Do you know if your hair is healthy? Here is a simple check list to help you identify if your hair is indeed healthy, otherwise you need to rethink your hair care rituals.

1. Does your hair look dull and lack luster?

Shiny hair is the first obvious sign of having healthy hair. This means the protective covering for each hair strand called the scales of the cuticle, are smooth and flat against the hair shaft, enough to reflect the light.

2. Does it feel dry and brittle?

Too much exposure to ultra violet rays from the sun or too much exposure to cold weather dries out the hair, making it weak and easily breakable. On the other hand, overuse of heat styling appliances, which include blow-dryers, curling or flat irons, can also cause dryness and makes the hair brittle.

3. Is it difficult to comb because of tangles?

Frequent combing of a very tangled hair can lift the cells of the cuticle layer. Eventually, this can lead to cortex exposure and hair breakage.

4. Is it flyaway?

Static in the hair can be induced by combing or brushing. This happens especially when the air is dry. Because of this, hair tends to tangle and have flyaways.

5. Does it have split ends?

Split ends are the end-result of a brittle and weak hair. Again, overuse of the styling appliances mentioned earlier contributes to the damage done to the hair. In addition, cutting hair with the use of blunt scissors or a razor can result in a cut it a long jagged edge, making the hair more prone to split ends as the cuticle layer can peel away.

6. Is your hair hard to manage?

For this matter, if hair is hard to manage it becomes difficult to style.

7. Does your hair have no elasticity?

Your hairbrush holds the best clue to determining poor elasticity. If you find a lot of hair caught in your brush, other than the full-length and coming out at the root, you can be reasonably sure that you have a problem with hair breakage.

8. Does it become spongy and matted when wet?

This symptom of sponginess and matting when wet, is also a porosity issue, however, only on a more serious level. At this point, the damage will require very intensive treatment and constant care in processing and styling.

9. Is your hair overly porous?

In relation to the previous item above, this is another serious sign of damaged hair possibly due to use of harsh chemical treatments and overuse of heat styling appliances.

10. Does your hair have a rough texture?

This is another visible sign of severe hair damage caused by the over extension of he cuticle layer of the hair shaft. This is often attributed to the constant use of blow-dryers, strong shampoos or other chemical hair care products, as well as other heat-styling methods.

If most of the answers you have is 'no', then you have done a pretty good job in taking care of your hair, making it healthy. If most of the answers are 'yes', maybe it is time to learn the basics in hair car