What suits straight hair may not suit high porosity hair. You should know how to grow high porosity hair to tame them. Growing high porosity hair while keeping them moisturized is a time-consuming process.
My hair also has high porosity. I’ve also faced a lot of issues in restoring their moisture. All these made me research a lot on this topic. Some of the hair care methods (that I’ve come across while searching) have definitely helped me. I’m going to share all the facts and methods that I’ve gathered and implemented to help you learn how to grow high porosity hair.
Oh, wait a minute! Before you know how to grow and keep high porosity hair moisturized, let’s see what high porosity hair actually means and how it is different from low-porosity hair.
What is High Porosity Hair?
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As you can easily see in the pic, low-porosity hair has closely knitted cuticles. This close laying of the cuticles prevents the soaking up of moisture.
Normal porosity is ideal. The cuticles in medium/normal porosity hair are rightly spaced so as to allow your hair to absorb water and keep the hair moisturized.
Unlike low porous hair, high porosity hair has cuticles that are too far apart. As a result, the hair can easily take in moisture but lost them soon. The absorbed moisture gets enough free space to fly away.
How to Grow High Porosity Hair?
Managing high porosity hair can be a nightmare for you. When it concerns growing high porosity hair in the best possible way, focus on how you can lock the moisture in your hair. However, the tips shared below will help you add to the shine and make them look manageable. Plus, these DIY hair masks for high porosity hair will enable you to retain the moisture in your hair.
1. Milk and Hibiscus Hair Pack
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Want to know how to grow high porosity hair? Hibiscus can be your friend. Hibiscus has lots of healing properties for hair. It seals moisture into the hair follicles and keeps them moisturized for a long time. Milk also keeps the hair moisturized and prevents breakage (which is a very common issue of high porosity hair).
How to Apply?
Crush the hibiscus petals and add them to the milk. Make a smooth paste with it and apply it all over your hair from the roots to the ends. Wait for 30 minutes. Rinse it off with lukewarm water. Do it once weekly to keep your hair moisturized.
2. Aloe Vera Gel and Coconut Oil
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Coconut oil reduces frizziness and gives a softer look to the hair. Aloe vera gel is the star of this hair mask for high porosity hair. It will nourish your hair from deep within and make it lustrous and manageable.
How to Apply?
Take 4tsp of aloe vera gel and 1tsp of coconut oil in a bowl. Go on massaging this mixture on your scalp till all your hair are full of liquid. Keep it as it is for half an hour. Wash it off with a mild shampoo.
3. Egg Wash
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Ready to try the no-poo method for the first time? Bear the bad smell of eggs for a few minutes. Eggs work as a conditioner. They also boost the volume of your hair.
How to Apply?
Wet your hair. Beat an egg and add 1tsp of honey to it in a bowl. Apply it from the scalp to the ends. Leave for 15 minutes. Use cool water to rinse your hair. And, don’t forget to condition them.
Go for this pack only once a month. It’s because doing egg washes too often can damage your hair.
4. Shea Butter
The ability of shea butter to condition and moisturize the hair makes it one of the most popular ingredients in many readymade hair care creams.
How to Apply?
Section off hair. Use shea butter to massage it onto your scalp in a circular motion with your fingertips. Or, you can use a comb to spread the butter to all of your hair without a miss. Let the butter sit for one hour. Then, go for shampooing.
5. Glycerin
Frizziness and dullness in your hair are caused by loss of moisture. Glycerol in glycerin controls the split ends and makes your hair easy to tame.
How to Apply?
Mix equal quantities of glycerin and water in a spray bottle. Use it as a spray bottle whenever you want to manage your hair for styling. If you wish, you can also add a few drops of essential oils to it.
6. Banana Mask
Bananas are rich in moisture content. For that purpose, many women use it to treat their high porosity hair. They improve elasticity and soften the hair.
How to Apply?
Peel off a banana and mash it. Apply it all over your scalp and on each hair. Keep it for one hour. Rinse it thoroughly with normal water. To make this mask more effective, you can add 1-2tsp of honey to it.
7. Avocado Paste
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Minerals, vitamins A and E, and saturated fats in avocado help to nourish and moisturize your tresses.
How to Apply?
Take a peeled avocado and mash it. Add one egg to it and make a smooth paste. Use it on your wet hair and leave for 20 minutes. Go for rinsing your hair several times to get rid of the residues of the mask properly.
Best Oils for High Porosity Hair
Oils are the best way to seal moisture. High porosity hair has excessively raised cuticles, which prevent them from retaining moisture. Therefore, including oil as part of your haircare regime is crucial.
Castor Oil
The strand-sealing property of castor oils makes them one of the best oils for high porosity hair. Their antibacterial and antifungal properties clean up scalp-related problems while retaining the moisture you need.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is packed with vitamin E, which supplies the required moisture to your hair. Being a heavy oil, it becomes a good option for those combating damaged hair.
Olive Oil
As compared to coconut oil, olive oil is a super moisturizing agent that can help you to seal the strands easily.
Deep Conditioning for High Porosity Hair
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Regular deep conditioning treatment is important for your curl care routine. You should go for deep conditioning after every wash. Slather on a generous amount. Apply them to your hair and wait for one minute. Then, rinse thoroughly.
Or, you can go for this nourishing treatment too. Take a warm towel or a plastic cap to cover your hair after applying the conditioner. Wait for 15mins. You can also keep it overnight and rinse the hair the next morning for better results.
