28/02/2022
CAN YOUR HAIR ABSORB AND RETAIN MOISTURE?
Do you know that for your hair to grow long this year, it is important for it to absorb and retain moisture? Do you also know that to make a choice of hair products, you need to consider this essential factor? Stop wasting money to shop hair products that you don't need. Learn about your hair structure and maximize your hair growth by this knowledge.
Your hair shaft consists of three layers. These layers include:
The cuticle: This is the tough, protective outer layer of your hair that’s made up of smaller cuticles that overlap each other, similar to shingles on a roof.
The cortex: This is the thickest layer of your hair. It contains fibrous proteins and the pigment that gives your hair its color.
The medulla: This is the soft, central part of the hair shaft.
For your hair to stay healthy and hydrated, water, oils, and other moisturizing products need to be able to pass through the cuticle to get to the cortex.
But, if the cuticles are too close together, it’s not easy for water and oils to pe*****te the hair. This can make it harder for your hair to get the moisture it needs.
Also, if the cuticles are too widely spaced, your hair will have a harder time retaining moisture and staying hydrated.
The hair's ability to absorb and retain moisture is known as HAIR POROSITY. The porosity of your hair affects how well oils and moisture pass in and out of your cuticle. Hair porosity is divided into three broad categories:
1. Low Porosity
Hair with low porosity has tightly packed cuticles that are very close together. This makes it difficult for moisture to pe*****te the hair shaft.
With low porosity hair, it takes longer for water to pe*****te and saturate your hair during washing. After washing, it takes a long time for your hair to air-dry; and also, hair products do not absorb easily.
2. Medium or Normal Porosity
Hair with medium porosity has less tightly packed cuticles. The cuticles are not too close together and not too open either. This allows moisture to pe*****te easily, and it also makes it easier to retain moisture for a longer period of time.
With medium porosity hair, your hair is easy to style and can hold styles for a good length of time. It takes up color well and your hair tends to look healthy and shiny. Also, it doesn’t take too long for your hair to air-dry.
3. High porosity
High porosity hair allows moisture to be absorbed into the hair shaft easily, yet it isn’t able to retain moisture for long. This is because the cuticles tend to have gaps or spaces between them.
With high porosity hair, water and other moisturizing products are quickly absorbed into your hair yet, it tends to frizz, dry out and break easily. It doesn’t take much time for your hair to air-dry.
Hair porosity is largely due to genetics but other factors like blow drying, bleaching, straightening, over-washing, and using harsh products can all damage your hair over time.
Knowing your hair porosity will help you understand how to care for your hair better than you're doing. And that will lead to longer, stronger and healthier hair.
Keep following to learn next:
✓Simple tests for your hair porosity
✓Suitable products for your hair
