What is High Porosity Hair? 5 Things You Need to Know

What is high porosity hair, and what are some of the main things you need to know about it? Continue reading to learn more.

What is the definition of high porosity hair? Understanding the porosity level of your hair is important for choosing the right hair care products and developing a styling routine that suits your particular needs. In this article, we will discuss everything about hair porosity, what causes it, and some high porosity hair care tips.

1. What is hair porosity?

Before we deep dive into high porosity hair, it is important to understand exactly what hair porosity is in the first place. Even if you are not familiar with the term yet, it might be a common hair problem that you may be dealing with without even realizing.

So, what is hair porosity?

Put simply, hair porosity refers to the ability of the hair to absorb and retain moisture. It is determined by the condition of the hair cuticle, which is the outermost layer of the hair shaft.

The cuticle consists of overlapping scales that protect the inner layers of the hair, and when they get damaged, your hair loses the ability to retain moisture.

2. What are the different types of hair porosity?

There are different types of hair porosity that your hair may get characterized by:

Low porosity hair

When your hair is low porosity, it has a tightly packed cuticle layer, which makes it resistant to moisture absorption. The cuticles lie flat and are closely knit, creating a barrier that prevents water and other substances from penetrating the hair shaft easily.

As a result, low porosity hair may take longer to wet, and can be more resistant to thermal hair styling, as well as any type of chemical treatments.

Normal porosity hair

Normal porosity hair, also known as medium porosity hair, has a moderately porous cuticle layer. This means that the cuticles are slightly raised, creating the perfect balance between allowing moisture to enter and exit the hair shaft.

This means that hair is able to absorb and retain moisture more effectively compared with low porosity hair and high porosity hair.

High porosity hair

While low porosity hair has difficulties absorbing moisture, high porosity hair has the opposite issue - the lifted or damaged cuticles create gaps that allow moisture to quickly enter the hair shaft, but also escape easily.

High porosity hair tends to be more prone to dryness, frizz, and damage from external factors like heat and chemical treatments. This type of hair has a damaged or a raised cuticle layer.

3. What causes hair porosity?

Hair porosity is often influenced by a combination of factors, from genetics to environmental exposure and hair damage from poor hair care practices. Some of the most common causes of hair porosity include:

• Genetics - genetic factors play an important role when it comes to hair porosity, because the structures and the characteristics of the hair cuticle can be influenced by genes passed down from parents or ancestors. Some people naturally have more porous hair due to their genetic makeup, while others have less porous hair.
• Damage - improper hair styling practices, such as overexposure to high temperatures from heat styling tools, using low quality flat irons and curling wands, and applying heat to wet or dirty hair, can cause damage to the hair cuticle. This results in an increased porosity.
• Environmental factors - environmental elements like sunlight, humidity, wind, and chlorine in swimming pools can all affect hair porosity. Prolonged exposure to these factors can weaken the hair cuticle and make the hair more porous.
• Lack of hydration - when hair lacks hydration or moisture, it can lead to dryness and damage, which can indirectly affect hair porosity. Lack of moisture causes the hair cuticles to become raised, leading to increased porosity.

Understanding the porosity level of your hair is important for tailoring your hair care routine to suit its specific needs.

For example, high porosity hair requires more moisture and gentle handling, while low porosity hair can benefit from heat and steam treatments to improve the absorption of moisture.

4. How to handle high hair porosity

As we mentioned earlier, high porosity hair means that moisture enters the hair shaft quickly, but also escapes easily. This means that your hair may be more prone to frizz and dryness, so you will have to take some extra steps to take care of it.

Here are some of our biggest high porosity hair care tips:

4.1. Use a hair mask

Regular deep conditioning treatments can be a great way to hydrate and nourish the hair, helping it hold on to moisture more effectively. Ideally, you should look for a hair mask that contains argan oil and tourmaline powder, such as the NuMe Vegan Tourmaline Hair Mask.

These ingredients help to seal in moisture within the cuticle, which is especially important for high porosity hair where moisture escapes easily. Adding a deeply hydrating shampoo and conditioner like the NuMe Shampoo + Conditioner Duo will further enhance absorption.

4.2. Apply leave-in conditioner

Using a leave-in conditioner after washing your hair can provide an extra layer of moisture and help seal the cuticle. However, it’s important to choose a lightweight option that won’t weigh your hair down or make it look greasy.

The NuMe Sleeky in a Bottle serum is a great option to add instant hydration and shine to your high porosity hair. Made using sustainably sourced ingredients like Macadamia oil, it eliminates frizz without weighing the hair down.

4.3. Use tourmaline heat styling products

Low quality heat styling tools are among the main culprits of dry and frizzy, highly porous hair, so you need to look for high-quality options that help to retain the moisture of the hair without causing heat damage.

Flat irons and curling wands made from the gemstone tourmaline are among the best options on the market. Tourmaline has ionic properties, which means that it emits negative ions when heated - helping to retain moisture, reduce frizz, and eliminate static electricity.

Made with tourmaline coated plates, the award-winning NuMe Megastar Flat Iron is a high-quality hair straightener that will allow you to straighten or curl your hair without damage.

4.4. Look for a heat styling tool with adjustable settings

If you have high porosity hair, the last thing you want to do is to cause further damage to your hair that will make it even more difficult to retain moisture. For this reason, it’s essential to look for a heat styling tool that allows you to adjust the heat settings.

The best temperature for straightening or curling hair will depend on your type of hair, so it’s important that you have the ability to adjust it to avoid damage.

