Here’s a blog post on the three types of hair porosity & instructions for an at home test to determine your type
The type of hair you have determines what products and treatments would work best for you. To get the most out of your hair and keep it at its healthiest state, you must know how to treat it.
The hair shaft is coated in a layer of scales that open up to allow in moisture. These scales allow hair to be porous and the way these are layered can make your hair more prone to drying out.
This means hair is highly porous. The cuticle layer is widely spaced and does not seal in a seamless way, meaning there are more gaps allowing moisture in very easily.
Moisturizers work very well for this hair type because they absorb quickly into the hair shaft. However, high porosity hair is also highly prone to losing moisture. Because the scales are set farther apart this allows moisture to leave very easily.
High porosity hair is commonly frizzy, dry, and brittle unless it is moisturized daily/ every other day. Because high porosity hair is so prone to losing moisture, this also makes it very prone to breakage and damage. Leave in conditioners and oils are great for this type.
Oils act as a great moisturizer for high porosity hair because they absorb very easily into the hair shaft and do not leave hair feeling greasy. I recommend daily application of a small amount of oil on the ends of high porosity hair.
Low porosity hair means hair is not very porous. The scales on the cuticle are set very closely and create a very protective barrier around the inner hair shaft.
This hair type has a hard time absorbing moisture, and product buildup is very common. This hair type also takes a very long time to dry after washing it.
Daily application of oils or hair masks is not a good idea with this type of hair. Because the cuticles are set so closely it’s difficult for moisture to absorb in and you will likely end up with a lots of product just sitting on your hair.
The best way to treat this kind of hair is to apply hair masks and oils when the hair shaft is wet. The cuticle layer swells when hair becomes wet opening the scales and allowing moisture in more easily.
If you do want to apply oils, choose lightweight ones that will absorb through the hair shaft. These include: coconut oil, argan oil, avocado oil, and jojoba oil.
This is a great balance between high & low porosity & this is arguably the most ideal hair type. It is the least prone to breakage & damage because the cuticle layer is highly protective, but it is porous enough to allow in conditioners & lock in moisture.
This hair type styles well & often looks shiny. Medium porosity hair is the easiest to care for & you can get away with a lot.
One of the easiest ways to determine hair porosity is know how long it takes to dry after washing. If it takes a long time to dry that is low porosity. If it drys quick that is likely high porosity.
Place a hair strand in a full glass of water & wait 10 minutes. If the strand is floating, that is low porosity hair because it didn’t absorb water. If it’s at the bottom of the glass it is high porosity hair, & if it’s in the middle that’s medium porosity.
