HAIR POROSITY AND HAIR DAMAGE

The definition of porosity is the ability of hair to absorb moisture, which is mainly due to how swollen or tight the cuticle layer is against the hair shaft.

 

LOW POROSITY

Low porosity means low absorption of moisture

 

 

HIGH POROSITY

High porosity means high absorption of moisture

 

Understanding porosity is important to comprehending what effect various products have on the hair shaft. Coloring and chemical services, shampoos and treatments all have a different effect on healthy vs. damaged hair.

 

HEALTHY HAIR

 

Porous hair absorbs product more rapidly and can release it
more quickly – causing color to fade. Healthy hair absorbs
the proper amount of product.

 

POROUS HAIR

Hair becomes porous, dry or brittle because to the loss of natural lipids.
Very porous hair, where the cuticle is wide open, is usually damaged 
from over-processing due to too much bleach, over-coloring, and 
straighteners or due to the over-use of heat from flat irons or blow dryers.

 

DAMAGED HAIR

Overly porous hair tends to be damaged. Having the cuticle wide open
is like an escape hatch for hair color. Even the best color line can fade
more quickly due to unhealthy hair. Damaged hair looks dull and lifeless,
and breaks easily.

 

BROKEN HAIR

External elements like blow dryers, flat irons, the sun,
and even rough handling of delicate hair when it’s damp can 
also cause damage. Extreme damage can result in the cortex rupturing.

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Learn more about Hair Facts here.