Doing deep conditioning twice a week can bring back life to the hair.
Protein Treatment for High Porosity Hair
Don’t skip this step if you want to know how to grow high porosity hair. If your hair is damaged severely, switch to a protein treatment once a week. And, if the hair isn’t very much damaged yet, try protein treatment every alternative week. Damaged-haired girls should use larger proteins like mayonnaise, eggs, wheat, gelatin, and soy. The use of larger proteins bridges the gap between your hair cuticles. Consequently, moisture sticks to your hair for a long period of time.
Watch this video to get more insight on protein treatment for high porosity hair, why you need it and how to do it.
Mayonnaise Protein Treatment for 4c High Porosity Hair
Mix 6-7tsp of mayonnaise with 4tsp of coconut oil and 2tsp of honey in a bowl. Clean your hair with moisture retain shampoo prior to applying this pack. Once your hair is dry, make sections by partying the hair. Apply the mask on all sections of your hair in a way that all the hair gets covered with it.
After applying, wear a shower cap. Wait for 20mins. Then, wash off your hair with normal water.
Tips to Grow High Porosity Hair Naturally
1. Detangle Your Hair Gently
High porosity hair has open cuticles. As such, they are more prone to get tangled. Therefore, you’ve to be extra careful and gentle while de-tangling them. Choose a wide-toothed comb to do this job. Moisten your hair with an oil or a conditioner before you start to de-tangle them to ensure less breakage and hair fall.
2. Limit the Use of Chemicals and Heat
As already said, excessive use of chemicals and heat can also make your hair highly porous. If you want to maintain the overall health of your curls, skipping the frequent use of chemicals and heat will be good for you. And, if you’ve no other way out but to apply heat, go for deep conditioning beforehand to enhance the hair’s strength.
3. Stay Safe from Harsh Shampoos
Sulfates are the enemies of your hair. They are harsh cleansers. Steal moisture from hair, and make them rough. After using shampoos containing sulfates, you may observe a dry and itchy scalp along with a squeaky feeling.
4. Notice Breakage Signs
Keeping an eye on breakage will enable you to determine when should you start the hair care regimen and how often. Breakage occurs when your hair cannot get the much-needed moisture and nutrients.
5. Use Cotton Tees to Dry Your Hair
Drying your hair vigorously with a towel trigger friction and lead to breakage. Cotton t-shirts have smooth fiber. If possible, use them to dry your hair and protect them from getting damaged.
6. Use Lukewarm Water Only
Hot water lifts the cuticles and causes damage to the hair. Therefore, wash your hair with lukewarm water every time you shampoo and condition it.
7. Consume Healthy Diet
Maintaining a healthy diet is crucial for living a healthy life and it is no different for your hair.
Consuming balanced meals, packed with vitamins and nutrients, will make a big difference to the look and feel of your tresses as well as encourage growth. Vitamins A, B, and E are all essential for healthy hair as well as protein and iron. Consider taking a supplement designed to aid hair health but also, increase your intake by consuming foods such as spinach, oily fish, and nuts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Common Issues Girls with High Porosity Hair Face?
Girls with highly porous hair often cannot able to retain their hair length. Their hair fails to grow long easily. Plus, their hair tangles easily and has split ends.
Will the LOC Method Work on My High Porosity Hair?
In LOC, L stands for Liquid, O for Oil, and C for Cream.
The LOC method allows curly-haired girls to keep their hair moisturized for hours. If you’ve 4c high porous hair, try LCO instead of LOC. It means that you’ve to apply the liquid first, then cream, and follow it by applying oil.
L: Liquid or water helps to retain moisture and hydrate the hair.
O: Oil helps to hold the water as the water on highly porous hair tends to dry fast. Take only the oils mentioned above as they will penetrate the hair and not just will remain sitting on your hair.
C: Creams act as moisture sealants. Shop for a good cream product of your choice. Just check whether the cream is thick enough not to allow your hair to become dry quickly.
Read the details here to get a clearer idea about what it is.
Can You Suggest Some Styles for High Porosity Hair?
One of the main issues of highly porous hair is that they tangle very, very, fast. So, you can’t even think of playing with your tresses.
Protective hairstyles are your failsafe bet. The protective styles will not only prevent the hair from tangling but will also enable them to hold the style for quite a long time. Some of the styles you can try are:
a) Flat twists
b) Braids
c) Two-strand twists
However, there are many other styles too. Always, listen to your hair and pick the style that suits your face shape and yet does not harm your hair in any way.
Can I Fix My High Porosity Hair?
Fixing the highly porous hair completely isn’t possible. All you can do is to make them a little manageable and prevent them from looking very rough and fly away. The tips shared on how to grow high porosity hair will help you to flatten the strands a little. But, that too is not going to happen overnight. Though it will show some positive results instantly.
To get flattened curls, you’ve to stick to a result-driven hair care routine. For that, you can try any of the tips discussed above. Whichever suits your hair type the most, stick to it for 5-6 months to get any lasting results. And, once you get the result, you’ve to carry on following the routine. Otherwise, all your efforts of six months will go in vain.
Can Dyes Further Damage My Hair?
Coloring or bleaching your hair can damage them further. As high porosity hair absorbs all kinds of liquids fast, the dyes will penetrate the hair quickly and will be over-absorbed. The harmful ingredients in dyes will reach deep inside the hair, and make your hair more rough and brittle.
