What hair condition can a pull test NOT determine?

The pull test is primarily used to assess the strength and elasticity of the hair. When conducting a pull test, you gently pull on a strand of hair to see how it stretches and recovers. This helps determine the hair's elasticity and elastic recovery, which reflects how well the hair can withstand tension and return to its original shape.

However, cuticle integrity refers to the condition of the outer layer of the hair, which protects the inner layers. The pull test does not specifically evaluate the cuticle's health or its ability to keep moisture and other substances in or out. Evaluating cuticle integrity usually involves examining the surface of the hair under a microscope or checking for visible damage, such as split ends or roughness, rather than relying on a test that measures tensile strength.

While the pull test may provide some insights into the overall health of the hair, it cannot effectively assess factors like moisture retention, which relates more to how well the hair keeps moisture due to its cuticles being intact and healthy. Therefore, the correct response identifies cuticle integrity as a condition that the pull test is not designed to determine.