Finding out your hair’s porosity level is equivalent to finding out your hair’s DNA. Once you figure it out, you’ll be able to better care for it.
Hair porosity refers to your hair’s ability to absorb moisture which is determined by the condition of the hair’s cuticle layer (the overlapping scales of the hair shaft). If the cuticles are tightly packed together, you have low porosity hair. If the cuticle layers are slightly raised, you have high porosity hair. With normal healthy hair, the cuticles are compact; therefore, moisture can easily get into the hair and stay in the hair.
Does your hair tangle easily or constantly crave moisture? Chances are you have raised cuticles indicating you have High porosity. This can be a problem as the hair too-readily absorbs moisture simultaneously releasing moisture. As a result, high porosity hair often feels dry and prone to damage. Frequent use of chemical services and over processing are usually the culprit! Be sure to use 4.5-5.5 pH-balanced products to ensure the cuticles stay closed.
Does your hair resist chemical services? Does it have a hard time absorbing products? Tightly packed cuticles blocking the absorption of moisture is a sign of low porosity hair. This resistant cuticle may be problematic, but once it’s raised, it will retain moisture for a long period of time. The #1 goal with low porosity hair is to get the cuticles open! Low porosity hair benefits from deep conditioning with heat encouraging the cuticles to rise and accept the nutrients.
Discovering your porosity level is the fundamentals of any successful hair care regimen. Get into it!