Bouncing Back: Understanding Hair Elasticity

Hair elasticity is the ability of hair strands to stretch and bounce back (return to their original shape without breaking). If you’ve got curly or coily hair like 4C, preserving its elasticity important because such hair textures are susceptible to breakage. Why?

Hair experts explain that the more twisted and spiral shape of the hair strands in such textures can make it harder for the natural oil your scalp produces to travel down the shafts and moisturize them, making them more likely to dry to dry out easier. Dry hair in return leads to loss of elasticity, resulting in breakage and loss of length.

Moisture and Elasticity

To better understand how dryness can lead to loss of elasticity, let’s start by explaining how moisture sustains your hair’s elasticity.

Moisture is retained in the cortex, or the middle of your hair strands. The outer layer of hair, referred to as the cuticle, is what envelops the cortex. The hair cuticle may rise and cause the cortex to lose moisture if your hair gets overly dry. When the cortex loses this moisture, elasticity is lost as a result.

Low elasticity can also be brought on by weak hair shafts brought on by a protein deficiency. A protein deficiency in your hair could come as a result of chemical hair procedures that weaken the hair structure such as relaxing or dyeing. Consuming a diet lacking in protein, Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants like zinc can also contribute to a protein deficiency in the hair, resulting in a lack of elasticity.

Other factors that contribute to low elasticity include:

• Under or over-moisturizing hair. Hair that’s not moisturized enough dries up and loses elasticity while hair that’s over-moisturized becomes weighed down and loses its bounce.
• Hair tools and styling methods that cause friction and breakage in natural hair. For example, use of small combs that tug onto the hair and combing of hair when it’s dry.
• Heat styling. Frequent use of heat styling tools without proper heat protection can lead to dryness and decreased hair elasticity.

Tips for preserving or improving hair elasticity

1. Maintain optimal moisture levels: Incorporate deep conditioning treatments in your haircare routine. Deep conditioning once every 1–2 weeks gives your strands the moisture they need to thrive and be able to bounce back. Additionally, using products like our Tsavorite Spritz Moisturizer Hair Spray, rich in humectants, like glycerin, can enhance your hair’s elasticity.
2. Embrace protective styles: Protective styles include styles like braids, twists, locs, cornrows. These styles reduce the need for daily manipulation of the hair and shield it from breakage. This in turn preserves the hair’s elasticity.
3. Incorporate protein treatments. If you’re looking to revive your hair’s bounce after subjecting it to chemical treatments like dyeing, using a protein treatment may be a good idea. Make sure not to apply the treatment more often that needed as this could result in a protein overload which could further decrease the hair’s elasticity.
4. Cut back on heat styling. While your hair may bounce back to normal after heat styling, excessive use of heat tools on your hair could make it lose its bounce. Limit heat styling to as few times as possible, and ensure to use a heat protectant prior.

For anyone looking to achieve more resilient curls and coils, these tips can be of great help. By maintaining optimal moisture levels, embracing protective styles, incorporating protein treatments when need be, and cutting back on heat styling, you’ll preserve or revive your hair’s natural bounce. Remember, you are a gem. Treat your hair as such.