If we know the porosity of our hair, we in fact know everything about them. It is much easier to choose right care and avoid excess number of wrong cosmetics at the bottom of the drawer. What is more, there are definitely less problems with disciplining and styling hair. The question is: how to determine the porosity of hair?

Hair porosity is a way hair cuticles are arranged. Depending on the hair condition, they can behave differently, be more or less raised. If hair cuticles tightly adhere to the shaft then we deal with low porosity hair. The exact opposite is when hair cuticles are raised excessively, then hair have high porosity. Obviously, medium porosity hair are somewhere in between.

The method for determining hair porosity, that provides the most accurate result is, of course examination by the trichologist. What should you do if you do not have microscope at hand?

Take a look at it

Hair condition can be determined based on their appearance. Smooth, straight and glossy hair have usually low porosity hair. The most matte, frizzing, oily and difficult to style are high porosity hair. What is more, high porosity hair are also usually curly.

Examination by touch

The porosity of hair can be also determined by examining what they are like in touch. Low porosity hair are smooth, slick and flowing. Hair more dry, rougher and tangling have most certainly high porosity. If your hair in touch resemble dry grass, then their cuticles are wide open.

Drown the hair

If you need more specific information, because superficial examination gives unclear results, you can perform water glass test. Cut a small piece of the hair (best in the middle of its length) and place it in the glass with pure water. High porosity hair will quickly drown, while the low porosity hair will float on the surface and will not absorb water this fast.

Test the coconut

Great for the job can be coconut oil rich in saturated fatty acids. It is suitable for low porosity hair, which it conditions, provides with gloss and smoothers. However, high porosity hair will react to it with frizzing. Just perform hair oiling and observe hair behaviour. Healthy hair will like coconut oil while high porosity hair will have bad reaction to it.