Hair Damage Check
Is your hair damaged, or just dry? Answer seven quick questions about color, heat, your ends and a simple stretch test. You will see your damage level, the routine our stylists suggest for it, and which products fit.
Your hair
1. What has your hair had in the last 12 months?
Pick all that apply.
2. How often do you use a blow-dryer, flat iron or curling iron?
3. The wet stretch test: what happens?
Take one wet strand, hold both ends and gently pull. See how to do it below.
4. How do your ends look?
5. How does it feel when dry?
6. Tangles and frizz?
7. When was your last trim?
Your result
Answer the questions above and your result appears here. 0 of 7 answered.
Your hair looks
Mildly damaged
Your routine
Products that fit
A guide only, based on your answers. A stylist can check your hair in person.
How to do the wet stretch test
This is the same elasticity check many colorists do before a chemical service. It tells you more than looking at your hair dry.
- Wet a small section of hair, or take one strand from your brush after washing.
- Hold each end between your thumb and forefinger.
- Pull gently, then let go.
| What happens | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Stretches a little and springs back | Good elasticity. Hair is in good shape. |
| Snaps with almost no stretch | Dry and brittle. It needs moisture: masks and a leave-in. |
| Stretches a lot and feels gummy or mushy | Overprocessed. The inner structure is weak, often from bleach or overlapped chemical services. |
L’Oréal’s Hair.com describes the same test: hair that snaps with little stretch usually needs moisture, while hair that is weak, gummy or overly stretchy is short on protein. Results can vary with your hair type and how wet the strand is, so treat it as a guide.
What the damage levels mean
| Level | Typical signs | What helps most |
|---|---|---|
| Healthy | Soft, springs back when stretched, few split ends | Keep a gentle routine and protect from heat |
| Mild | A bit dry, some frizz and split ends | A weekly mask, a leave-in and a trim |
| Moderate | Rough, tangles easily, color fades fast | Gentle shampoo, mask once or twice a week, less heat, regular trims |
| Severe | Gummy when wet, breaking along the lengths | Pause chemical services, trim the weakest lengths, ask a stylist for a plan |
Damaged hair cannot heal itself, because the hair you can see is not living tissue. A good routine makes it look and feel healthier and stops the damage from spreading while new hair grows in at about half an inch a month. Our guide to repairing chemically damaged hair explains each step, and the hair growth calculator shows how long growing out damaged lengths will take.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my hair is damaged or just dry?
Dry hair feels better after a mask and a leave-in. Damaged hair stays rough, tangles, splits and breaks even with good conditioning. The wet stretch test is the quickest way to tell: hair that is gummy or very stretchy when wet is damaged, not just dry.
Can I color or lighten damaged hair?
Not until a stylist has checked it. If your hair fails the stretch test, more lightener can make it break. Ask for a strand test first and for color on new growth only.
Is my answer saved anywhere?
No. The check runs in your browser, and nothing you choose is sent to us or stored.
Terms of use
This hair damage check is a free guide. It gives a general result based only on the answers you choose, and a stylist may see your hair differently in person. It is not medical advice. If you have sudden hair loss, thinning, or an itchy, sore or flaking scalp, see a doctor or a board-certified dermatologist.