Porosity and Hair Typing

High Porosity Hair
Am I doomed?

One of the main issues with hair typing is that it can be used to segregate curly girls and too often encourages hair envy. What appears as admiration on the surface may actually be an inferiority complex. I’ve been there. I used to think that my hair wasn’t as good as someone whose curl pattern was looser than mine. Not only that, but hair typing lumps us into groups and suggests that everyone’s hair in group A, for example, is all the same when in actuality there are other factors at play. I used to believe that if I got a hair product that other girls with my hair type used then it would work the same for me.  This was until I learned about porosity and hair texture.

Not all strands are created equal. You could have type 4 hair which typically needs more moisture, but if it has lower porosity than it’ll have a difficult time soaking up that moisture. This is because hair that has low porosity can hold in the moisture it has, but once it looses it, can’t absorb more. This type of hair often feels like product is just sitting on top of the hair.  Highly porous hair can absorb moisture, but can’t hold onto it, leaving hair dry. Normal porosity means hair can maintain its moisture levels. 

Can we all agree that our hair can’t be lumped into these simple categorizes? It’s not so black and white. There are gray areas here, at least for me. I have at least two different hair types on my head. I know I’m not alone. I’ve been natural for seven years and transitioned by slowly trimming my hair every few months. My hair isn’t a newbie to this whole natural thing so what’s the deal? If you’re like me you’re thinking: Hey! I didn’t sign up for this! 

When I went natural I had no idea that there was an internet presence of girls going through the same thing as me. It’s like a lifestyle that continues to grow and evolve. I guess we’re still learning.

For more on Porosity and how to figure out where you fit on the spectrum click the link below. It's fun and easy to understand.