I finally looked up the actual science behind hair elasticity tests

I was reading a textbook from my old beauty school, 'Milady Standard Cosmetology', and it mentioned a specific detail about wet hair stretching. It said healthy hair can stretch up to 50% of its original length when wet before breaking. I always just did the test by feel, but knowing that exact number made me take the test way more seriously during consultations. Now I actually measure the stretch more carefully. Has anyone else started using a more precise method for this after learning the science?

2 comments

2 Comments

loganhart12d ago

That 50% stretch figure is interesting... I wonder if it changes with hair density though. A single strand might stretch that far, but a whole section of thick hair probably resists differently. The textbook might be oversimplifying for really coarse hair types.

richardfox12d ago

Makes sense, thick hair would act totally different. Think about trying to stretch a rope versus a bundle of ropes all tangled together. The textbook is probably using lab-perfect hair samples, not the messy reality on someone's head. With coarse, dense hair, the cuticles might lock up and the sheer mass would fight the stretch way before you hit that 50% mark.