Try to avoid thick oils*, and other heavy products, because these will seal the cuticle and further block moisture from getting in so the hair can be.moisturized. To help your hair really get some moisture, you might want to invest in a hair steamer*. Work on wet styling as opposed to dry, to make products penetrate the hair shaft easier.
Medium Porosity Hair requires the least maintenance, and has a more relaxed cuticle layer. It can hold styles well, and it can be really shiny and healthy. It can also be colored and treated with predictable results, but after time it can increase porosity.
Because of this, it’s important to not chemically treat normal porosity hair too often. Medium porosity hair only requires an occasional protein treatment. By maintaining a good hair regimen, and limiting heat/ chemical use, hair will remain healthy without a lot of work.
High Porosity Hair can be either a result of genetics or damage. High porosity hair has gaps and holes in the cuticle, causing it to absorb too much moisture.
This causes frizz and tangling in humid weather. It also lets out moisture, leaving the hair dry. Leave in conditioners, moisturizers, and sealers help hold the moisture in the hair. It’s also good to use heavy hair butters* to fill gaps in damaged cuticles. Shea butter* is a good example of a heavy butter.
To keep the moisture in your hair, opt for the LOC (liquid, oil, cream) or LCO (liquid, cream, oil) methods after washing. Also do regular apple cider vinegar* rinses to help restore the pH balance and seal the cuticle. Decide what products work for you, and make them work from there. This hair porosity can’t really be changed or fixed, so be mindful of that as well.
It’s important to learn about hair porosity, because it answers questions about my hair that we may not have known we had. Instead of basing our regimen on ‘hair type’ and curl patterns, we can focus on what’s really happening within the strand. After doing the strand test (and the water test looks way more fun), you can see for yourself whether or not your regimen has been working.
Naska Llits says
Wow! I’ve always been told that my hair was very porous but I did the test anyway..guess what??? The hair was at the bottom of the glass in less than 5 seconds!!
Janell Walker says
Doesn’t that mean it IS very porous if it sinks…?
Shareta Caldwell-Rippatoe says
Low porosity and I checked when I was relaxed, transitioning, and natural (just so I was 100% positive I was doing the test correctly).
Teannae Miller says
informative! Thanks
Janell Walker says
I still don’t get this…my hair floats unless it’s touched then it sinks…if I pull it out of the water and drop it back in the water…it floats again. Either this is bogus or my hair doesn’t know what it is.
Brittany Richardson says
I think its bogus as hell….many people have gotten good results so maybe you and I are the bogus ones lol. But no seriously, I am having a hard time with it too.
Denise says
If the hair strand your using has products on it (leave in, oils, gels etc) then the hair will float no matter what. You need to do the test in Freshly washed hair before you added any products to it.
Deatrice Hildreth says
Low
Pamela Smith says
Normal porosity. Mine floated like it took summer swimming lessons.
Laya Miller says
Mine floated for a minute then started to sink.
Joy Monique says
I think porosity can be changed. When I first went natural my hair’s porosity was low now after 6 years it’s high.
BlackHairInformation.com says
You are absolutely right. Deep conditioning often increases hair porosity.
Joy Monique says
I need to DC more often.