High hair porosity can be frustrating for many people, leading to frizziness, easy breakage and intense damage. It limits your ability to style your hair as the porosity compromises its strength. However, high porosity is treatable.
First, let’s explore the signs of high porosity hair. Understanding these signs can help you assess the damage and determine your hair porosity level.
What Is High Hair Porosity?
High hair porosity is a condition where hair rapidly absorbs water but struggles to retain it. Experts identify it by the state of the hair cuticle on the hair shaft.
The three grades of hair porosity are low, medium, and high.
| Type | Cuticle Structure | Typical Appearance | Care Tips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low Porosity | Cuticles are closely packed, making it difficult for moisture to penetrate. | Resists moisture absorption; works well with water-based treatments and heat. | Use heat to help open cuticles and improve moisture absorption; prefer water-based products. |
| Medium Porosity | Has a well-balanced cuticle structure. | Allows moisture to enter and remain intact within the hair. | Maintain moisture balance with regular conditioning; generally easy to manage. |
| High Porosity | Cuticles are raised or damaged, allowing moisture to quickly enter and leave. | Prone to breakage, dries out easily, and becomes frizzy. | Use heavy creams and butters to lock in moisture; avoid heat and chemical treatments. |
What Is The Science Behind Hair Porosity?
The hair cuticle, which covers the inner layers of the hair shaft, is composed of overlapping scales. These scales keep moisture levels constant and remain flat in healthy hair. However, highly porous hairs have raised or appear as lifted cuticle scales.
This results in gaps through which water and nutrients can enter the hair shaft. This weakened barrier causes hair to absorb moisture quickly but is unable to retain it, increasing its susceptibility to dryness, breakage, and frizz.
What Are The Causes Of Highly Porous Hair?
Several factors influence hair porosity. Here are the major ones:
- Naturally Inherited: Some individuals may have naturally porous hair due to their inherited hair structure.
- Harmful Chemicals: Treatments such as bleaching, coloring, perming, or relaxers can damage the cuticle layer.
- Heating Tools: Frequent use of blow dryers, curling wands, or flat irons can harm the hair cuticle.
- Environmental Exposure: UV rays, pollution and humidity can damage the hair’s protective layer over time.
- Physical Harm: Tight hairstyles, vigorous towel drying or other physical stress can lead to brittle hair.
- Aging: Continuous exposure to various environmental stresses can make hair more porous as it ages.
What Are The 10 Signs Of High Porosity Hair
You can determine if your hair is highly porous by examining its qualities and behaviors. Here is a detailed explanation of the symptoms of high porosity hair:
Rough Texture
High porosity hair has elevated and damaged cuticles, resulting in a rough and coarse texture. This roughness can increase the risk of hair breakage and tangling, making strands feel uneven to the touch.
Lacks Shine
Due to the lack of a smooth surface, high porosity hair reflects light poorly, giving it a dull and matte appearance. The open cuticles prevent uniform light reflection, causing the hair to appear lifeless even after treatments aimed at improving shine.
While high porosity hair often lacks shine, even medium porosity hair can appear dull without proper care.
Persistent Dryness
Even with consistent moisturizing and conditioning, high porosity hair can still appear dry. The exposed cuticles lose moisture rapidly, making it challenging to maintain hydration. This leads to fragility and breakage over time. However, using the right high porosity hair oil can help restore moisture.
Rapid Drying
Compared to low porosity hair, highly porous hair dries quickly after washing. Water easily enters and exits the cuticle layer, causing the hair to lose moisture rapidly. It indicates that it is not retaining enough moisture.
Tangling Issues
The raised cuticles in highly porous hair can cause strands to cling to one another, resulting in more knots and tangling. This increases the chance of breakage when brushing or combing, making the separation process more difficult.
Frizziness
High porosity hair absorbs water from its environment readily, it is particularly prone to frizzing in humid conditions. This is because the open cuticles allow excessive moisture to enter the hair shaft, causing it to swell and become unmanageable.
Products designed for high porosity hair often contain agents that help tame frizz.
Brittleness
Brittleness is a frequent issue for high porosity hair. Since hair with high porosity has injured cuticle layers, it is more vulnerable to breakage and harm. This eventually lowers the hair’s structural integrity.
Quick Absorption
However, while high porosity hair absorbs products quickly, caution is needed to avoid overuse of heavy products. Overuse could lead to product buildup, making the hair appear oily and heavy if not properly managed.
Humidity Sensitivity
High porosity hair can become unmanageable and excessively frizzy in humid weather. Atmospheric moisture can enter the hair shaft through open cuticles, causing the hair to expand and lose its natural shape.
Chemically Treated
Chemical treatments like coloring, perming, or relaxing can increase hair porosity. If your hair has undergone such treatments and exhibits the signs mentioned, it is likely to be highly porous.
See Also: Do Perms Damage Your Hair
How Do You Care For High Porosity Hair?
High hair porosity is treatable, and there are several ways by which you can manage and improve its condition. Here’s how to care for high hair porosity:
- Use protein-rich masks once a week to strengthen the cuticle.
- Use leave-in conditioners to retain moisture.
- Use argan and castor oil to lock in moisture.
- Avoid excessive styling with heating tools and frequent hair dyeing.
- Use sulfate-free shampoos to preserve natural oils.
- Wash your hair with cold water, instead of warm water.
- Tie your hair loosely or use a satin pillowcase to prevent frictional damage.
Note: To treat extremely porous hair, it’s necessary to recognize its unique needs, use high-quality products, avoid harmful behaviors, and follow a protective regimen to restore moisture, shine, and strength.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to check hair porosity at home?
Pour water on a section of your hair. Check if the water stays as a droplet, your hair has low porosity. If it is quickly absorbed, your hair has high porosity.
Which shampoo is best for high porosity hair?
Sulfate-free shampoos are best for high porosity hair. Moreover, shampoos with a high moisturizing effect are effective.
Is coconut oil good for high porosity hair?
Yes! Coconut oil, whether used warm or at room temperature, works really well and is highly recommended for high porosity hair.
How often should high porosity hair be washed?
Ideally, wash high porosity hair only two to three times a week. This keeps in moisture and prevents overdrying.
Is frizzy hair low or high porosity?
Frizzy hair is a major sign of high porosity. It occurs due to less moisture retention.
