What level of porosity is your hair? And what does it mean?
If you've frequented a hair salon during your lifetime, you surely would have heard of "porosity levels" in hair.
So what is it, and why is it important?
Hair porosity is a measure of how easily your hair absorbs and retains moisture.
There are three main levels of hair porosity: low, medium, and high.
Low porosity
Low porosity
Hair has tightly-packed cuticles, which makes it difficult for moisture to penetrate the hair shaft. This type of hair is often dry and may feel rough or coarse to the touch. Low porosity hair can also be resistant to styling products and colour treatments.
Care for low porosity hair:
Use moisturizing products that are lightweight and oil-free. Avoid using products that contain alcohol or silicone, as these can dry out your hair even more.
Medium porosity
Hair has a balance of cuticle openness and tightness. This type of hair is able to absorb and retain moisture well, and it is generally easy to style. Medium porosity hair is often considered to be the most healthy type of hair.
Care for medium porosity hair:
Use products that are moisturizing but not too heavy. You can also use heat protectant products when styling your hair.
High porosity
Hair has loosely-packed cuticles, which allows moisture to easily penetrate the hair shaft. This type of hair is often dry and frizzy, and it may be prone to breakage. High porosity hair is also more vulnerable to damage from heat styling and chemical treatments.
Care for high porosity hair:
Use products that are specifically designed for high porosity hair. These products will help to seal in moisture and protect your hair from damage.
How to Determine Your Hair Porosity
There are a few different ways to determine your hair porosity. One way is to do the float test. To do this, simply drop a few strands of your hair into a glass of water. If your hair floats to the top, you have low porosity hair. If your hair sinks to the bottom, you have high porosity hair. If your hair floats somewhere in the middle, you have medium porosity hair.
Another way to determine your hair porosity is to feel your hair strands. If your hair strands feel smooth and soft, you have low porosity hair. If your hair strands feel rough and dry, you have high porosity hair.
It's important to be gentle with your hair, regardless of your hair porosity. Avoid using heat styling tools on a high heat setting, and be sure to use a leave-in conditioner every time you wash your hair.
There are a few different ways to determine your hair porosity. One way is to do the float test. To do this, simply drop a few strands of your hair into a glass of water. If your hair floats to the top, you have low porosity hair. If your hair sinks to the bottom, you have high porosity hair. If your hair floats somewhere in the middle, you have medium porosity hair.
Another way to determine your hair porosity is to feel your hair strands. If your hair strands feel smooth and soft, you have low porosity hair. If your hair strands feel rough and dry, you have high porosity hair.
It's important to be gentle with your hair, regardless of your hair porosity. Avoid using heat styling tools on a high heat setting, and be sure to use a leave-in conditioner every time you wash your hair.
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