Hair porosity is the hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. So, the more porous the hair cuticle is, the more moisture it absorbs. So where does medium porosity hair fall then?
The porosity of your hair often depends on genetics, but also has other factors contributing to it, like hair treatments like heat, bleaching, dyeing, over washing, over use of products etc and even over exposure to sunlight, causing the cuticles to open up.
Knowing the porosity of your hair can help you choose and determine what kind of hair treatment you require to be able to get the best results.
What is medium porosity hair?
This type of hair, with medium or normal hair porosity means that it is an in between type where the cuticles aren’t very tightly bound, but does absorb and get rid of moisture.
But if you have medium or normal hair porosity, it needs lesser maintenance than the other two types and using regular hair oils and conditioners can help maintain your hair as it is.
The characteristics of medium porosity hair:
- It means that you have to just maintain your hair and do not have to put in too much effort, as medium/normal hair porosity type is the best to have. It makes it easier for hair styling and setting.
- Will make the hair dry out easily after a head bath and also maintains a balance in the moisture levels present in the hair.
- Will give your hair a healthy, smooth and shiny look.
How to check the porosity of your hair?
Method 1: By checking the hair texture
One way you can do the hair porosity test is by running your finger down the hair shaft. If your hair is low in porosity, it will feel smooth in texture, while a high porosity hair strand will feel rough and uneven as the cuticles will be open. If it is neither, then you will know that your hair is of medium or normal porosity.
Method 2: The hair float test
This is one of the most common and frequently used methods to check hair porosity.
Here’s how it goes:
Fill a transparent glass full with water and drop in one strand of your hair into the glass of water. Then, wait for the results.
Note: It is important to make sure your hair is well shampooed and washed, before performing this test. Greasy, dirty, oily or product-filled hair will not give you the correct results.
What can you ascertain from the results?
So, once you have dropped your strand of hair in, observe carefully and watch the glass to see whether the hair strand sinks to the bottom, stays afloat or floats somewhere in the middle of the glass.
The result: If the hair strand floats somewhere in the middle of the glass, it means your hair has medium/normal porosity.
Note: It is important to know that this float test is not 100% accurate, when it comes to testing hair porosity.
You can test your hair porosity by observing the characteristics of your hair type (like mentioned above).