How to Fix High Porosity Hair: Dos and Don’ts

 By Tiffany Walker

High porosity hair can be difficult to manage and frustratingly frizzy, but there’s hope. You can take certain measures and avoid others to manage and even alter the porosity of your hair. If you have high porosity hair and need to learn to work with it or repair it, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll show you how to fix high porosity hair with the right tools, techniques, and products. 

What is High Porosity Hair? 

To answer this question, first, we should answer, “what is hair porosity?” Hair porosity is how porous the hair is, which determines how well hair can absorb and retain moisture. Why is hair porosity important? Well, the more moisture hair can absorb and retain, the healthier and shinier it looks and feels. And who doesn’t want healthy, shiny hair? 

High porosity hair, in particular, is porous, so moisture absorbs quickly but can also easily escape. The challenge is trying to keep high porosity hair hydrated. This is why high porosity hair can often look and feel dry and frizzy.

High Porosity Hair Characteristics  

If you’re not quite sure what your hair porosity is, you may be able to tell its level by a few signature characteristics. Signs of high porosity hair include:

• Absorbs moisture easily
• Air dries quickly
• Tends to feel dry all over
• Prone to frizz
• Easily tangles

You can also test the strands of your hair using various methods to determine if you have high porosity or low porosity hair.

How To Fix Porous Hair

Hair porosity is typically determined by genetics; however, it’s possible to increase hair’s porosity level with damage. If you have high porosity hair because of excessive heat, coloring, overwashing, or other damaging behaviors, there are ways you can nurse your hair back to health. On the other hand, even if your high porosity hair is the result of your genes, you can coax it into submission with the right tricks. 

Let’s get into the science of it. When it comes to your hair, there are cuticles that make up each strand’s outermost layer. These cuticles protect the core of the hair strand and allow moisture in and out. When hair is healthy, the cuticles lie flat; however, with high porosity hair, the cuticles are typically spread apart and lifted or damaged. The goal of healing and managing high porosity hair is encouraging cuticles to lie flat by repairing them and sealing them so hair can stay strong and hydrated. 

We’ll show you what to do with high porosity hair, whether you went over it one too many times with a flat iron or you were born with it. 

How to Manage High Porosity Hair

Once you learn the tricks of the trade, you’ll know just what to do with high porosity hair to care for it well and encourage it to behave. We made it simple: here are the dos and don’ts of dealing with high porosity hair.

Do: Hydrate

The first rule of caring for highly porous hair is always to seek out the most hydrating high porosity hair products. When your hair is properly hydrated, your sensitive strands will be less prone to breakage and damage. Think creams, butter, and oils in addition to hydrating shampoos and conditioners. Start your routine with a nourishing in-shower product such as our Organic Detangling Co-Wash, which cleanses and conditions without stripping your hair of its natural oils and encourages longer, stronger, healthier hair. Then, style with the Pomegranate & Honey Twisting Souffle to promote moisture retention and enhance shine. These products feature Jojoba oil, which closely mimics the natural oils in hair and effectively strengthens and moisturizes hair. Incorporating hydrating products is key in low porosity hair care as well and is an effective method for how to retain low porosity hair. 

Don’t: Use Excessive Heat

We all know the use of excessive heat on our hair can lead to damage. When you’re dealing with high porosity hair that is already dry and damaged, ditching heat, for at least the time being, may be inconvenient but is necessary. 

Instead, opt for hairstyles such as braids or Bantu knots that are heat-free. Fun hair accessories are another great way to make your style fresh and unique without the use of heat. Whatever you do, be careful not to cause too much tension on your sensitive locks when styling to ensure they don’t break. 

When you do need to reach for the blow dryer or flat iron, be sure to use a styling product with heat protectant, such as our Mongongo Pomade-to-Oil Treatment, and set your tool to a low heat setting when possible.

Do: Deep Condition

Deep conditioning should be a part of your weekly hair regimen no matter your hair type or texture, but especially if you have high porosity hair. A deep conditioning treatment will help restore hydration, repair hair damage, and ensure any new hair length is properly cared for. Reach for our Babassu Oil & Mint Deep Conditioner to infuse strands with protein and moisture. The complex amino acids from wheat, soy, and other all-natural ingredients in the product will provide strength, while the babassu oil will provide moisture. Leave this deep conditioner on for 15 minutes for a deep treatment, or slap on a shower cap and let it sit. The cap will help your head retain heat, which will help your hair reap all the benefits of the treatment. 

Don’t: Use Sulfates

Sulfates, commonly found in non-natural hair products, can be extremely drying to hair. It’s never a good idea to use them in your hair care routine, but when you have highly porous hair, it is a big no-no. Any drying ingredients will further strip your hair of the moisture it so desperately needs and can cause it to break. Instead, opt for a gentle, deep cleansing shampoo and conditioner duo that will boost your hair’s hydration, not diminish it. All of our organic hair products are all natural and sulfate-free, so you can rest assured you’re choosing safe solutions. 

Do: Rinse with Cold water

Before exiting the shower, turn the water to lukewarm or colder if you can stand it. While warm water opens the hair cuticle so your shampoo can rinse away impurities and your hair can absorb all the nourishing ingredients in your conditioner, a quick cold rinse will seal the hair cuticle and help lock in all the hydration you just added. Plus, you’ll notice more shine too. 

Don’t: Overwash

Overwashing your hair can cause friction and dryness, which leads to frizz and hair breakage. Between washes, reach for our Detangling Co-Wash to gently cleanse, condition, and refresh strands without stripping them of the oils they need to stay long and strong. Yes, we are giving you full permission to wash your hair less. 

Do: Be gentle

High porosity hair tends to be dry, making it more susceptible to breakage. Keep your strands safe and healthy by always treating them kindly and gently. Dry wet hair with a microfiber towel. Comb with a wide tooth comb. Sleep on a silk pillowcase. All of these simple tricks will decrease the amount of tension, and thus frizz and breakage, your hair experiences.

Don’t: Let Humidity Get to You

High porosity hair is more susceptible to frizz because the lifted hair cuticles allow moisture from the air to penetrate the hair shaft and cause it to expand. If you live in a humid climate, keep a humidity-fighting product in your bag such as our Mongongo Pomade-to-Oil Treatment to seal the hair’s cuticle and keep moisture in the air from entering in. 

Do: Lock in Moisture

The L.O.C. hair method can be a great system for hydrating high porosity hair. If you aren’t familiar with the method, L.O.C. stands for Liquid, Oil, Cream. It’s simply an easy acronym to help you remember to hydrate your hair in three steps. After you wash, condition, and rinse (hydrate), applying an oil to your hair will help the strands retain the water molecules from step one. Our Moisture Rx Leave-In Conditioner is perfect for step two in the L.O.C. method because it’s formulated with avocado oil, almond oil, and ginger oil that will boost hydration and eliminate frizz.

After applying an oil, go with a cream to lock in the moisture and seal the hair’s cuticle. For high porosity hair, you can use thick creams and butters such as shea butter, coconut oil, or our Moisture Rx Hawaiian Ginger Moisturizing Hair Butter that contains coconut oil and avocado oil to help seal in moisture and boost shine. 

Do: Be Patient

You can manage your high porosity hair and restore luster to damaged locks with proper care, but it won’t happen overnight. Be patient and stick to your new routine and before you know it, your strands will be healthy, strong, and easy to style. Our entire high porosity product collection was made to help manes like yours get there.