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Porosity affects certain hair types more than others, like curly hair due to the lack of moisture. You may be anxiously wondering if your hair’s moisture levels contribute to those pesky strands lingering in the drain. Well, brace yourself – hair porosity alone isn’t a direct cause of hair loss.
How to Determine Your Hair Porosity, According to Pros
It is seen, however, that heat is influential in raising the cuticle, irrespective of the level of heat and the duration of exposure. It’s important to note that everyone’s hair is different as well, meaning certain factors will cause more porosity in certain people than others. Outside of the above causes, porosity can also be caused by exposure to dirt, flat ironing, blow drying with too much heat, cyclical thermal stresses, and humidity. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation can also damage your cuticles starting at approximately 200 hours of UV exposure. The cuticle is not intact and cannot perform its job, which is to seal shut – retaining the moisture. Finding the right way to nourish your hair can be quite the journey, especially if you can't get your hands on the right products to keep your hair in shape.
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Using a protein treatment can help fill in the areas in your cuticle that have damaged cells. This can help smooth the cuticle down and create a protective coat over the hair shaft. I'll start this off by talking about some of the benefits coconut oil can offer the hair. Coconut oil can help prevent protein loss in the hair because the proteins found in it are really similar to those in our own hair.
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VO5® was purchased by Leonard Lavin in 1955, and moved to Chicago where it was expanded into a full range of haircare products. This simple oil blend of safflower, jojoba, and lavender is so nourishing to curls but never makes them feel greasy or heavy. Still, another added benefit they tend to have is protecting and maintaining the color, making them color-safe. Yes, color-depositing shampoos can work on natural and dyed hair. However, you must use the right tone for your hair, says O’Connor.
What Is Hair Porosity and Why Is It So Important?
She also notes that products with silicone can help temporarily retain moisture. Hair with “normal” levels of porosity will absorb 75% of the maximum water possible within four minutes. People with normal porosity hair usually have an easy time getting their hair to hold bleach, hair dye, or relaxer, and the results tend to be predictable.
To help nourish, moisturize, and repair highly porous hair, you may have to use certain hair care products that include “heavier” ingredients like oils or butters. With medium or normal porosity hair, the cuticles aren’t too close together, but aren’t too open either. This allows moisture to penetrate easily, and it also makes it easier to retain moisture for a longer period of time. Blow drying, bleaching, straightening, overwashing, and using harsh products can all damage your hair over time. This can cause your hair cuticles to become raised and open, which may make it harder for your hair to retain moisture. If your products have coconut oil and are working great for you, then you definitely don't need to toss them.
The Wet Stretch Test
If the hair floats at the top then it is low porosity, if it sinks slowly or settles in the middle it is medium/normal porosity, and if it sinks straight to the bottom then it is high porosity. However, there are certain ingredients that can make low porosity hair easier to care for. Knowing the types of products to use, and which ones to avoid, can make a difference in the manageability and health of your hair.
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In this instance, you would have altered the hair strand that you’re testing, making the results of the test questionable. Using your opposite hand, slide your index finger and thumb along the hair strand. It’s important to note that an ACV rinse may still help close the cuticle, although it’s not likely caused by the low pH based on research. A hair cuticle can be raised to a slight degree; however, this requires highly sensitive instruments for detection as the distance to which it is raised may be as minute as one-millionth of a meter.
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These scales can be more open or closed depending on a series of factors which include genetics, environmental agents, and hair damage. When you have low porosity hair, you may be tempted to apply a larger quantity of a product, or more than one hair product at a time, in an effort to saturate your hair. Hair that floats somewhere near the middle of the glass likely has medium porosity. Usually, if you have low porosity hair, it’s due to genetic factors. The most pressing concerns for high porosity hair are damage and loss of moisture.
Alternatively, you can use a more accurate scientific assessment. The float test involves placing a clean strand of hair in water to see if it sinks or floats. When placing strands of hair in water, the hair strands will absorb water.
Before shampooing, I suggest prepping your hair with a nourishing oil. Find a sulfate-free shampoo to clean your hair without stripping away natural oils. Then, use a deep conditioner that balances your hair’s protein and moisture. Afterward, seal the deal with a water-based moisturizer to optimize hydration levels. Medium porosity hair has an even balance of water absorption and retention due to evenly raised cuticles throughout the hair shaft. Water and products can easily pass through the cuticle layer without drying out too quickly.
Now that you know how to measure hair porosity use these simple methods and get testing! Once you determine your type, you can read all about improving it below. Grab a few locks of clean hair, because any product residue can alter the results.
These aren’t the kind of tests that can be reliably conducted at home. If you don’t feel anything and it’s smooth sailing from tip to root, your porosity is low. Before I explain the potential problems with these DIY hair porosity test methods, it’s important to understand how these tests are often conducted. The hair cuticle rises when the hair is wet, and people will need to wet their hair and handle it regularly. It is possible, however, to take steps to reduce the amount of damage done to the cuticle. It is impossible to feel a raised cuticle by running fingers through the hair unless you have severely damaged cuticles.
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