Does this mean my hair is porous? Questions

[*ElleB]

My hair dries very quickly; and not that that in itself is a bad thing, but it dries quickly and all the moisture goes with it...

When my hair is wet, my coils/curls are defined and feel moist (post condish of course) but then as it dries, my hair frizzes and looks like cotton and I feel the need to keep applying product, because it is just DRY!

Is this bad porosity?

 

[sareca]

Hmmm, hard to say. Hair drying quickly can mean the cuticle is closed or closing normally. That's good. It means your conditioner is staying inside (assuming it got in). When my hair was really porous it stayed wet FOREVER. Here's a quick test for porosity...

Porosity of hair is the ability of the hair to absorb liquid or moisture. It is important when doing any sort of chemical treatment that the hair is not overly porous as it can soak up the chemicals too quickly and damage the hair.

If the hair does not have the same porosity over the entire head, some areas will process too fast. An easy test for porosity is to take a lock of hair and let it float on water for two minutes. If it floats, the outer layer is healthy. If it sinks, the outer layer is too open and will allow chemicals to absorb too quickly—in this case don't process with any chemicals until treated with the proper reconstructors.

When's the last time you clarified?

 

[*ElleB]

Hmmm, hard to say. Hair drying quickly can mean the cuticle is closed or closing normally. That's good. It means your conditioner is staying inside (assuming it got in). When my hair was really porous it stayed wet FOREVER. Here's a quick test for porosity...

Porosity of hair is the ability of the hair to absorb liquid or moisture. It is important when doing any sort of chemical treatment that the hair is not overly porous as it can soak up the chemicals too quickly and damage the hair.

If the hair does not have the same porosity over the entire head, some areas will process too fast. An easy test for porosity is to take a lock of hair and let it float on water for two minutes. If it floats, the outer layer is healthy. If it sinks, the outer layer is too open and will allow chemicals to absorb too quickly—in this case don't process with any chemicals until treated with the proper reconstructors.

When's the last time you clarified?

I clarified at least a couple of months ago erplexed I guess it is time....Thanks for the info, I am gonna go rip out a strand and see if it floats (that sounded funny)

 

[Tee]

Yup, I am going to try the float test too. This is new to me but good tester I guess.

 

[*ElleB]

Ok, it floated but I just came back and read that I was supposed to let it sit for two minutes...I let it sit for maybe 45 sec to a minute...I think maybe I should do it again...

So I am gonna clarify, shampoo, and get some Motions CPR or sumthin, and then the next wash, i am going to DC.

 

[Tee]

Ok, it floated but I just came back and read that I was supposed to let it sit for two minutes...I let it sit for maybe 45 sec to a minute...I think maybe I should do it again...

So I am gonna clarify, shampoo, and get some Motions CPR or sumthin, and then the next wash, i am going to DC.

I really thinkg that will help out greatly. Are you still having problems with tangles. (or was it shedding?)

 

[Tee]

Yup, I am going to try the float test too. This is new to me but good tester I guess.

OKay, I let me sit for about 5 mins. I keept watching and then I got busy doing something else and looked over again and it's still floating. So I like this little tester. Thanks sareca!

 

[crlsweetie912]

Bumping for seeminglysweet!

 

[pink_n_green_iz_me]

I feel so silly with a cup of water on my desk with a strand of hair floating in it My hair floated in the middle, so what does that mean

 

[seeminglysweet]

^^^^^^ I was just about to do the same thing!!!

 

[crlsweetie912]

I feel so silly with a cup of water on my desk with a strand of hair floating in it My hair floated in the middle, so what does that mean

Probably inbetween being too porous and just right. A protein treatment should do the trick.

 

[mahogany66]

cool, this is the first time I've heard of the FLOAT test, I'll test tonite..

 

[seeminglysweet]

my hair sinks, not completely to the bottom but almost. so is there anything i can do before my relaxer on saturday, that doesn't require me having to wash, that would help?

 

[Dare~to~Dream]

An easy test for porosity is to take a lock of hair and let it float on water for two minutes. If it floats, the outer layer is healthy.

I just did the test and my hair immediately floated to the top and stayed that way for over two minutes! YES! It's healthy! Though I wonder if it matters if your hair is clean or dirty when you test it.

 

[EMJazzy]

Hmmm, hard to say. Hair drying quickly can mean the cuticle is closed or closing normally. That's good. It means your conditioner is staying inside (assuming it got in). When my hair was really porous it stayed wet FOREVER. Here's a quick test for porosity...

Porosity of hair is the ability of the hair to absorb liquid or moisture. It is important when doing any sort of chemical treatment that the hair is not overly porous as it can soak up the chemicals too quickly and damage the hair.

If the hair does not have the same porosity over the entire head, some areas will process too fast. An easy test for porosity is to take a lock of hair and let it float on water for two minutes. If it floats, the outer layer is healthy. If it sinks, the outer layer is too open and will allow chemicals to absorb too quickly—in this case don't process with any chemicals until treated with the proper reconstructors.

When's the last time you clarified?

Goodness gracious....I just took this test and my hair sank straight to the bottom of the glass in less than 2 seconds

I'm 100% natural...I haven't had a relaxer in over 10 years....why is my hair so porous??????????????

Sorry for the hijack.

 

[*ElleB]

I really thinkg that will help out greatly. Are you still having problems with tangles. (or was it shedding?)

Yup...my hair still tangles like crazy! I've been low on cash so I haven't been able to get a new product for it I have this suite of like 10 different combs that my mom gave me a while back...Im gonna try a different kind of comb to see if it helps....

 

[camellia]

Okay, stupid question...erplexed

When you ladies are floating your hair in the water are you supposed to just set the hair on the surface on the water and see what happens or should you submerge the hair and see if it floats back to the surface?

 

[brooklyngal73]

LMAO!! I did this test a couple of weeks ago. My hair floated, and when I looked in the cup the next day, it was STILL floating!

I feel so silly with a cup of water on my desk with a strand of hair floating in it My hair floated in the middle, so what does that mean

 

[brooklyngal73]

I never thought of this. I just put my hair on the surface.

Maybe I should try to submerge it next time I test.

Okay, stupid question...erplexed

When you ladies are floating your hair in the water are you supposed to just set the hair on the surface on the water and see what happens or should you submerge the hair and see if it floats back to the surface?

 

[naturalmanenyc]

Thanks for posting this. My strand floated

 

[growinstrong]

so when it floats, does that mean you just continue with the DC's and stop the protein treatments?