Why is my hair stretchy? It's undoubtedly a common question. Have you ever pulled on a strand of your hair and noticed that it is stretchy?
We'll bet you were caught by surprise, but before you panic, continue reading this article. We'll closely examine what causes hair to be stretchy and much more! Let's get right into it!
Why is My Hair Stretchy?
Stretchiness (also called the elasticity of your hair) is a sign of healthy hair in many cases. When your hair is adequately moisturized (i.e., hydrated hair), it has a certain degree of elasticity, allowing it to stretch and retract to its previous state without breaking.
You'll witness your hair's true elasticity when it's wet.
Most people don't realize that their hair is stretchy until they tug on it accidentally during styling or pull on it purposely to satisfy their curiosity.
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Your hair is already growing. The problem is keeping it.
On average, hair grows a third to half an inch a month, and curlier hair tends to grow more slowly. If your length looks stuck, that’s your hair breaking off as fast as it grows in. Here are the seven causes of breakage and the weekly routine that stops them.
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How to Tell if Your Hair Is Overstretched
Like most things, hair elasticity exists on a spectrum. If your hair is too stretchy, this could be a sign of a real hair problem.
If you want to know whether your hair's stretchiness is normal, there is an easy test you can do in the comfort of your home to figure it out. This test is often referred to as an elasticity test, and it's performed in just a few simple steps. You do it on a hair that has already shed, so nothing comes off your head:
- Find a shed strand. After you detangle, pick one full-length hair out of your comb or brush. A shed hair has a tiny white bulb on one end.
- Get it very wet. Dip the strand in a cup of plain water so it's sopping wet.
- Hold one end and gently stretch the strand with your other hand, then let go and watch what it does.
If the strand stretches but doesn't curl back up, or snaps without much force, that strand has low elasticity, which makes it more vulnerable to mechanical damage and breakage.
Other Reasons Why Your Hair is Stretchy
There are several other reasons why your hair may be stretchy. We'll go through each of them below so you can determine whether you need to make some changes to your regimen.
Heat Damage from Hot Tools
Heat damage is one of the most common culprits behind hair with low elasticity. When you think of heat-damaged hair, you probably imagine hair that looks dry or frizzy.
In addition to that, heat-damaged curls also behave a bit differently.
When curly hair becomes damaged by heat, the structural integrity of each strand is weakened, resulting in limp and stretched-out curls that can't hold their shape (e.g., burned straight hair).
Chemical Damage from Hair Dye and Bleach
The harsh chemicals in treatments such as permanent dye and bleach can leave your tresses looking more betrayed than laid. This is most true of at-home coloring kits.
Common hair dye chemicals like hydrogen peroxide, resorcinol, and even ammonia cause the hair to become brittle and can permanently destroy your hair's ability to bounce back.
"Un" protective Styles
Protective styles are supposed to minimize hair damage and maximize length retention. Unfortunately, protective styles are often worn in not-so-protective ways.
Beloved hairstyles, including box braids, cornrows, and high buns, instantly become damaging when done with too much tension or worn too often.
Repetitive tension can cause the hair to stretch past its limit, easily leading to overstretched hair and even traction alopecia.
Imbalanced Moisture Levels
Striking a balance between dry and oily hair is tricky for curly girls and guys, but it's essential. Just as moisturizing your skin helps keep it hydrated, keeping your hair moisturized helps foster healthy elasticity.
If your hair is too dry, it can become susceptible to severe breakage.
On the other hand, if it is over-moisturized, it will be too weak to curl properly, leading to overstretched, lifeless hair.
How To Fix Overstretched Hair
Have you realized that you've got overstretched hair? Don't worry. There are several things you can do to fix the problem, and we'll go over a number of helpful remedies below.
Protein Treatments
Protein treatments are first in line in terms of repairing overstretched hair.
Why?
While we don't want to bore you with the exact science, your hair strands are mainly made up of proteins such as keratin. Those proteins help strengthen your strands, giving them more structure.
With moisture and protein balanced, you'll experience less stretch over time.
For that reason, protein treatments are recognized as a suitable remedy for hair with low elasticity. You can add more protein to your hair directly by investing in protein-packed shampoos and conditioners.
You can also up your protein by increasing the amount you consume in your diet.
Note: Remember to use your protein treatments sparingly so you don't overload your hair - protein overload is another monster entirely.
Let Your Hair Dry
If you have thick, densely packed hair, it probably takes a while for your tresses to dry completely. While having slightly damp hair all day may seem innocent enough, there's actually a good chance it could be causing your stretchy hair problem.
Wet hair is weaker and stretchier than dry hair, so leaving it damp for hours keeps it in that state longer. Some people also link repeated wetting to "hygral fatigue," damage from swelling with water and drying over and over, although the evidence for it is thin.
When doing a wash-n-go or other wet style, make sure you dry your hair thoroughly. You can blow-dry your hair with a diffuser to mitigate heat damage and prevent frizz.
But this doesn't mean that you can't air-dry your hair - just make sure that it's 100% dry before putting it in a ponytail or covering it up with a bonnet or scarf.
And don't drench your hair with water every day - each soaking leaves your hair in its weaker, wet state again and adds another round of the swelling and drying that's been linked to hygral fatigue.
Be Patient
Rome wasn't built in a day, and likely, your hair won't return to its previous state in a day, either.
Once you find the root cause(s) of your overstretched hair and change your routine accordingly, follow your new hair regimen for at least a month and give yourself a chance to see results.
Remember to be consistent and to keep your washes and styling on a schedule for the best results.
When Overstretched Hair Can't Be Fixed, Do This
So, you've tried everything, and your hair is still overstretched. What's next? Well, if you find that your hair is prone to overstretching, it might be hereditary.
If that's the case, your best option is to use styling products with a strong hold, like a stiff gel, to help compensate for your hair's inability to bounce back.
If your hair typically has normal elasticity but hasn't recovered in over a month, it may be in your best interest to cut the overstretched part of your hair off.
Before you start sounding the alarms, we know cutting your hair is a big deal.
While cutting or trimming unhealthy hair is great for overall hair health, you don't have to cut all your damaged hair at once. Instead, you can transition.
Transitioning means you simultaneously grow your hair out while gradually getting rid of the damaged hair. Some don't cut any hair until their new growth gets to a length that they're comfortable with.
Others will trim off a small portion of hair every few weeks to make the change gradual and less noticeable.
Related Articles
- Do Split Ends Stop Hair From Growing?
- How to Fix Hair Breakage on Top of Head
- How to Detangle Natural Hair
- Why Does My Hair Clump Together?
There's no doubt about it - looking in the mirror and seeing overstretched, limp curls can be discouraging. But remember that there are many options when restoring your hair to its former glory. Most importantly, remember that if all else fails, hair grows back!
