Before we get into finding out what porosity our hair is, I think we need to understand what that term actually means. Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or Fiction, New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists (NYSCC), https://nyscc.org/blog/an-overview-on-hair-porosity/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5551307/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12715094/, https://www.jidsponline.org/article/S0022-202X(15)52655-9/fulltext, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4201279/, A 20-minute daily walk may improve heart health in those with high CVD risk, Alzheimers: New blood biomarker could predict risk of cognitive decline, Researchers investigate what causes psoriasis and how it spreads, Low-dose atropine eyedrops may delay onset of nearsightedness in children, Heart attack may speed up cognitive decline, study finds, What to know about different hair types and how to care for them. Hair cosmetics: An overview. 3. . This is where a clarifying or exfoliating shampoo comes in. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Best Scalp Scrub: Briogeo Scalp Revival Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo. ", The final test is the slide test, which is to be done on dry hair. Some conditioners that may work well include: Sometimes your hair may need a little extra boost of moisture. Hair porosity is typically divided into three broad categories: This article will take a closer look at what affects the porosity of your hair, how you can figure out the type of porosity you have, and, depending on the hair porosity you have, how best to treat your hair. If it is severely damaged, it would sink quickly. Robinson agrees: "avoid too much protein or heavy oils as they can sit on the hair and not absorb," he says. Look for conditioners and treatments that contain protein if you have low porosity hair. Cleanse your hair regularly 2. According to Bailey Pope, "Low porosity typically just feels and . Erinn explains that two of the key elements of low porosity hair have to do with how long it takes to dry and the build-up that can accumulate as a result of your products not being fully. The Ingredient of the Month series highlights one of our. Your hair is basically a collection of dead cells that are arranged in a distinct, three-layer pattern: With low porosity hair, the cuticles tend to overlap each other and are tightly packed together. Light oils are more absorbent and thus better suited for low porosity hair. When styling your hair in your low porosity hair regimen, look for products that match your hair type. We link primary sources including studies, scientific references, and statistics within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. Otherwise, this is generally not something that changes. Porosity is one of those things that are vital to know. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Be sure to rinse your hair with cold water after shampooing and conditioning to help lock in moisture. Because water isnt easily absorbed, you may find it can be difficult to get your hair really wet and for the water to fully penetrate your hair. (2008). 1. This can help make the conditioner more easily absorbable and less likely to just sit on your hair. Heres What Science Says, Enhance Your Tresses With These Dark Hair Color Ideas. If you have healthy strands and put a drop of water on it, it will stay there for some time, while if you do the same on damaged hair, the drop gets sucked up into the hair immediately.. If you feel you need more strength, you can test out using protein three times a month but be careful with this as some protein treatments are stronger than others and over-processing can cause protein overload. All rights reserved. She received her journalism degree from Marquette University, graduating first in the department. 2009 - 2023 mindbodygreen LLC. This makes the hair more resistant to absorbing water and other substances. There is, of course, a spectrum to this: You don't have to fall squarely in one camp or the otherin fact, you might find you're somewhere in the middle. Can diet and exercise reverse prediabetes? They sit on your strands long enough for an intense moisture surge, then wash off to leave your strands soft and hydrated, minus the grease. All rights reserved. Although it might not be talked about as often as other hair topics, hair porosity aka your hairs ability to absorb and maintain moisture plays a key role in dictating which hair care products are ideal for your tresses. "Alkaline ingredients will open the cuticle to make absorption easier; acidic closes the cuticle," says Francis. Essentially, hair porosity is about your hairs ability to absorb and retain moisture. True porosity measurement of hair: A new way to study hair damage mechanisms. But what exactly is low porosity hair, and what does it have to do with, well, anything? All rights reserved. ", Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists: Effect of chemical and humectant treatments on the mechanical and fractographic behavior of Negroid hair.. Simply pick hair goals like deep condition and hydrate when taking our hair quiz. "We want to trap in as much water as possible. Even though you rarely have to worry about frizz with low porosity hair, your locks often fall prey to flatness. On the bright side, theres a way to make it less of an issue. 