What is my hair porosity???

  I decided to do another strand test on my fro to see what my porosity level was.  I had done this test back in January, but I wasn't sure if I had done the test right lol. Like before,  It turns out that I have low porosity hair :)  I'm happy that my regimen has benefited my fro even before I found out the porosity level of my hair.   I don't have to make any changes as of now with my regimen :)  Yay!   




Here's how I tested my hair:

Normal Porosity

    Normal porosity means that your hair has no problems accepting and retaining moisture :) In the strand test, hair that has a normal porosity will sink at a rate that is not too fast or too slow.  Even though normal porosity hair doesn't have too many issues, be careful with what you do to your hair as porosity can change over time if damaging things are done.  (relaxing, coloring, flat ironing, excessive manipulation etc.)  

Low Porosity :)

    Having low porosity hair simply means that your hair has a hard time allowing moisture in and allowing moisture to leave. In the strand test, the hair will not sink after a long period of time has passed.  
(My hair was still floating after almost an entire day had passed!  LOL I ended up dumping the water because I figured that was plenty enough time to determine my hair porosity lol. )

Common Characteristics: 

*Hair has a hard time absorbing products and water

*It takes ALOT of water to thoroughly wet the hair!

*Hair takes a long time to dry completely

*More susceptible to product build up since the hair takes forever to absorb the product

*Hair is resistant to chemical processes (relaxers, and hair color)
 ( It use to take forever to get my hair straight when I was relaxed lol.  And I also used to leave hair color in longer than the recommended time as well lol.)



Things that can help:

*Try using Indirect heat (steam, and hooded dryers)  
  These things can help by gently opening the cuticles to allow moisture to enter the hair :)  (My fro LOVES the steam for a shower!  It pops right out! lol )


*Wash hair with warm water to remove build up from the hair strands

*Apply products to damp hair rather than soaking wet hair.  
    If you have a hard time getting products, butters and oils to soak into your hair, try t-shirt drying your hair for 10 minutes or so before applying your products.
    (I have no problem applying olive oil and avocado butter to my hair when there is a good amount of water left, so I guess it depends on what you use :)   )


Things to avoid:

Strong proteins:
   Protein tends to seal the cuticle even tighter so moisture will have an even tougher time getting in! Low porosity hair tends to feel dry and brittle after protein treatment and sometimes breakage can occur :(


Silicones, waxes, petroleum: 
   Since these things block moisture from getting in, it will not do any good for low porosity hair.  These ingredients tend to make the hair "appear" moisturized and shiny, but in reality that is not the case lol

Heavy oils and butters??? :
     I am on the fence with this recommendation simply because I use heavy oils and butter on my fro without any problems.  I use olive oil and avocado butter when doing the LOC method. I also use castor oil on my scalp  for deep conditioning.
  I think the reason I haven't had any issues with olive oil and avocado butter is because those oils actually penetrate the hair shaft unlike other oils and butters.  So even though they are heavy, they eventually sink in :)  
   

High Porosity

 Having high porosity hair means that your hair has no problem allowing moisture in, however the moisture leaves almost as fast as it enters lol.  In the strand test, high porosity hair will sink very quickly.  



Common Characteristics:

*Usually signs of heat damage, chemical damage or damage caused by being to rough on your hair.

* Processes quickly when it comes to relaxers and hair color



Things that may help:

*  Heavier butters and oils
  These will prevent moisture from leave the hair strand soo quickly

*  Apple cider vinegar rinse
   This can help close the cuticle to prevent moisture loss.  It also adds shine and smooth the hair :)

*  Cold water rinses
  After washing your hair, try a final rinse with cool water to close the cuticle and add shine to the hair.

*  Protein treatments
  Since high porosity hair tends to be weak, protein can be use to strengthen the hair.  However, be careful to use the right protein treatment.  Do your research to find the best solution for you :) 



Things to Avoid:


*Harsh Sulfates
  These ingredients tend to strip the hair and cause dryness...which makes problems worse

* Silicones, waxes, petroleum etc.
  These ingredients may make the hair "appear in better health but in the long run won't solve any problems.

*  Direct heat
  Heat will only make things worse and over time may cause thinning and breakage.


*  Harsh chemicals such as relaxers and hair color
  These things will continue to damage the hair in the long run and eventually cause major damage. 

I hope this helps!  Have an awesome day!!!

Check out my YouTube video, Hair Porosity - High/Low - NaturalMe4C