Have you ever wondered why one hair product seems to slide right through your friend’s hair but sits gloppy on yours? Perhaps your hair always seems to drink in water but then shed it just as fast? One culprit might be hair porosity.
Hair porosity describes how easily your hair can absorb and retain moisture. The state of your hair cuticle, or outer layer, plays a large part in determining this characteristic, and it can generally be classified as low, medium, or high. Read this guide to learn about hair porosity and how to test your hair at home.
Understanding your hair’s behavior can help you develop a more streamlined hair care routine based on its unique interactions with water, conditioner, and other products.
1) What Is Hair Porosity?
The hair cuticle is the outermost layer of each strand of hair. It serves as a protective barrier and plays a vital role in determining how well hair moisture can penetrate the strand and how well it can be retained within the strand. Scientific studies show that water can also pass through the cuticle into the hair’s inner layers.
Hair is generally divided into three major porosity categories:
-
Low porosity
-
Medium porosity
-
High porosity
It is important to note that porosity is independent of curl pattern. Two people can have vastly different levels of porosity while having similar curl types.
Hair that has been heavily processed or repeatedly dyed or subjected to high heat can also be more porous due to damage to the hair cuticle.
2) Low Porosity Hair: What Does It Mean?
Low porosity hair typically has a cuticle that is tightly closed. This means that moisture does not penetrate the strand as easily and has a harder time exiting the strand. Some signs of low porosity hair are:
-
Hair that takes a long time to become fully wet
-
Water beading on the hair instead of penetrating the strands
-
Products sitting on top of the hair instead of being absorbed
-
Hair that takes a long time to dry
-
Products that feel heavy and cause buildup
Low Porosity Hair Care Tips
A low porosity hair care routine should focus on avoiding excess buildup and choosing products that your hair can absorb easily. Here are a few tips to help:
-
Wash your hair when it is dirty. Do not over-wash your hair.
-
Use conditioner after shampooing
-
Use products sparingly
-
Avoid heavy products
-
Take note of what works and what doesn’t work for your hair
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends picking products based on your hair type and using conditioner after shampooing to help achieve manageable hair. Learn more about healthy hair tips from the AAD.
3) Medium Porosity Hair: What Does It Mean?
Medium porosity hair generally falls between the other two categories. Medium porosity hair can absorb moisture without taking an exceptionally long time to become wet and generally retains moisture well without becoming overly saturated. Signs of medium porosity hair include:
-
Hair that is generally easy to wet
-
Conditioner that spreads easily through the hair
-
Not exceptionally heavy or greasy when using products
-
Products generally spread easily
-
Hair that dries at a manageable pace
Even though medium porosity hair generally maintains its porosity well, it is important to remember that chemical treatments, coloring, and excessive heat can damage the cuticle and change the porosity of your hair. Medium porosity hair should not be considered impervious to damage. A general routine that avoids excessive heat or harsh chemicals and uses mild products should suffice for most medium porosity hair types.
4) High Porosity Hair: What Does It Mean?
High porosity hair generally allows water to flow freely in and out of the strand. This can be the result of genetics or damage to the hair cuticle from chemical or thermal damage. Studies on chemically and thermally damaged hair show that the cuticle can become raised, allowing moisture to escape. Signs of high porosity hair are:
-
Hair that becomes wet very easily
-
Hair that dries very easily
-
Frizzy hair
-
Tangles easily
-
Dry hair is a common issue for people with high porosity hair
High Porosity Hair Care Tips
A good high porosity hair care routine should focus on avoiding damage and using products that help keep hair moisture in the hair. Here are a few things to consider:
-
Use conditioner after shampooing
-
Limit the use of damaging high-heat styling tools
-
Avoid vigorously towel-drying your hair
-
Detangle your hair gently
-
Leave-in conditioner, if your hair can tolerate it
The AAD notes that leave-in conditioners can help make frizzy, tangled, or dry hair more manageable. Learn more about leave-in conditioner from the AAD.
5) How to Test Hair Porosity at Home
If you are wondering how to test hair porosity at home, it is important to remember that you can only get general ideas about your hair porosity at home.
