Hair Porosity 101

first things first… What it ‘hair porosity’?

Hair porosity is your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. It affects how fast your hair dries, how well oils and moisture penetrate your strands, and how humidity affects your hair.

Is my hair ‘high porosity’?

High porosity hair dries quickly because it does not retain moisture for long. This is a result of the gaps or spaces in the cuticles. High porosity hair also tends to break easily and be frizzy.

test your hair porosity -the float test:

Take a strand of your hair and place it into a cup of water. If your hair sinks to the bottom, you have high porosity hair that it is soaking up the moisture. If your hair stays afloat on top, you have low porosity hair that has difficult absorbing moisture. If your hair is suspended in the water you have normal, medium porosity, or “balanced” hair.

damaged hair = high porosity

Adding excess protein to low porosity hair may clog the cuticle and make it even harder for moisture to penetrate. This can lead to brittle and weak hair, which lead to further breakage. High porosity hair, on the other hand, will benefit from protein treatments because they help the hair retain moisture and build flexibility.

can you change your hair porosity?

Yes. Porosity is usually genetic but it can change throughout your life depending on a number of factors. Heat styling, chemical processing, and environmental damage (like pollution or exposure to salt water) can all affect your hair porosity.