Curly Hair: What is Hair Elasticity and Ways to Improve It

Hair elasticity is the ability of hair to stretch without breaking. Hair that has good elasticity can withstand heavy styling and frequent washing, while hair with low elasticity tends to break or become brittle, which can result in frizzy curls and split ends. If you have curly hair, then improving your hair’s elasticity will help it maintain its style and give it a healthy shine. Read on to learn what causes poor hair elasticity and how you can improve it today!

What is Hair Elasticity?
Hair elasticity is a measure of how much your hair can stretch before breaking. The higher your hair’s elasticity, the less likely it is to break. There are a number of factors that can affect your hair’s elasticity, including genetics, diet, and hair care.

You can determine the elasticity of your hair by following these steps: Wet a strand of curly hair in cold water then dry it with a towel. Pull the strand out and let go; if you notice any splitting or visible damage on the strand, this means your hair has low elasticity and may be more prone to breakage. If there is no damage on the strand then you have high elasticity!

How Can You Achieve the Most Elastic Hair?
There are a few ways you can achieve the most elastic hair.
You can adjust your hair styling products. If you are using shampoo that contains silicone, it could be a reason for your hair looking less elastic than usual. Hair care products contain chemical elements that contribute to better elasticity of hair. To prevent it from drying up, stay away from shampoos that have a large amount of silicones in them.

Deep condition your hair: You should deep condition your hair as often as possible. The best way to do this is by making a mixture of egg yolk, olive oil, and mayonnaise. Apply this mixture all over your head, and then wrap it up with plastic wrap or a shower cap before going to bed. In the morning rinse off this mixture with cold water and then apply a moisturizing product on top of it.
Another deep conditioning technique includes boiling eggs until they are hard boiled and then removing their shell before applying them on top of each other all over your head so that they don’t slip off during sleep time. Rinse off after about 30 minutes with cool water followed by applying a moisturizing product on top of it as well.

Improve your diet: Healthy food intake is necessary for maintaining healthy hair. Eating iron-rich foods such as spinach will help improve the elasticity of your hair. Vitamin C is also an important vitamin that helps improve elasticity of your hair because it encourages keratin production which improves the strength and flexibility of strands.

Wear protective hairstyles: Protective hairstyles such as braids and twists protect damaged strands against breakage due to external forces such as brushing and blow-drying. Stay away from heat when possible: Excessive heat exposure can cause protein loss which decreases strand’s ability to stretch without breaking, leading to more brittle hairs that are less elastic overall.

Use a wide-toothed comb: Using a wide-toothed comb is helpful if you’re trying to detangle wet hair. Start at the bottom, where it’s thickest, and work your way up. Slowly detangle with firm strokes; never tug at tangles! You’ll know if you’re doing it right if there isn’t any pain associated with the process. Detangling damp hair can help prevent dryness caused by repetitive use of chemicals such as dyes and perms.

Add olive oil to your hair care routine: Olive oil has been shown to reduce damage done to hair by UV radiation. Applying it to your scalp and throughout your hair once a week can result in softer, shinier, healthier hair.

Moisturize regularly: If you have natural curly hair (or even straight), you’ve probably experienced frizziness caused by lack of moisture. Regularly adding coconut or jojoba oils into your regimen will give you hydrated curls (no matter what type) with added bounce and shine–all signs of improved elasticity!

Keep ends trimmed: Regular trims allow for fresh ends that make styling easier, but they also increase the likelihood that damaged ends won’t snap off mid-shampoo. We recommend trimming no more than 1/4 inch every six weeks.

Protein treatment: You can treat your hair with a protein treatment to add more elasticity to it. Protein treatments usually involve deep-conditioning with a moisturizing mask or serum, and then applying a heat treatment to seal in the product.
Protein-enriched conditioner: Your regular conditioner is not enough for deeply moisturizing your hair. You should also try protein-enriched conditioners which will help keep your hair elasticity in top shape by improving its structure.

You should be happy with your hair as it is, even if it’s not very elastic. If you really want more elasticity in your hair, you need some rest. All of us need a rest sometimes! When you feel good about yourself, your mind will find ways to improve everything else in your life. Stop worrying too much about frizzy curls and start enjoying life with curly hair. Just take care of it by doing everything that has been mentioned above!

Reasons of Low Elasticity
Your hair may have low elasticity for a variety of reasons. Perhaps you haven’t been taking care of it as well as you should. Maybe you’ve been using heat styling tools or coloring your hair too often. Or it could be genetic. Hair can lose elasticity for a number of reasons including
Friction from brushing hair
Colouring your hair
Excessive use of styling tools
Damage caused by harmful UV rays