If you have dry and damaged hair that is extremely rough, hair porosity may be your issue. This condition refers to how well your hair can retain moisture. The cuticle, which is the flexible outer hair layer is a determining factor in knowing whether this is a problem for you. It becomes an issue when moisture and oil cannot pass in and out of hair easily. Why is it important to know your hair’s porosity? Because it allows you to choose treatments and products that provide the right nourishment to your hair in order to maintain a healthy shine and smoothness. Here's all you need to know about hair porosity.

Everyone has different levels of hair porosity. There are three different types to be aware of - low, normal, and high. Low porosity means the cuticles are shut tight making it difficult for moisture to enter. It also causes the build-up of products on your scalp and does not respond to treatments easily. Normal porosity is the type of porosity you'll want to have because it works to absorb and retain moisture. This helps to maintain a healthy shine and keep the hair soft. Highly porosity hair can absorb way too much moisture, which makes the hair frizzy and leaves it in a mess.

If you are unsure what category you fall into, then it's time to put your hair to the test. The first one is the float test. Put a few strands of hair in a cup of water. Make sure the water is at room temperature. Ensure the hair strands are clean. If your hair sinks to the bottom of the cup in five minutes, that means you have high porosity. If it takes its time getting to the bottom, you have normal hair porosity. However, if it is floating on the surface, you have very low porosity.

Another way to test hair porosity is the fragrance test. It's really simple to do. All you have to do is got to a place that has a really strong aroma. You can head to a fast food joint for this. Stay there for a good amount of time. If you reach home smelling of fast food, then you are more likely to have high hair porosity or low hair porosity. Either way, you need to find a good treatment to restore moisture.

Treating high porosity will not only nurse your hair back to health, but it will also protect it against breakage, dryness, frizz and tangles. In order to retain moisture, apply a good leave-in conditioner all over your hair. You can also nourish the scalp with coconut oil, jojoba oil or olive oil. Since your hair is already damaged, you should stay clear of hairsprays and heat styling tools.