Ever feel like no matter how much tender, love and care you give your hair, it’s always dry and and desperately thirsty for moisture? You spritz it with water everyday, you use moisturizing hair products, and you deep condition on a regular but your hair just doesn’t seem to be retaining any moisture. Instead, over time your hair seems to be getting dryer, more brittle, and you’re experiencing more tangles, knots and breakage. So you begin to think and accept that you have “bad,” “nappy,” “unruly” hair. That it’s just the way your hair IS…. that this comes with the territory of being a natural.
Since my big chop exactly 2 years ago, it has been a battle for me to keep moisture in my hair. I take relatively good care of my hair and it was disheartening to see that most of my efforts to moisturize my hair had failed miserably. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying my hair has never been or “felt” moisturized, because it has but that moisture never stayed for more than a day or two and then I was back to square one! Like you, I began to accept that dry hair came with the territory of being a natural until I stumbled upon an article that briefly mentioned hair porosity. I had heard of this term before, but I never really knew what it meant or how it affected my hair so I began to do some research and I was astonished by what I found.
What is Hair Porosity?
Hair porosity describes the ability of the hair to soak up moisture!! A light bulb went on in my head because I knew that this was the answer to some if not all my natural hair problems. When it comes to hair porosity, there are three categories that your hair can fall under. Your hair can either be low porosity, normal porosity, or high porosity and this can be the result of genetics or in some cases heat/chemical damage.
Low Porosity(Compact): What does low porosity hair mean? It means your cuticles are tight and pretty resistant to opening up for water and moisture. Usually it feels like products just “sit” on your hair and don’t get absorbed. Have you ever came out the shower and you see a bunch of water droplets just sitting on top of your hair?? Low porosity hair does not absorb moisture as easily and is harder to process chemically (coloring, perms, etc.).
Normal Porosity: Means your hair strands allow moisture to enter the cuticle easily. And will also hold moisture and shine for a longer period of time. This range tends to take color and perms better than the other two.
High Porosity(Porous): High porosity hair has a difficult time holding onto moisture as it easily escapes the raised cuticles. Does your hair seem to stay wet for a long time? Or do your strands feel as though they lose moisture as quickly as they gain it? Usually cuticles of high porosity hair have been exposed to a severe amount of damage, either through environmental factors or the overuse of heat and chemical processes. High porosity hair tends to absorb color and products very quickly, but since the cuticles aren’t tight and flat, it also loses color, products and moisture faster than low porosity hair.
Now that you know what hair porosity is, you’re probably wondering, how do I determine which category I fall under? The most popular and more efficient way of determining your hair’s porosity is to grab a strand of freshly washed hair and drop it into a glass of water. If the strand immediately sinks to the bottom, then your hair is of high porosity. If it floats somewhere in the middle with ease, then it’s of normal porosity. If it seems to stay at the top, taking forever to sink downward, then your strands are of low porosity. It is essential that your hair be completely free of any product as that will give incorrect results.
I did this test and my poor little strand of hair floated on top of the water for over 24 hours!! This heavy feeling weighed on my heart as I realized that throughout my entire natural hair journey, my hair wasn’t getting enough moisture. I wondered why isn’t this topic the most talked about subject in the natural hair community? I mean, isn’t knowing your hair’s ability to soak up water more important than knowing your hair type?? I certainly think so.
How to Fix/Repair It
Low Porosity Hair
Now that you have a pretty good understanding of what hair porosity is and how to determine your hair’s porosity level, you want to know how can you fix it? The good news about low porosity hair is that once moisture gets in, it can hold it in pretty well. The key is getting it inside! You want to stay away from products with a low pH because high acidity works to keep the cuticle closed. In other words, they won’t help your case. Using products with more alkaline ingredients will help to lift the cuticles so moisture can penetrate the shaft. Also glycerine or products with glycerine can help improve your hair’s moisture levels. Avoid using a lot of oils as oils work as sealants for the cuticle and may work against your efforts to lift them. Steamers are great tools for aiding with cuticle lifting, as well. And when applying products, make sure your hair is damp, as you’ll need all the moisture you can get!
Normal Porosity Hair
People with normal hair porosity should be aware that regular chemical processes, including heat, can change the hair’s porosity over time. Healthier ingredients, regular deep conditioning, moisturizing and little to no heat regimens will help keep normal porosity strands at optimum health.
High Porosity Hair
High porosity naturals should use products like thick butters and oils to seal in the moisture in the cuticle, and as a protective layer. Using more acidic things with a low pH, will help tighten and close the open cuticle. A regular apple cider vinegar rinse, diluted with 2 cups of water, will also help detoxify any pollution (from being so openly vulnerable to the elements) and help seal the cuticle. Protein treatments are also recommended to temporarily patch the gaps.
In conclusion, I am grateful to have found this information. I hope that you will take some time to really understand your hair and why it acts in the ways that it does. I encourage you to do the strand test and research hair porosity for yourself. Learning that I am a low po natural has completely changed my hair regimen and the way I style my hair. Stay tuned for my new and updated low porosity hair regimen!
XOXO – Rose