How to take care of your hair according to porosity –

Much is said about the porosity of a hair, but do you actually know what that means?

It is necessary to understand that the hair is formed by three layers: the cuticle, being the outermost one that resembles “fish scales”. A middle layer called cortexwhich supports the wire, and the marrow in the innermost portion of the wire, which does not play a significant structural role.

The porosity of the thread is related to the absorption of water and nutrients by the hair shaft, that is, when the cuticles are opened by various actions such as chemical, climatic or mechanical processes and the like. In this way, it does not absorb and does not keep nutritive substances inside, interfering with the health of the thread, making it brittle with a lot of frizz, lack of shine and softness, as well as extreme fragility.

TYPES OF POROSITY

Hair can have three levels of porosity: low, medium and high.

High

When the hair absorbs water and loses it quickly. The cuticles are open.

How to take care of it: “The ideal is to prevent damage to the thread, avoiding physical agents such as the sun, heat and frequent chemical aggressions, because, once the cuticle is damaged, there is no definitive regeneration, no matter how much the marketing appeals make promises” he says physician and trichologist Luciano Barsanti. “A partial, aesthetic care is frequent hydration with natural actives, such as Shea butter, essential oils, argan, coconut, murumuru, olive. In the other two situations, hydration is always useful and can be done once a week with natural active masks, such as extracts of white roses and rosemary,” he concludes.

In addition, it is important to remember to drink water and eat protein-rich foods, as a large part of the composition of the hair is based on amino acids and proteins and depends on vitamins (mainly the B complex) contained in food.

Average

Hair absorbs water and keeps it balanced, as well as nutrients. The cuticles are half open. In this reality, the hair is healthy.

Low

When the absorption of water and nutrients becomes more difficult because the scales are more closed. In this state, the hair becomes weak, stiff and brittle.

How to care for: “Low porosity hair, the ideal is to use products with a pH between 5 to 7 in the case of shampoos, prioritizing a more cleaning function, since normally hair in this profile does not receive nutrients, which the ideal is to gradually open the cuticles so that this occurs. the receptivity. There are treatments in beauty salons called unobstructors (they gradually remove formaldehyde from low porosity hair) thus allowing them to receive nutrients and acquire vitality” shares Ton Toffanello Tricologist and Cosmetologist, HTM Eletrônica consultant.

HOW TO FIND OUT HAIR POROSITY

There are several techniques that can be used to discover the porosity of the yarn. Viviane Coutinho, trichologist, shares that despite not having scientific proof, it is possible to find out with just a glass of water. “Take a thread and place it in a glass of water, if it floats, it has low porosity, normality will be seen if the thread slowly lowers into the glass. Already the high porosity if it quickly lowers in the glass” instructs. Luciano also says that it is possible to know if the thread is healthy by observation, after all if it is dull and lifeless it is not a good sign.

Ton Toffanello recommends consulting a professional with expertise and training in trichology or capillary therapy, as he will be able to provide a real diagnosis for each case, even using videodermoscopy.