Before we delve into anything, let’s do some quick educating for any new naturals out there. Hair porosity is the hair’s ability to absorb water and hold onto it and is affected by the cuticle of the hair. However, since there are a number of articles about this you can visit this page about hair porosity that really helps to explain it all.
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Drying Low Porosity Hair
As a low porosity curly, coily, or wavy, you have probably spent hours locked up inside of your house because of hair that simply refused to dry or woken up to damp hair. This can be very annoying, so if you want to cut down on your drying time, here are some things to consider.
A Curl Towel
While using your ordinary towel to dry your hair may seem okay, the fibers of the towel are just too rough on the hair and contribute to frizz and curl pattern disruption since they raise the hair cuticle. However, if you want to get the same drying benefits of a towel minus the drama, there are several options out there made of super absorbent but gentle microfiber or cotton.
Diffuser
Now I know many women fear the use of heat, but I propose that this method be used in emergency cases. Sometimes you’ve just gotta go, and when those times come around, you don’t want to risk leaving the house and having wet shoulders or leaving stains everywhere. A hair diffuser drastically cuts down on drying time. If you really fear the heat, simply keep it low or use the cool setting.
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Plopping
This method is amazing for curlies who want to maintain their curl pattern during the drying process because it allows the excess water to be removed from the hair without disrupting the curls. This method can be used both before and after the application of products. Some of you are probably wondering what plopping is, so allow me to break it down for you:
- Grab a cotton t-shirt. It should be has cotton, so that it will absorb the water.
- Bend over at the waist.
- Push your hair through the large end of the shirt and allow the bottom of the shirt to rest snugly at the nape of your neck.
- Wrap the t-shirt around itself. This helps to squeeze the water out of your hair and into the shirt.
- Spin the twirled end on top of your head to create a bun and tuck the ends under.
Lastly as a low porosity natural it is important that you try to at least get some of the water out before applying moisturizing products. The hair has the ability to only absorb so much so if it is already saturated with water the product added on top may just sit there and help to prevent your hair from drying.
Drying High Porosity Hair
If you are a high porosity natural, then your hair dries quickly, sometimes too quickly, while you’re trying to style it. As opposed to methods for drying your hair, here are a few methods for keeping it moist during styling:
- Keep your spray bottle handy. If you get to a section and it has completely dried before you are able to style it then a few sprays should do the trick.
- Use a creamy conditioner and consider leaving it in. The thickness of the product will help to keep your strands wet long after you step out of the shower. Just make sure it is moisturizing and that your other products play well with it to avoid white balls.
- Use an apple cider vinegar rinse after showering to help close your cuticles to prevent your hair from losing water too quickly.
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Drying Medium Porosity Hair
Lastly, if you have medium porosity hair then you’re one lucky curly. Your hair neither dries too quickly or too slowly, so you can take your pick of what method you want to use to dry your curls.
I hope this article helps, and as always, remember to have love, peace and curly haired bliss.
Do you know what level of porosity your curls have? How do you dry your curls?
This article was originally published in 2012 and has been updated.
