The Importance of Building Tensile Strength in Hair

Tensile Strength is one of the most critical indicators of the health of your hair. Building high tensile strength means your hair can better withstand chemical and mechanical services such as color, bleach/lightener, heat tools and extensions. It also means less breakage and can mean less fallout after physical stress is placed on the hair shaft.

Color and bleaching, or lightening services involve a hydrogen peroxide compound and activator that purposefully breaks disulfide and hydrogen bonds in the hair structure in order to either remove melanin (in the case of blonding) or deposit a color molecule (in the case of coloring or grey coverage). This process results in hair damage and breakage that can be permanent if not treated in the correct manner. Products such as TS.02/Tt can help restructure hair by inserting bridging molecules in between ruptured bonds in order to regain its strength and elasticity. By bridging together the broken bonds within your hair, your cortex and cuticle is healthier and can allow for less breakage as chemical services are administered by your stylist. Other aggressive chemical services that fracture the structural bonds in your hair include keratin treatments, perms, straightening, and relaxers.

Using curling and flat irons excessively can rupture the hydrogen bonds that maintain the hair's structure, as well as strip much-needed oils, moisture, and nutrients that the hair needs to maintain its structure and rigidity. If used too often, the hair shaft can split permanently and not be able to style properly in the future. It is also possible to overuse heat tools such that curl patterns change drastically.

Mechanical damage is one of the most detrimental contributors to low tensile strength in hair. Mechanical damage is caused by anything that excessively pulls or tugs on the hair shaft or bulb over long periods of time. This includes heavy brushing, brushing hair while wet, pulling hair during blowdrying, leaving hair in a ponytail over long periods of time, and continual traction aggression from having hair extensions installed. These all contribute to constant physical stress on the hair, causing breakage and weakness in the cortex which can rupture the helix that reinforces hair and gives it strength and shape.

It's no surprise that the sun and its UV rays are harmful on hair such as they are on the dermal matrix and skin barrier. Once the exterior cuticle becomes damaged and moisture is lost, hair becomes weak and compromised without the ability to regain moisture. Shielding hair from excessive sun and pollution can help balance free radicals in the hair biome that are needed to maintain high tensile strength and protection against other environmental aggressors. Hard water that contains heavy metals and calcium deposits also changes the way hair behaves and can lead to performance issues and low tensile strength with excessive build-up.

Although there is truly no such possibility as "anti-aging" in hair, throughout the course of the natural aging process, hair loses its keratin structure and melanin. As hair becomes more fragile over time, it is subject to the effects of chemical services and mechanical damage that will force breakage and splitting more frequently. This process is irreversible but can be helped with preventative measures by using the correct products that reinforce hair's health helix.

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*Results may vary. Results achieved on color treated hair after shampooing once, then applying FILAMENT TS.02/Tt. No conditioner or additional styling products were used.