161 likes, 0 comments - Africansgonenatural Afrikinky (@africansgonenatural) on Instagram: "@crowned.with.coils giving us a thorough understanding of Protein and . Float test: Pluck a random strand of your hair and place it on top of room temperature water in a bowl. Also, porosity can increase due to mechanical or chemical damage. 2017;19(1):70. doi:10.3390/ijms19010070, Gavazzoni Dias MFR. The second layer of moisture should be lipids. Even using a blow dryer may take longer than it does for others who have hair thats the same length and thickness as yours. Low porosity hair is more common with people that have straight hair as compared with those with naturally coiled or curly hair., Low porosity hair takes significantly more time to wash and dry than normal or high porosity hair. That means the cuticles are raised and have spaces between them. If you have low porosity hair, it means the structure of your hair doesnt easily allow moisture to be absorbed into your hair shaft. Our pick: Dove Oxygen Moisture Shampoo and Dove Oxygen Moisture Conditioner. A steamer or steaming cap is a great option to gently steam hair, help products penetrate, and hydrate. However, there are certain ingredients that can make low porosity hair easier to care for. In order for hair to be healthy, we need a balance between protein and moisture. When low porosity hair finally gets wet, it takes a long time to dry., Here are simple tests you can use to determine if you have low porosity hair:, Float test: Pluck a random strand of your hair and place it on top of room temperature water in a bowl. This makes the hair more resistant to absorbing water and other substances. Sinclair RD. Remove tangles starting at the ends and work your way up.". Your best bets are humectants and emollients. Hair, after all, is full of variables and possibilities. See additional information. Low porosity hair features tightly aligned cuticles that act as a "stop" sign for moisture trying to enter and exit the hair shaft. Disclaimer: The information provided is not intended as medical advice. For the sink or float test, "You'll take a few strands of hair that have naturally shed from the scalp and fill a cup with room temperature water," Rullan explains. "Low-porosity hair requires as much hydration as possible, and the best form of hydration is water. On your wash days, use a shampoo with clarifying properties to help get rid of natural and artificial residues on your strands and scalp. Other than the regular trim to snip off split ends, the right low porosity hair products coupled with appropriate hair care practices will have your locks looking and feeling their best. Looking after low porosity hair involves increasing the amount of moisture that gets into the hair shaft. Because of the low protein, the hair strand is not very strong. The cuticle is the outermost protective layer of the hair fiber. Because this type of hair tends to repel moisture, it can also be more challenging to process and style. Sign up to our newsletter and get exclusive hair care tips and tricks from the experts at All Things Hair. that act as a stop sign for moisture trying to enter and exit the hair, and is generally associated with fewer pores in the. Low porosity hair will feel smooth, whereas high porosity hair will feel rough and bumpy because the cuticles are open. If you have relatively healthy, water-repellant locks, opt for products that will lock in that healthy feeling. Pro tip: When shampooing your hair, focus on the roots to remove scalp sebum (oil) and product buildup more effectively. Spray a fine mist on your hair ends and observe the movement of the water droplets closely. To understand why low porosity hair doesnt absorb moisture well, we first need to look at the hair cuticle. A Guide to Understanding How to Treat Low Porosity Hair. Unlike regular clarifying shampoos that can only be used occasionally, our customizable formulation allows you to build a daily shampoo specific to your hair needs. "Low porosity hair is moisture resistant because the cuticle layer is so tightly closed that water molecules are too big to penetrate the hair shaft." With low porosity hair, steam from the shower is helpful, so use that to your advantage." Read on: Healthy hair has an undamaged internal cortex and great cuticle with a protective lipid layer. How To Find the Best Types of Hairstyles for Your Face Shape, All About Wavy Perm for Long Hair and 10 Styles to Try this Season, Growing Out Gray Hair: 6 Hairstyles that Boost Your Confidence, How to Style Money Piece Hair this Festival Season, Tutorial: Get Crimped Hair At Home Plus 12 Trending Ways To Style It, All You Need to Know About Rosemary Tea For Hair Growth, Tutorial: How To Do a Trendy Mens Middle Part Hairstyle, Tutorial: How to Do Fade Haircuts at Home plus a Bonus Clipper Guide and Styling Inspo, 35 Short Curly Hair Styles for Every Single Curl Pattern, Best 12 Shampoos for Straight Hair that Add Body and Shine, Why is My Hair So Oily? "Simply put, low porosity hair is a hair fiber that has overlapping cuticles. The moisture that is naturally stored within your hair strand may not be enough to keep it flexible. Here are some practicable tips to help you tame your low porosity hair and make it moisturized, soft, and flexible:, Clarify. With low porosity hair, washing and drying can take longer than youd expect. 