1. How Does Your Hair Generally Behave Around Water?
It is a good idea to start with clean hair that has not been heavily styled. When washing your hair, observe:
-
Does water tend to sit on top of your hair?
-
Does your hair become oversaturated easily?
-
Does it take a long time to dry?
2. How Does Your Hair Behave in a Spray Test?
This test involves spraying water on a small section of clean and dry hair. If the droplets of water remain visible on your hair for a long time, your hair likely has low porosity. If the droplets of water disappear almost instantly, your hair likely has high porosity. This is a simple hair porosity test at home, but it should not be used as an exact science.
3. How Does Your Hair Behave in the Float Test?
Another popular way to test hair porosity at home is the float test. This involves placing a strand of loose hair in a glass of water and seeing if it floats or sinks. This test is largely unreliable and should not be used as an accurate indicator of hair porosity. Surface oils or styling product buildup can affect the outcome of the test. It is best to rely on observing your hair’s general behavior when washed or conditioned rather than rely on a single float test.
When wondering how to test hair porosity at home, remember that observing your clean and washed hair when it is being conditioned and dried is a more reliable indicator of hair porosity. This can help you develop a hair care routine that works for you.
6) Hair Porosity and Everyday Hair Care
Understanding your hair porosity does not mean you need an entirely different set of products. You can continue to follow a general hair care routine that involves shampooing, conditioning, and styling as needed. The AAD recommends shampooing your hair mostly on your scalp, using conditioner after you shampoo, and limiting the use of heat to avoid damaging your hair. Learn more about how to reduce hair damage from the AAD.
If you are looking for hair care products, Vasu Hair Care offers a wide variety of options for different hair care needs. Vasu’s Trichup hair care collection also has a variety of oils, shampoos, and other products to help with different hair care concerns.
Choose products based on your hair care needs and the specific goals you want to achieve rather than just relying on the recommendation of products for specific levels of hair porosity.
7) Simple Hair Porosity Care Tips
Regardless of your level of porosity, here are some general tips to follow:
-
Use shampoo based on your scalp and hair needs
-
Condition your hair after you shampoo
-
Avoid using very hot water
-
Avoid vigorously towel-drying your hair
-
Limit damage from excessive heat
-
Detangle your hair gently
-
Introduce new products one at a time
-
Avoid excessive buildup on your hair
-
Observe how your hair behaves after a few washes
-
Adjust your routine if your hair becomes too dry or unmanageable
If your hair becomes excessively dry, damaged, itchy, or bald spots begin appearing, make sure to see a dermatologist.
Conclusion
Understanding hair porosity can make it easier to recognize how your hair interacts with water and other products. Whether you have medium porosity hair, want to learn more about low porosity hair care, or need advice about a high porosity hair care routine, the most important thing is to recognize the unique characteristics of your hair. A simple hair porosity test at home can help you get an idea of your hair porosity while observing your hair’s general behavior during a few washes can help you develop a hair care routine that works for your hair.
For hair care products that are generally suitable for different kinds of everyday hair care needs, check out the Vasu Hair Care collection and choose the products that work best for you.
FAQs About Hair Porosity
1. What is hair porosity?
Hair porosity describes how easily water or moisture can penetrate and be retained within hair strands. Hair porosity is generally classified as low, medium, or high.
2. How do I know if I have low porosity hair?
Low porosity hair generally takes a long time to become wet, tends to have buildup from products, and generally resists water.
3. What does high porosity hair feel like?
High porosity hair generally becomes wet very easily, loses hair moisture very fast, and can feel dry, frizzy, or tangled.
4. Is the float test an accurate hair porosity test at home?
The float test can give an idea about your hair porosity, but it should not be relied upon because it can be greatly affected by surface oils and buildup on your hair strands.
5. Can hair porosity change over time?
Hair porosity can definitely change over time, especially when the hair is damaged from excessive chemical treatments or heat.
6. Should I choose hair products only according to porosity?
Hair porosity is only one factor that determines what hair products are generally suitable for your hair. Your scalp condition, hair thickness, curl pattern or hair type, chemical treatments, and styling habits can also affect what works for your hair.
