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Simply put, porosity refers to your hair's ability to absorb and retain moisture. Hair can have a low level of porosity, a normal balance or be highly porous. A normal balance is ideal because it ensures that our hair absorbs and retains moisture adequately. Low porosity is not a concern either; it only means that it will take your hair longer to absorb chemicals.

Hair that is highly porous, on the other hand, has more difficulty absorbing moisture. Porous hair also absorbs chemicals and heat faster than hair that is less porous. Resultant, it is more susceptible to damage from over processing. Another problem with highly porous hair is how quickly it loses moisture. Because the cuticle is open and stressed, it readily absorbs and loses moisture, causing the hair to look and feel dry and straw-like.

Test your Hair's Porosity

You can check whether your hair has a problem with porosity by completing a strand test. Glide your fingers through a strand of hair from root to tip and see whether the hair feels rough and dry at the ends. Another simple test is to place a few strands of hair in a cup of water and see how quickly they sink. Faster absorption of water (moisture) may seem ideal but it is not because highly porous hair will lose the moisture as quickly as it gains it.

What raises the Porosity Level of the Hair

Your hair's porosity is affected by the use of chemicals, such as relaxers, hair dyes and highlights; artificial heat from blow dryers and flat irons; chlorine; harsh sulfate-containing shampoos and natural factors such as the sun. It is strongly recommended that you reduce your hair's exposure to these agents to prevent irreparable damage to your hair.

Caution

Please note that the time it takes for chemicals and heat application to process in your hair is directly affected by your hair's porosity, more so than the texture of your hair. It is false to assume that your hair will take longer to process color, blow dry or flat iron simply because it is coarser.

What to Do if You Have Highly Porous Hair

As you've probably guessed by now, porosity problems can be corrected with light protein treatments because protein binds to the hair and fills in the overly exposed areas. Do not overuse protein as it can dry your hair out more. Slow down on protein use if your hair starts to feel crunchy, that's usually a sign that you are overdoing it. If you normally experience sensitivity to protein, another alternative is for you to use acidic conditioning treatments. Find a good acidic conditioner that you can substitute for the deep treatments; conditioners marketed towards damaged or color-treated hair are usually more acidic and will serve your hair well. They are formulated with the fragility of the hair in mind and therefore are very gentle. For a cheaper yet effective pick, there is always Apple Cider Vinegar.

Fleurztael Duckworth is the creator of Texture Playground. Please visit me at textureplayground.com/blog textureplayground.com/blog for more articles and styling tips.