elasticity, it can stretch and handle styles like braids and ponytails without breaking. This is important if you like trying different hairstyles, since fragile hair gets damaged easier.

Shape Retention

Elasticity is key for keeping curls and waves in shape. High elasticity lets curls bounce back after being styled, so they look good. Low elasticity can make curls look flat, making it hard to get volume.

Damage Prevention

One of the best things about having good hair elasticity is that it helps prevent damage. Hair that doesn't stretch well breaks and gets split ends, especially with heat or chemical treatments. Boosting elasticity can lower the chance of damage and keep your hair healthy.

Stretch and Strain

Hair elasticity also helps your hair recover from stretching. This matters for textured hair, which is often more fragile than straight hair. When your hair stretches without breaking, you're less likely to have issues when styling or changing hairstyles.

Moisture Retention

Elastic hair usually holds moisture better, which keeps each strand hydrated. Hydrated hair is stronger and less prone to frizz. If your hair is dry, improving elasticity can really help its health and look.

How Can I Improve My Hair's Elasticity?

If your hair has low or medium elasticity, there are ways to make it better. Having low or medium-elastic hair isn't the end of the world. It just means you need to add more strengthening elements to your hair routine.

Oil Your Hair

A lot of people skip oiling, which can make hair dry. Try Keyoma Batana Oil with Rosemary. Batana may help with breakage and shine, while rosemary helps the scalp. I've found that my hair feels softer when I use oil regularly. Warm a few drops between your hands, smooth from mid-lengths to ends, and massage your scalp. Start a few times a week and see how your hair responds.

Deep Conditioning

Deep conditioners are made to get into your hair and give it the moisture it needs to balance elasticity. It strengthens your hair over time and starts the repair process. The ingredients quickly replace lost moisture while helping your hair hold onto moisture every day.

Protein Treatments

Protein treatments add protein to the hair shaft. Hair with high elasticity has enough protein, but medium to low-elasticity hair often needs more to keep its texture. You can tell if your hair lacks protein if it feels weak and breaks, no matter how much you moisturize it.

Leave-In Conditioners

Your washing routine might be good, but that doesn't mean your hair is ready for daily styling. If your hair has enough protein and moisture but still breaks when you style it, add a leave-in conditioner. Leave-in conditioners are lighter than regular conditioners. They protect the hair shaft from styling and environmental damage.

Reducing Direct Heat to Improve Hair Elasticity

Sometimes, no product can fix your hair. We need to be careful about how we use heat. If your hair elasticity has declined, you probably have heat damage. Using heat too often is the quickest way to hurt your hair's flexibility. Think about the heat you're using, how you're using it, and how often.

Try indirect heat like a hooded dryer, or air dry your hair to avoid the moisture-depleting process of high heat. If you must use a blow dryer, use the low and cool settings.

My sister noticed fewer tangles when she used low heat. It'll take longer to dry, but you'll prevent further damage, which can take a long time to fix!

Avoid Chemical Treatments

You may have stopped relaxing your hair, but that doesn't mean you're free from chemical damage. If you color your hair, you're using chemicals that can significantly hurt your hair's elasticity. Instead of bleaching, try colored hair extensions.

Protect Your Hair While You Sleep

It doesn't matter what your hair elasticity is; you need to cover it at night. Sleeping on your pillow without a satin bonnet will challenge your hair strength because of friction. If your hair already has elasticity issues, sleeping directly on it will make things worse. Damaged hair will continue to break as you sleep on it. Always cover your hair with a silk or satin bonnet or scarf.

Avoid Hair Tools

To improve your hair elasticity, stop using tools that stress it. Think about the tools you're using. Combs and brushes add stress. If you have low elasticity, you can't afford to make it worse. If you use combs and brushes to detangle, try using only your fingers.

Strengthen Your Hair With Keyoma

The biggest mistake you can make is neglecting your hair while you sleep. All that tossing and turning causes friction, which weakens strands and leads to breakage, especially if your hair already lacks elasticity.

Small changes can significantly reduce friction and protect your hair's strength. If you're consistent, you may notice less breakage and improved elasticity over time.