While not everyone may agree with me, I believe only a handful of hair stylists are truly trained when it comes to understanding what your hair actually needs in terms of nourishment and care.
Why do I say this?
Well, if your regular salon visits are not improving the health of your hair, then something is definitely wrong. And at that point, it may be time to take matters into your own hands.
Growing rich, healthy, and beautiful hair involves several factors. Your diet, lifestyle, and the type of treatments you apply to your hair all play an important role.
Recently, I discovered something called hair porosity, and it made me wonder how many people actually know about it. The truth is that many stylists still prescribe a one-size-fits-all approach to hair care.
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| Image from Canva |
While some products may work reasonably well for all hair types, we have reached the stage where customized hair care is far more effective—especially when it is based on proper understanding and analysis of your hair. THE RULE IS: The more processed your hair, the more porous your hair will become.
Understanding this single concept can make a huge difference in helping you achieve the results you want—whether that is more volume, better length retention, or beautiful shine.
Healthy hair is not just about the products you use — it’s about understanding how your hair behaves. Have you ever noticed that a product works amazingly well for someone else but does absolutely nothing for your hair? Hair porosity might be the reason.
In this post, you’ll learn:
- What hair porosity means
- The three types of hair porosity
- How to test your hair
- The best treatment routine for each type
- So let’s break it down.
What Is Hair Porosity?
Hair porosity refers to your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. Each strand of hair has an outer layer called the cuticle. Think of the cuticle like tiny roof shingles layered over the hair shaft.
If the cuticles are tightly closed, moisture struggles to enter the hair. If they are slightly open, moisture enters easily and stays balanced. If they are widely open or damaged, moisture enters quickly but escapes just as fast.
This is what determines whether your hair is low, normal, or high porosity.
The Three Types of Hair Porosity
Low Porosity Hair
What It Means
Low porosity hair has tightly packed cuticles that lie very flat. Because of this, water and products have a hard time penetrating the hair strand.
Signs of Low Porosity Hair
- Water beads up on the hair before soaking in
- Products tend to sit on top of the hair
- Hair takes a long time to get fully wet
- Hair also takes a long time to air-dry
- Prone to product buildup
How to Treat Low Porosity Hair
- Use heat when deep conditioning (heat cap, warm towel, or steam)
- Apply products to damp or slightly warm hair
- Choose lightweight, water-based products
- Clarify your hair monthly to remove buildup
- Avoid excessive protein treatments
Goal: Help moisture penetrate the hair shaft.
Normal (Medium) Porosity Hair
What It Means
Normal porosity hair has cuticles that are slightly raised — not too tight and not too open. This allows the hair to absorb moisture easily and retain it well.
Signs of Normal Porosity Hair
- Holds styles well
- Looks shiny and healthy
- Rarely struggles with extreme dryness
- Responds well to most hair products
How to Treat Normal Porosity Hair
- Maintain a balanced routine (moisture with occasional protein)
- Deep condition every 1–2 weeks
- Avoid excessive heat styling
- Use lightweight to medium-weight products
Goal: Maintain balance and prevent damage.
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| Image from Oriflame Nigeria |
High Porosity Hair
What It Means
High porosity hair has raised or damaged cuticles with gaps. Because of this, moisture enters the hair easily but escapes just as quickly.
This type of hair is often caused by:
- Heat damage
- Chemical treatments
- Relaxers or bleaching
- Environmental stress
- Sometimes it can also be genetic.
This is currently the status of my hair as someone who used to dye my hair alot and use straighteners like crazy. Right now, I'm working on how to restore it to a healthier state. I'll let you all know how it goes.
Signs of High Porosity Hair
- Hair dries very quickly
- Hair often feels dry or rough
- Frizzes easily
- Breaks easily
- Absorbs products quickly but still feels dry
How to Treat High Porosity Hair
- Use the LOC or LCO method (Liquid, Cream, Oil)
- Seal moisture with oils or butters
- Use protein treatments occasionally
- Deep condition weekly
- Rinse with cool water to help flatten the cuticles
Goal: Help the hair retain moisture and strengthen weak areas.
From personal experience, you can prepoo your hair with coconut oil before shampoo.
How to Test Your Hair Porosity
The Water Strand Test
You can do a simple test at home to get an idea of your hair’s porosity.
Take a clean strand of shed hair.
Drop it into a glass of water.
Observe it for about 2–4 minutes.
If the strand:
Floats → Low porosity
Slowly sinks → Normal porosity
Sinks quickly → High porosity
Note: This test is not 100% perfect, but it can give you a helpful clue about how your hair behaves.
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| Credit: Canva photos |
Why Knowing Your Hair Porosity Matters
When you understand your hair porosity:
- You stop wasting money on products that don’t work for your hair
- You reduce hair breakage
- You improve moisture retention
- You develop a hair care routine that actually works
Hair health is not about using the most expensive products — it’s about using the right products for your hair.
Final Thoughts
Your hair porosity is the foundation of your hair care routine. Whether your hair is low, normal, or high porosity, the secret is simple:
Low porosity: Help moisture get into the hair
Normal porosity: Maintain balance
High porosity: Help moisture stay in the hair
Once you understand this, achieving healthier, stronger, and even longer hair becomes much easier. In addition to this, they're are a good handful of supplements to take to help boost with your hair health.
Until next time, take good care of yourself—and your hair too.
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