Current condition of the hair is characterized by three main datas - the hair texture, porosity and elasticity.
Texture depends on the hair thickness and softness. Thickness may be different not only in separate parts of the very same hair, but may vary depending on the specific location, etnic and personal details, i.e. the top of the head hair is usually weaker than the hair growing below the occipital, Caucasians have an average hair diameter of 50-100 mk., while Asians over 120mk., etc. Hair texture is determined by the diameter of the hair (the hair may be thick, medium thick, thin and very thin), and the degree of softness (can be soft on touch, hard and very hard, as a wire). Thin and very thin hair have small hair diameter and require a special care. If we examine such hair under the microscope, then in the majority of cases it occurs that there are only two layers present - hair cortex and cuticle, but there is no core. Rough, wire-shaped, thick and middle hair have a solid, smooth basis, because [chushuyki] of cuticle cells are tightly forced against the cortical layer of the hair stem, they always have a core. It is difficult to decolorize, to tone, to color or to softly perm such a hair.
Porosity is a characteristic of hair to absorb moisture. Hair has a good porosity when the cuticle outer cells arranged as shigles are slightly raised above the hair stem, then they can absorb much more moisture. Thin hair usually has a thin layer of cuticle and absorbs moisture easily and very quickly. Hard or wavy hair also absorb moisture very quick. When the hair is smooth it has a low porosity and it is very difficult for such a hair to absorb moisture. Normal hair has an average porosity as the cuticle layer is just barely raised above the hair stem. Hair with low posrosity requires gentle care. Hair become very porous after bad quality  coloring or perming as they usually have  defects in their shaft structure. Such damaged hair require special care.

Elasticity is the property of the the hair to straighten or to be compressed without breaking. Hair can have a good, normal or low elasticity. In order to verify hair elasticity, it is necessary to try to straighten it - if with the low tension it gets broken, that means its elasticity is small. If elasticity is lost when hair are very damaged, they are hard to style due to loss of ability to be compressed. The greater the degree of the elasticity of hair, the better and more easily they can be styled. With good elasticity it is possible to extend hair to 20% of their length without breaking them. Usually dry hair can be extended by 1/5 of their length, while wet hair can be extended to 40-50% of their length. Hair with the normal porosity are streched out more than ones with poor porosity.

An enormous value for the texture, porosity and elasticity of hair besides the physiological, emotional, psychological special features and the quality of nourishment, have such factors, as action and the duration of the action of ultraviolet sun rays, cold, wind, quality of care products, dyeing, perming, frequent drying of hair by hot air blowers, mechanical damages of hair when combing, etc.