7. Does your mane take a while to get wet in the shower and dry ever so slowly? Doing so helps prevent product buildup and a greasy hair appearance. Usually, if you have low porosity hair, its due to genetic factors. It may also be more challenging to process and style your hair. Although it might not be talked about as often as other hair topics, Below, we share everything you need to know about. It is best to steer clear of products containing a lot of protein, as well as protein treatments as protein pulls moisture from the hair. Gavazzoni Dias MR. (2015). "Ingredients in these shampoos open the cuticle to allow for moisture to enter and break down the protein structures," says Hill. That said, its possible that a few of your. As such, it may not need as much care as, does. If it sinks immediately, it may be highly porous. The silver lining for low porosity hair is that its relatively undamaged. Porosity refers to your hair's ability to absorb moisture. Burton suggests formulas like Carol's Daughters innovative Wash Day Delight for your best cleanse. Low porosity hair is when the hair has trouble absorbing moisture because it's resistant to water. (Skip this last step for, isnt as bad as you think. Skipping out on your wash days and relying solely on dry shampoo creates even more product buildup that snuffs out any chance for volume and bounce. Its fibers have cuticles that are tightly aligned, meaning there's less opportunity for moisture to go in and out. Its made up of several overlapping layers of flat, hard cells that line the root to the tip in a scale-like fashion. The main goal of the cuticle layer is to protect the inner hair structure from external damage, which creates even more pores in the hair shaft, hence the term porosity.. Hair rebonding is a chemical straightening process for your hair. 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. I see this topic talked about a lot, and I wanted to get detailed information from a curly hair guru on the subject. "You'll simply mist a section of the hair and closely watch," instructs Rullan. Fekkai adds that low porosity hair "takes a long time to become fully drenched with water when washing.". . Soap-Free Shampoo: Do You Really Need It? If the water beads up and/or rolls off the. That said, its possible that a few of your curly hair friends also have moisture-resistant fibers. You can think of hair cuticles as neatly arranged tiles on a roof for the straight-hair folks compared to haphazardly placed tiles for the curlier hair population. Your hair needs moisture to make it soft, supple, and resilient. and non-symmetrically in curly to coily strands, which is why theres varying hair porosity in different curl types. .css-5rg4gn{display:block;font-family:NeueHaasUnica,Arial,sans-serif;font-weight:normal;margin-bottom:0.3125rem;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-5rg4gn:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:-0.02em;margin:0.75rem 0 0;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:0.02rem;margin:0.9375rem 0 0;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.4;margin:0.9375rem 0 0.625rem;}}@media(min-width: 73.75rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.4;}}The Curly Girl Method for Beginners, The Best Sulfate-Free Shampoos for All Hair Types, All the Details on the New Dyson Airstrait, 19 Best Bikini Trimmers You Need for Smooth Skin, 9 Best Rosemary Oil Products for Your Hair, Listen Up Blondes: You Need a Purple Shampoo. Weve saved the most important question for the last: How do you make sure the nourishing, moisturizing goodness in your hair products actually make it into the fibers? One thing to note, which Francis points out, is that having low porosity hair isn't a bad thing. . Burton says that there are steps you can take to make your deep-conditioning even more effective. Just follow these steps: Hair that floats to the top for a while before sinking toward the bottom of the glass likely has low porosity. The main thing to understand is that low porosity hair doesnt soak up moisture as much as higher porosity hair. A human hair shaft is typically made up of three layers cuticle, cortex, and medulla. If possible, go for a shampoo that also volumizes to lift up your locks. With a closed-off cuticle, its pretty much impossible for hair lotions, creams, and oils to completely absorb into the hair shaft. Grab a glass of water, and a strand of hair (like from your brush). You dont need to be a scientist to try one of these three simple tests. Hair may be more porous if it is naturally wavy, curly, or coily. This hair care routine will help infuse moisture into your strands. These cells are, symmetrically distributed in straight hair fibers. If it floats, you have low porosity hair. It. Pro tip: Apply conditioner from the mid-lengths to the hair ends, carefully avoiding the scalp. You may notice spots that are drier with a variation in curl pattern and porosity." Subscribe and enter All Things Hair universe. Ultimately, for healthy hair, you want moisture to get in and stay in. Not to forget, the geometry of straight hair strands makes it even easier for the product to slide down to the hair ends, possibly smearing your favorite top. Hair porosity is a term thats used to describe how well your hair is able to absorb and retain moisture and oils. