You can keep your hair healthy by determining your hair porosity levels to combat tangles, frizz, and dryness. This article provides some fun methods to check hair porosity levels and explores why they are important. Scroll down.
Types Of Hair Porosity
1. Low Porosity
Low porosity hair cuticles are tightly closed and resist moisture absorption into the hair shafts. This hair type takes time to absorb moisture, making it prone to buildup and excess oil accumulation on the scalp. Low porosity hair can lock in moisture for a long time and looks healthy and shiny. However, you have to be careful and follow the proper maintenance regimen.
2. Normal Or Medium Porosity
The cuticles in normal porosity hair are slightly elevated but not too open. As a result, this hair type absorbs and retains the right amount of moisture and appears healthy, lustrous, and voluminous. Normal or medium porosity hair requires the least amount of maintenance. It allows you to experiment with different hairstyles and coloring processes.
3. High Porosity
The cuticles in highly porous hair are widely placed and open. As a result, such hair can absorb moisture readily and cannot retain it. This makes it dry and brittle. Highly porous hair is prone to tangles, frizz, and breakage. You can have low, normal, or high porosity hair for numerous reasons. Let’s find out what they are.
Causes Of Low Or Highly Porosity Hair
Both low and high porosity hair can be genetic. However, multiple reasons can make your hair highly porous. These include (2):
Thermal Damage: Due to Frequent heat styling Chemical Damage: Due to overprocessing (chemical treatments and bleaching) Environmental Damage: Excessive UV exposure, hard water, excessive heat or cold Mechanical Damage: Traction (excessive hair pulling in certain hairstyles), using a brush with bent or damaged bristles. Poor Nutrition: Crash diets, Eating only one meal a day, No water
There are ways to manage your hair porosity (discussed later in the article). But, before that, you should know your hair porosity levels. Here are a few ways to determine that.
How To Determine Hair Porosity Levels
1. The Float Test
Put a few hair strands in a bowl of room temperature water. Ensure that your hair strands are clean and do not contain any residue. Observe them for about 2-4 minutes. If the strands sink immediately to the bottom, your hair is highly porous. If they sink slowly, it means you have normal hair porosity. If your hair floats on the surface or just below the water level, it means it has low porosity.
2. The Slip And Slide Test
Slide a hair strand between your index finger and thumb, starting from the tip towards your scalp. If you feel that the slide is bumpy, you have high hair porosity, and if the slide is smooth, you have low hair porosity. If the slide is slightly bumpy, your hair porosity is normal.
3. The Spray Bottle Test
Pick a hair strand and spray water on it. If the water droplets sit on the surface, forming beads, you have low hair porosity. If the water gets absorbed quickly, you have high hair porosity. If the water stays on the surface for a while and gets absorbed, you have normal hair porosity.
Apart from these popular tests, you may take the following tests to confirm the results. Check them out below!
4. Products Test
Take note of the pace at which hair products get absorbed into your hair. If the products get absorbed at a very fast pace, you have high hair porosity. If they sit on the surface for a long time, you have low hair porosity. If the products are working somewhere in between, you have normal hair porosity. Consider your hair type (curly, wavy, straight) while taking this test. This is because curls may have a tendency to absorb hair products quickly (because of high porosity), while straight hair may take more time to absorb them.
5. Hair Drying Test
Dampen your hair and see how long it takes to dry. High porosity hair dries quickly, while low porosity hair takes a long time to dry. If your hair dries at an average pace, you have normal hair porosity. However, the drying time may also vary depending on hair thickness. For instance, fine hair dries faster.
6. Shine Test
Low porosity hair is usually lustrous and reflects light, while highly porous hair looks dull. If your hair is moderately shiny, you have normal hair porosity.
7. Tangle Test
If your hair gets tangled easily and is difficult to detangle, you have high hair porosity. If your hair is easy to manage, you have low hair porosity. If your hair is somewhere in between, you have normal hair porosity.
8. Protein Test
High porosity hair is the most receptive to protein treatments and shows quick results. If your hair is not receptive to protein treatments, you have low hair porosity. Normal porosity hair responds to such treatments in a balanced manner. Once you have determined your hair’s porosity level, the next step is to figure out how to take care of it. Let us see how to take care of low, normal, and high porosity hair types.
Take Care Of Your Hair According To Its Porosity Levels
Low Porosity Hair Since low porosity hair is moisture-resistant, here’s what you can do: Normal/Medium Porosity Hair Normal/medium porosity hair receives the right amount of moisture. You can use any nourishing and conditioning shampoo and hair masks for it. This type of hair responds well to all styling, coloring, and other chemical treatments. However, avoid frequent chemical treatments and bleaching as it may damage the hair. High Porosity Hair High porosity hair requires extra care as it is susceptible to breakage, damage, dryness, frizz, and tangling. Here’s what you can do to nourish and protect it: Knowing your hair porosity helps you adjust your hair care routine and make it work for your hair. It is the best way to tackle hair issues like breakage, and dullness at the core. Try the tests mentioned in the article to determine your hair porosity level and keep your hair healthy.
Is frizzy hair low or high porosity? High porosity hair is more prone to frizz as it loses moisture fast. Is low porosity hair better than high porosity? Low and high porosity hair types come with their own set of challenges. Low porosity hair is more prone to buildup and takes time to absorb moisture. Highly porous hair can get dry and brittle as it loses moisture fast. Does high porosity hair dry quickly? Yes. High porous hair is more spaced out and dries quickly. Is coconut oil good for low porosity hair? Yes, coconut oil is good for low porosity hair. It penetrates the hair and moisturizes the strands from within. How often should I wash my low porosity hair? Low porosity hair prone to dirt and sebum buildup. It should be washed at least twice a week, depending on how greasy your hair feels. Is rice water good for low porosity hair? Rice water adds shine to low porosity hair. But don’t use it too often as it might make your hair look flat. Is curly hair low porosity? Curly hair can be low porosity too. Does low porosity hair get wet fast? No. Low porosity hair takes time to absorb water and takes longer to get wet. Does low porosity hair need conditioner? Yes. However, too much conditioner can make low porosity hair look flat and limp. Is vitamin E oil good for low porosity hair? Vitamin E is a light oil suitable for low porosity hair.
