| When your hair is wet, it's structure is altered, | | | | with normal or high elasticity is easy to work with. |
| causing it to become thicker and longer. It gets | | | | It responds well to wet-roller sets, curling irons, |
| longer because it absorbs water and stretches. | | | | etc. Hair with low elasticity is more difficult to |
| Your hair's elasticity is the measure of how much | | | | work with because it can be hard to curl or lose |
| it will stretch (and then return to its normal | | | | its quickly. |
| length). | | | | Testing Elasticity |
| Elasticity | | | | You can determine the elasticity of your or your |
| The elasticity of your hair depends on a couple of | | | | client's hair with this simple test. Take at least 4 |
| factors - whether it is wet or not and whether it | | | | strands of hair from different areas of the hair. |
| is healthy or unhealthy. Healthy hair stretches up | | | | Make the hair wet. Hold one end of one strand in |
| to 35% of its length before snapping off whereas | | | | each hand and pull the hair taut to stretch it. If |
| unhealthy hair breaks more quickly because it | | | | the strand stretches and then returns to normal |
| does not have much elasticity. Healthy dry hair | | | | after you release it, you have good elasticity. If |
| stretches up to 20% of its normal length and | | | | the hair snaps or does not return to its former |
| healthy wet hair can stretch up to 50% of its | | | | length, you have low elasticity. Test each of the 4 |
| usual length and then return to its former length | | | | strands separately. Make your decision based on |
| without breaking. Wet hair has more elasticity | | | | the average result of your "stretch tests". |
| than dry hair. Elasticity is often described as being | | | | If you have low elasticity, the bad news is that |
| lonw, normal, or high. | | | | your hair is very susceptible to breakage, it will be |
| Effects of Elasticity | | | | hard to curl, and it will not perm well. Therefore, |
| How does this effect you? It can help you decide | | | | you should treat your hair with tender loving care |
| what hairstyle is best for you or your client. Hair | | | | and opt for a straighter hairstyle. |