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Those with medium porosity hair have medium-sized cuticle openings and some pores, allowing small molecules like active ingredients and water to penetrate without issue. that ticks off all the right boxes? High porosity hair has a cuticle layer that does not lie flat. Avocado oils are nourishing especially for dry, dehydrated hair. The key is to find products that have the right formulation for low porosity hair. According to Gorkhom, Low porosity is hair that is in relatively good condition and therefore does not need the same conditioning power as high porosity hair, which is damaged. Use Lightweight Oils. You can think of hair cuticles as neatly arranged tiles on a roof for the straight-hair folks compared to haphazardly placed tiles for the curlier hair population. Most of us typically encounter some degree of hair damage due to: On top of that, chemical and cosmetic factors like bleaching, hair dyes, and heat styling can raise the cuticles even higher. Is the ketogenic diet right for autoimmune conditions? Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. For the purposes of this quiz, we're sticking to tried-and-true hair types, but we'll touch on porosity after. Low porosity hair makes it "very difficult to get oils to penetrate through" so oils, creams, and lotions tend to hit on the hair's surface. She also notes that your hair won't feel great to touch after shampoo, but says that it will after you properly condition it. Opt for one thats sulfate-free to avoid over-drying your hair, especially when its already having a hard time absorbing moisture. With a closed-off, , its pretty much impossible for hair lotions, creams, and oils to completely absorb into the. To do this, place a clean strand of hair in a container of room-temperature water. Porosity, in general, is the hair's ability. Read our, Maintain Hydration with Protective Styles, 30 Women of Color Share Their Most Personal Natural Hair Stories, LEARN ABOUT BYRDIE'S EDITORIAL GUIDELINES, Anti-inflammatory and skin barrier repair effects of topical application of some plant oils. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. One way to do this is with a weekly deep-conditioning treatment. Heres why its essential and how to get started. This creates more gaps and tears in the hair fibers, transforming them into. Low-porosity and high-porosity are two relative terms often used by hair experts. To get your cuticles to open and for moisture to be consumed. With low porosity hair, the cuticles are tightly packed and very close together. On that same note, just like with skin, whatever you put in your body is more important than what you put on it so drink lots of water and maintain a nutritious diet. It is not possible to make low porosity hair more absorbent in the long term. To learn more about healthy hair habits, follow us over @AllThingsHairUS and subscribe to our newsletter below! You dont need to be a scientist to try one of these three simple tests. "Porous hair retains more water therefore it is more difficult to dry and style. Hill notes that low porosity hair can be highly proteinized, which makes it more prone to breakage. MNT is the registered trade mark of Healthline Media. Low porosity hair is resistant to moisture and are protein-sensitive. If possible, go for a shampoo that also volumizes to lift up your locks. It takes longer to get completely wet in the bath or shower. It absorbs water quickly, says Leon-Van Gorkhom. Its easy to care for once you learn how. Thats why rinse-out. So, if low porosity hair runs in your family, theres a good chance youll have low porosity hair, too. Tgin's Butter Cream Moisturizer contains shea butter and vitamin . RELATED: 5 Common Causes Of Dry Hair + How To Deal, From Experts, Leonor Greyl Regenerescence Naturelle Stimulating and Purifying Scalp Oil. That is why you need to regularly moisturize your hair with leave-in conditioner and other moisturizing products., Use light oils. Yes, it is important to care for the existing tresses, but a clean, healthy scalp is what produces healthy hair. DOI: Hessefort Y, et al. .css-13cwbfq .brand{text-transform:uppercase;}Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. These moisturizers form a thin film on the hair shaft to aid in moisture retention and boost shine. Other than the regular trim to snip off. Intended for all hair types, this one by Amika reduces breakage from color-treated hair thanks to its super moisturizing formula (hi, mango butter extract, borage oil, and shea butter), all while . This strengthens the strands and makes for a shinier finish," says Hardges. Heres why its essential and how to get started. Your hair may be low porosity if it takes a long time to wet and dry. 2023 Healthline Media UK Ltd, Brighton, UK. Cetearyl Alcohol: What You Need to Know About This Common Ingredient, Everything You Need to Know About Exfoliation for Your Scalp, 7 Avocado Hair Masks That Nourish and Hydrate.
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