Porosity: Understanding Your Hair's Moisture Absorption
If you're a member of the natural hair community, you've probably heard the term "porosity" floating around. But do you really know what it means? Porosity refers to how easily hair absorbs and retains moisture. There are three levels of porosity: low, medium, and high. Knowing your hair's porosity can make a big difference in how you care for it, as you'll be able to use products and techniques that are best suited for your hair type. In this article, we'll focus on high porosity hair.
So, what is hair porosity? In simple terms, it's the ability of your hair to absorb and hold onto moisture and products. Each strand of hair has an outer layer of cuticles that resemble shingles on a roof. These cuticles act like doors that open and close to allow moisture to enter and then seal it in. The cuticles can open up due to factors like heat and close when products are applied or hair is rinsed with cold water.
There are three types of hair porosity, determined by the openness or closedness of the cuticles. It's worth noting that your hair's porosity can change over time due to things like styling products, heat styling, and hair coloring. If the cuticles stay open, moisture can easily enter but also easily escape, leading to high porosity hair. On the other hand, if the cuticles are difficult to open, as is the case with low porosity hair, moisture has a harder time entering the hair shaft. Tightly curled hair textures may have cuticles that overlap each other, resulting in low porosity. This can lead to dry, thirsty-looking hair.
Low porosity hair may also exhibit characteristics like beads of water or product forming on top of the hair instead of being absorbed. This is because the tightly closed cuticles prevent moisture from being able to penetrate. High porosity hair, on the other hand, may have more space between the cuticles or less layering, causing it to be dry and prone to tangles, breakage, a lack of shine, and frizz. Medium porosity hair is the best of both worlds, as it is able to absorb moisture but also retain it.
So, how do you care for high porosity hair? Repairing it with protein treatments is key. Protein helps to fill in gaps in the hair shaft and rebuild its structure, leading to stronger hair. It's important to use protein treatments twice a month and balance them with moisture by following them up with deep conditioning sessions. Low porosity hair, on the other hand, may benefit from the use of low, controlled heat and rinsing conditioners with cool water to help open the cuticles and allow moisture to enter. Avoiding products with high alcohol content can also help low porosity hair retain moisture.
To determine your hair porosity, you can do a strand test. Simply place a strand of hair in a bowl of water. If it sinks to the bottom, you have low porosity hair. If it floats on top, you have high porosity hair. If it falls somewhere in the middle, you have medium porosity hair.
Understanding your hair's porosity is crucial for achieving healthy, moisturized hair. By using the right products and techniques for your hair type, you can keep your locks looking and feeling their best.