Hint: It might not be what you expect
One of the biggest natural hair myths I've heard is that adding heat to your hair will indefinitely cause heat damage. Everything in moderation is what I say.
Myth: Adding heat to your natural hair will cause heat damage
Tip: Identify your hair porosity
The Tea...
Image Source: Chev B.
When I started my hair journey I was so scared to add heat to my hair, I thought it would cause heat damage and it would be the end of the world!...well my world. Then I found out about hair porosity.
Hair porosity is just a fancy term for how permeable your hair is to fluids / how well your hair absorbs moisture it stays moisturized.
Low porosity hair is less porous meaning it doesn’t absorb moisture as easily as high porosity hair. Because of this, people with low porosity hair need to add heat to their natural hair routine to ensure the hair strands stay moisturized. This can range from using warm water, to using blow dryers.
Understanding your hair type will help you know what techniques to employ during your hair care routine.
How Can I Figure Out My Hair Porosity?
1. Does your hair dry up super fast after moisturizing? Most likely High Porosity.
2. Does your hair acquire buildup easily, has a hard time receiving moisture, but the moisture lasts for a long time once moisturized? Most likely Low Porosity.
3. Neither of these problems? Medium Porosity
Source: BlackNaps
There are visual versions of this test available on YouTube. See Bri Hall and Eugenia Kelcy on YouTube.
Give it to me straight
The key takeaway is understanding your hair porosity. If you find out you have low porosity hair, be careful to use heat in moderation and don't go overboard. You’re still prone to heat damage if you use heat in excess.
My hair has low porosity. This means my hair needs heat in order lift the cuticles to absorb moisture and properly moisturize my strands. What’s your hair porosity?
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