Porosity Explained

Porosity Explained

I have “struggled” with my hair all my life. Just a few days of a busy life and the hair looked dull and lifeless! Yet the thick curls came back to life with a little bit of care! Along my journey down the natural path, I have understood the real reason for this. Here I share my experience with you, so you understand what your hair type is and how to care for it.

The secret behind care for your hair, is to know your HAIR POROSITY i.e. your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture, oils, or chemicals like colour. This feature has not received as much recognition and attention as other hair characteristics like length or type (straight or curly) or curl pattern. But it is hair’s porosity that is the most essential part of caring for your hair. Due to damaging habits such as mechanical manipulation and colour treatment, many naturals deal with high porosity hair.

Hair porosity is typically divided into three broad categories:

• Low porosity: Cuticles that are close together.
• Medium porosity: Cuticles that are less tightly bound.
• High porosity: Cuticles that are more widely spaced.

What does hair porosity mean?

To understand the concept of hair porosity, it helps to know a bit about the structure of your hair, which consists of three layers. These layers include:

• The cuticle: This is the tough, protective outer layer of your hair that’s made up of smaller cuticles that overlap each other, similar to shingles on a roof.
• The cortex: This is the thickest layer of your hair. It contains fibrous proteins and the pigment that gives your hair its colour.
• The medulla: This is the soft, central part of the hair shaft.

For your hair to stay healthy and hydrated, water, oils, and other moisturizing products need to be able to pass through the cuticle to get to the cortex.

But, if the cuticles are too close together, it’s not easy for water and oils to penetrate the hair. This can make it harder for your hair to get the moisture it needs.

Also, if the cuticles are too widely spaced, your hair will have a harder time retaining moisture and staying hydrated.

What causes low or high hair porosity?

Genetic Factors: How your hair absorbs and retains moisture is largely due to genetics. So, if low porosity hair runs in your family, there’s a good chance you’ll have low porosity hair, too.

Styling Habits: Blow drying, bleaching, straightening, over washing, and using harsh products can all damage your hair over time. This can cause your hair cuticles to become raised and open, which may make it harder for your hair to retain moisture.

Environmental Factors: In addition to hair treatments, too much ultraviolet exposure can also increase the porosity of your hair. To protect your hair from the sun, wear a hat or some type of head covering when you’re outdoors.

Identify your hair porosity type

One of the easiest ways to test your hair porosity is by using a glass of water. Here’s how to do it:

1. Shampoo and rinse your hair to remove any product build-up.
2. Fill a glass with water.
3. Once your hair is clean and dry, drop a single strand of your hair into the glass of water.
4. Watch the strand to see if it sinks to the bottom of the glass or floats at the top.
5. Low porosity: If the strand floats at the top before sinking, you likely have low porosity hair.

Normal porosity: If the strand floats somewhere in the middle of the glass, you probably have medium or normal porosity hair.

High porosity: If the strand quickly sinks to the bottom of the glass, you likely have high porosity hair.

You can also test your porosity level by running a finger down a strand of your hair. Low porosity hair will feel smooth, whereas high porosity hair will feel rough and bumpy because the cuticles are open.

Characteristics

Low porosity hair

You may have low porosity hair if:

• hair products tend to sit on your hair and don’t absorb easily
• it’s hard for water to saturate your hair when washing
• it takes a long time for your hair to air dry

 Medium porosity hair

You may have medium porosity hair if:

• your hair is easy to style and can hold styles for a good length of time
• your hair takes colour well
• your hair tends to look healthy, shiny, or glossy
• it doesn’t take too long for your hair to air dry

Heat damage and other chemical processes can cause normal porosity hair to change over time.

High porosity hair

You may have high porosity hair if:

• water and other moisturising products are quickly absorbed into your hair
• your hair tends to break easily
• your hair tends to be frizzy and dry
• it doesn’t take much time for your hair to air dry

Can you change your hair porosity?

If you have high or low hair porosity due to genetics, you may not be able to change it. But changes due to styling habits and environmental factors can be reversed. Simple changes to the way you manage your hair can make it healthier, more manageable, and easier to style.

For low porosity hair:

• Use protein-free conditioners. These tend to be more easily absorbed into your hair and may be less likely to cause product build-up.
• Apply conditioner to hair that’s already wet. Diluting the conditioner may make it easier to be absorbed into your hair.
• Look for ingredients like glycerine and honey in shampoos and conditioners. Avoid products with oils, as these tend to have a harder time penetrating the cuticle.
• Apply heat when you condition your hair. Use a steamer, heat cap, or hooded dryer. Or, if you don’t have those, put a shower cap over your hair once you’ve added a conditioner.

For high porosity hair:

• Look for ingredients like butters and oils in shampoos and conditioners. These ingredients will help moisturise your hair.
• Use leave-in conditioners and sealers. These products help your hair hold on to moisture.
• Use a heat protecting product on your hair. Apply this product before you blow dry or use other heat styling treatments. This can protect your hair from heat damage.
• Avoid hot water when shampooing and conditioning. Use lukewarm water instead.

Finally

Hair porosity may not be a term you hear often. But knowing what type of hair porosity you have can help you better understand how to manage, treat, and care for your hair. And that can lead to hair that’s stronger and healthier.