What Is Hair Porosity???

As long as you read this blog, you will continue to read how important it is to get and keep moisture into your hair, but what if your hair doesn't have the ability to retain moisture? Well, let's just take a minute to discuss this. In technical terms, the hair's ability to absorb and retain moisture is called porosity. It's important for you to know your hair's porosity level to determine the best products and maintenance for your hair.

Your level of porosity is in complete relation to the condition of your cuticle layer. Either your cuticle layers  could be very open, allowing for moisture to enter the shaft quickly or the cuticle layers could be sealed shut and very resistant to moisture. 

There are three levels of porosity: High, Low and Normal

 



High Porosity

High porosity is considered overly porous and is the result of over processing, heat damage, chlorine/hard water/mineral saturation, sun damage or the use of other harsh ingredients. Overly porous hair is dry, fragile,brittle and very prone to frizziness. It has an open cuticle that both absorb and release moisture easily. Although overly porous hair absorbs product quickly, it is often dry as the open cuticle does not allow for product retention within the hair shaft. It is best to use a less alkaline solutions with a low pH that help to close the cuticles.

Porosity issues stemming from damage can not be corrected. Only time will heal damaged hair. You can, however, create a "temporary" fix until the damaged part is grown out. Protein treatments fill in any holes within the cortex (inner layer of the hair) and also helps to fill in the gaps exposed by a raised cuticle.

 Note also if you have overly porous hair and you use hair color, while it will process quickly, the color will also fade quickly...it's that whole open cuticle thing, it won't hold on to anything.

  

Low Porosity

Low porosity, being the polar opposite of high is very resistant. It's cuticle is too compact and doesn't permit  moisture to enter or leave the hair shaft. Hair with low porosity is way more difficult to process and has a tendency to repel product rather than absorb it. You would need to use a more alkaline solution to raise the cuticle. Corse hair is more prone to low porosity. Try using lighter hair products with humectants, and utilize heat. It will help lift those cuticles.Wash and condition your hair with warm water, and deep condition under a hooded dryer (or hold a hair dryer over your head).

 

Normal Porosity

 Normal porosity or average the cuticle is still compact and inhibits moisture from leaving or entering the hair shaft, but it also will readily absorb and retain product properly.

There are a couple of ways you can check your hair's porosity:

On dry hair, take a strand of several hairs from four different areas of the head (front hairline, temple, crown and nape). Slide the thumb and index finger of your other hand down each hair strand from end to scalp. If it is smooth, you have normal porosity. If your fingers move very fast up the hair strand and it feels exceptionally slick, dense and hard, you have low porosity. If your fingers "catch" going up the strand, feel like they are ruffling up the hair strand, or if the hair strand breaks, your hair is overly porous.

Also, you can take several strands of your hair and drop them into a bowl of water. Let them sit for several minutes. If the hair is floating in the water, then you have low porosity. If the hair sinks, then you have high porosity.

Continuing to get to know your hair will make it easier to determine just what is best for your regimen and maintenance. LOVE YOUR HAIR!!!