4.5. Seal the cuticles

After applying conditioner or leave-in products, consider using a sealing oil or serum to help seal the cuticle and reduce moisture loss. Oils like argan oil, jojoba oil, or avocado oil can be highly beneficial.

4.6. Avoid excessive brushing

Excessive combing, brushing, or handling of high porosity hair can cause further damage, especially if you are doing it too aggressively.

It’s important to be gentle when detangling, and use wide-toothed combs or your fingers. Avoid harsh brushing and minimize unnecessary manipulation to ensure that you are not inflicting additional damage on your beautiful hair.

4.7. Protect from environmental factors

If you have high porosity hair, make sure to shield it from the sun, wind, and other environmental factors. Wear a hat or scarf when exposed to direct sunlight or extreme elements, and rinse your hair with clean water after swimming in chlorinated or saltwater.

For more information, you can take a look at our article on how to protect your hair in the summer.

4.8. Use satin or silk accessories

Another tip to take care of high porosity hair is to use satin or silk accessories, which help to retain the natural moisture of the hair - otherwise, high porosity hair tends to lose moisture quicker than other type of porosities.

These materials are smooth and delicate, which means that they create less friction compared with other fabrics like cotton. This helps to reduce breakage, tangling, as well as frizz - which are all common concerns with high porosity hair.

Using silk accessories, as well as sleeping on a silk or satin pillow, can also prevent split ends - that's because they reduce mechanical damage. With less friction and static, hair maintains its style and shape better, which is beneficial for fragile, high porosity hair.

4.9. Limit hair washing

Limiting hair washing is important if you want to take proper care of your high porosity hair. Since this type of hair loses moisture easily, excessive and frequent washing may worsen things by stripping away the natural oils of the hair according to experts. 

It also prevents over-drying of the hair, as each wash opens up the hair cuticles which are already prone to staying open in high porosity hair. By washing your hair less often, you will allow the natural oils of the scalp to condition the hair, which is particularly beneficial for this type. 

4.10. Apply products in the right order 

Applying products in the correct order is crucial for high porosity hair to effectively lock in moisture and provide maximum benefits. The right order helps in layering the products in a way that each product can perform its intended function without being hindered by the others.

1. Start with water-based or leave-in conditioner
2. Apply cream or moisturizer
3. Use an oil to seal the moisture of the cream or moisturizer 

4.11. Implement proper scalp care

When it comes to hair, scalp is the most important - and often the most underestimated - part of your beautiful mane, which means that implementing proper scalp care is an absolute must if you want to manage your high porosity hair effectively. 

Some scalp care tips we recommend include:

• Implement regular massages to improve blood circulation to the scalp for healthier hair growth
• Incorporate a scalp treatment to balance out the moisture levels on the scalp - we highly recommend the NuMe Hairology Scalp Serum - it can also help you strengthen the hair from the roots
• Lead a balanced lifestyle by drinking plenty of water and eating whole foods that provide proper nourishment to your hair and scalp 

5. What are the signs of high porosity hair?

If you don’t know how to identify high porosity hair, here are some of the signs that you should look for:

• Fast water absorption - if you feel that water is instantly absorbed when you wet your hair, you may have high porosity hair
• Rapid moisture loss - high porosity hair has difficulties retaining moisture, which means that it can dry out quickly after washing
• Tangles and frizz - due to the raised cuticle scales, high porosity hair can be prone to tangling and frizz
• Excessive product absorption - high porosity hair tends to absorb hair care products quickly. You may find that your hair easily soaks up oils, conditioners, or styling products, requiring you to use more product than usual
• Difficulty holding styles - if your hair loses it shape and definition quickly, making it hard to maintain desired hairstyles, it could mean that it’s highly porous
• High Density or Volume - high porosity hair can appear fuller or have a higher density because of the lifted cuticle scales. This can create a slightly rough or porous appearance.

Keep in mind that the exact signs may vary from person to person.

FAQ

What are the signs of high porosity hair?

To determine if you have high porosity hair, observe if it quickly absorbs water, dries out fast, tangles easily, frizzes easily, absorbs products quickly, has difficulty holding styles, and appears dense or porous.

These signs indicate high porosity hair.

Is high porosity hair weak?

High porosity hair is not necessarily weak, but it can be more prone to damage and dryness due to its open cuticle structure. Proper care and hydration can help strengthen high porosity hair and improve its overall health and resilience.

Is frizzy hair high or low porosity?

Frizzy hair can occur in both high and low porosity hair. High porosity hair may frizz due to its ability to quickly absorb moisture from the air and lose it just as fast.

Low porosity hair can also frizz if it lacks moisture and struggles to absorb it. Frizz is more related to moisture imbalance and hair care practices rather than porosity alone.

What is best for high porosity hair?

For high porosity hair, it's best to use moisturizing and protein-rich hair care products. Opt for sulfate-free shampoos, deep conditioners, regular protein treatments, and leave-in conditioners.

Seal moisture with light oils or butters. Avoid excessive heat styling on high temperatures as well as harsh chemicals, and protect hair from environmental damage. Regular trims to prevent split ends are also beneficial.

Is it hard to grow high porosity hair? 

Growing high porosity hair can be challenging due to its tendency to lose moisture and be prone to damage. However, with proper care like regular deep conditioning, protein treatments, and protecting the hair from heat and environmental factors, it can be successfully grown to a healthy length.

How do you wash high porosity hair? 

Wash high porosity hair with a gentle, sulfate-free shampoo to avoid stripping natural oils. Focus on the scalp and let the suds run down the strands. Follow with a hydrating conditioner, and finish with a cold water rinse to seal cuticles. Use a deep conditioner regularly for extra moisture.