There's no denying that low porosity hair can be a monumental pain to take care of, especially considering that a majority of people with this kind of hair are rarely familiar with its general composition. In fact, most people are usually not aware of what exactly having low porosity straight hair entails. By the way, there is a huge difference between low porosity natural hair and one that is straightened or relaxed with chemicals? Let's get right into it, shall we?
What Does Low Porosity Hair Mean?
If you are not familiar with this term, you might be wondering; what does it mean to have low porosity hair? You see, while there may be several low porosity hair meanings being peddled around, the most accurate one is one that refers to your hair's inability to retain or absorb moisture or hair care products. Apparently, how closed or open your hair's cuticles are determined by one's hair porosity. The cuticle, in this case, refers to the outermost layer of the strands of your hair. Typically, it usually comprises overlapping individual cuticles that mesh together, which should answer the first part of what does low porosity hair mean?
It is for these structural reasons that low porosity hair often grows slower or tends to break off before it has had a chance to grow into long and flowing tresses. What's more, hair care products meant for high porosity hair will be hardly effective on low porosity strands and vice versa. This implies, therefore, that you have to scour harder for products that are formulated for exactly this type of hair.
What Does Low Porosity Hair Look Like?
Are you currently wondering what does low porosity hair look like? For starters, it is imperative to know that hair porosity simply refers to how well your hair can interact with products and water. Generally speaking, there are usually three main types of hair porosity - low, high, and medium. Having low porosity hair ordinarily means that your cuticles are extremely close to each other that it becomes extraordinarily difficult for your tresses to absorb, retain or even hold on to moisture. And since your cuticles are tightly knitted together with minimal (if any) cracks, breaks, or gaps in their architecture, some signs that you have low porosity hair will include;
- Your hair usually takes almost forever to dry up after coming out of the shower (sometimes over 6 hours)
- Hair products will sit on the hair during styling instead of seeping through it thereby resulting in flaking
- You are likely to see water beads on top of your while in the shower i.e your hair hardly absorbs water droplets
- Your hair tends to have an unusually dry texture, sometimes almost permanently
As you can easily see, low porosity hair is extremely prone to breakages as it tends to be perpetually dry. So, one may ask, what does low porosity hair need? But even before we get the specifics of that, you need to have three things at your fingertips.
- Consider creating a low porosity hair regimen that ought to prioritize moisture retention or product penetration. Eventually, this should help you create strides that will minimize breakages and result in extra growth of your tresses.
- Optimize your body's natural hair growth rate by protecting the ecosystem that makes your scalp.
- Enhance your overall lifestyle with adequate exercise, diet, and nutrition to ensure that your hair roots are always properly nourished. Speaking of nourishment, adding Bloommy's Biotin, Collagen & Keratin Capsules to your haircare regimen comes highly recommended.
What Does Low Porosity Hair Need?
The unique texture and structure of low porosity hair mean that you have to be extremely meticulous about how you go about your hair routine. For starters, remember that while low porosity is essentially a genetic feature (you can literally do nothing about this), there are exists certain ingredients for low porosity hair that could dramatically improve the overall manageability of your tresses while also protecting them from accidental breakages or developing split-ends. This is actually the crux of an ideal low porosity hair routine which we will get right into in a few.
The Essentials of a Recommended Low Porosity Hair Routine
The kernel of how to care for low porosity hair is usually found in the routine. You see, the fact that water has a hard time penetrating your hair thoroughly also means that you are potentially dealing with a dangerous build-up of dirt, product, and grime if you are not careful enough. Luckily, we have prepared a few essentials to help make this doable.
1. Make Sure That Your Hair Strands are Extremely Hydrated
You cannot discuss how to treat low porosity hair exhaustively without mentioning hydration at some point. And considering that this type of hair can prove to be very difficult to keep well-moisturized, the essence of hydration cannot be overstated. The cuticle of the hair simply does not open wide enough to allow the penetration of neither moisture nor products. As such, there is a need for a special approach involving the following quick pointers.
- Ensure that your hair is conditioned regularly and consistently. The importance of weekly or bi-weekly hair masks such as Bloommy’s Biotin Collagen Keratin Treatment which employs a collection of ingredients selected for their capacity to restore growth and shine cannot be stressed enough.
- Use steam (from a handheld steamer) to increase the penetration ability of water throughout your strands to ensure ample hydration
- Lastly, make a point of applying a lightweight or enriching oil such as almond oil just after showering to lock in the water vapor and keep your hair well-hydrated
2. Clarify Your Hair
Treating low porosity hair ought to involve some form of clarifying shampoo in the mix. Apart from eliminating the build-up of products (which is almost impossible to avoid when dealing with this kind of hair texture), it is also an excellent way of seeing hair growth. Besides, by removing the buildup, deep-cleaning your hair with a well-formulated shampoo minimizes the chances of suffering stunted growth in both the long term and short run.
Pre-Shampoo Your Hair Regularly
Incorporating a pre-poo to your low porosity hair treatment is an incredible and low-budget way of adding much-needed shine and softness to your tresses. In this case, using a lightweight oil-based one such as our Biotin Collagen Keratin Shampoo to penetrate your strands should suffice. Anything, a well-executed pre-poo regimen can be quite instrumental in preventing your low porosity hair from snapping or splitting in the shower. Besides shielding your strands from mechanical damage, this also enables them to grow strong and long.
In Closing
As much as there exist comprehensive treatments for low porosity hair, it is imperative to remember that everyone's hair is uniquely different. As such, whatever low porosity hair care tips may work for your tresses may not necessarily work for the next person. In short, if you are looking for how to grow low porosity hair, you may want to craft a completely personal routine tailored specifically for your strands. This encompasses everything from hydration, nutrition, or a clarifying shampooing regimen.
