Low Porosity 6yr old

HeChangedMyName

Well-Known Member
I'm in need of suggestions on how to deal with EXTREMELY low porosity hair? My DD hair is very low porosity and it can be soaking(if that 's what you call it) wet, yet it appears dry and feels only damp. It looks cottony, which is fine, except that it stays that way even with wet.

This evening I thought I'd try something and while washing her hair I filled the sink up and just let her hair marinate in the water. Even that didn't seem to work. Ughhh, I;m uber frustrated because I want to take the best care of her hair, but because product and water are so hard to get in, it is getting harder to do her hair, because of the tangles.
 

Platinum

Well-Known Member
She may have product build-up. OP, when was the last time you clarified or used a chelating shampoo on your daughter's hair?
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
@[URL="http://www.longhaircareforum.com/member.php?u=48973" said:
HeChangedMyName[/URL];16156547]I'm in need of suggestions on how to deal with EXTREMELY low porosity hair? My DD hair is very low porosity and it can be soaking(if that 's what you call it) wet, yet it appears dry and feels only damp. It looks cottony, which is fine, except that it stays that way even with wet.

This evening I thought I'd try something and while washing her hair I filled the sink up and just let her hair marinate in the water. Even that didn't seem to work. Ughhh, I;m uber frustrated because I want to take the best care of her hair, but because product and water are so hard to get in, it is getting harder to do her hair, because of the tangles.

Please share your current wash day regimen with us so we know what you are using. Also let us know what you are using during the week.

Here is a low porosity thread that may help you. There is another. I will try to post it when I find it.

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=575011

You may want to chelate and do the hair strand test before following any of the low porosity suggestions just to make sure she is low porosity.
 

Evolving78

Well-Known Member
yep remove all buildup and minerals from her hair and do a strand test. you need to use a chelating shampoo. mizani has a nice one from their Butter Blends collection.

oh and roux porosity control is not for low porosity. it is used for high porosity/to seal the hair cuticle.

what products are you using? are you using a lot of creams and butters?
 

sunnydaze

Well-Known Member
I'm in need of suggestions on how to deal with EXTREMELY low porosity hair? My DD hair is very low porosity and it can be soaking(if that 's what you call it) wet, yet it appears dry and feels only damp. It looks cottony, which is fine, except that it stays that way even with wet.

This evening I thought I'd try something and while washing her hair I filled the sink up and just let her hair marinate in the water. Even that didn't seem to work. Ughhh, I;m uber frustrated because I want to take the best care of her hair, but because product and water are so hard to get in, it is getting harder to do her hair, because of the tangles.


This is my daughter's hair. She has a ton of fine, cottony, 4a hair..dries quickly, tangles very very easily. Her hair is down her back, however I never have it down..its in twists 99% of the time, b/c I don't feel like dealing with the detangling sessions any more than I have to. For a down look, I'll just unravel the twists.

Hair like your daughter's and mine needs something that will "fill in the cracks" in the hair shaft and smooth the cuticle down a bit. Products that work on my hair are like water on hers..nothing.

One thing I like is the Shea Butter moisture lotion. Its very lightweight in texture, however it seems to keep her hair moisturized better than any other sort of leave-in, also helps get me get a comb through itSometimes I mix it with water and put in a spray bottle before twisting her hair.

She would probably benefit from sealing as well, have you tried that? Maybe put the lotion on first and then seal with coconut, castor..vaseline..?
 
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Tiye

New Member
Keep in mind that natural 4b/c hair doesn't "silken" up when wet. This doesn't mean that the hair is unhealthy. It basically stays cottony and products won't change this.
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
Keep in mind that natural 4b/c hair doesn't "silken" up when wet. This doesn't mean that the hair is unhealthy. It basically stays cottony and products won't change this.

Products won't change your texture. But different products definitely effect the moisture in your hair which either makes your texture appear worse or the best that it can be.

So finding the right products makes a difference especially for low porosity, 4b hair. Knowing your ingredients and ph balance of products is also very helpful.
 

curlicarib

Lovin'' All of Me
Go to your local pool supply store and purchase some pH strips. Then test the pH of all your products. The pH of hair is around 5.5. A pH lower than 5.5 will close the hair's cuticles. A pH higher than 5.5 will open the hair's cuticles. You need shampoos and moisturizers with a pH greater than 5.5 to open the cuticles and allow the moisture in, and a final rinse with a product that has a lower pH to seal in the moisture.

HTH

ETA: Once I understood how my hair reacts to the various pH's of my products, I was able to put my products in the right order. My hair has taken off. I am better able to get moisture into my hair and maintain it. I only moisturize once or twice a week (when I cowash), and my hair maintians moisture wonderfully, for days. I've gone upto 7 days without touching my hair and expected a dry mess when I detangled. I have been pleasantly surprised to find my hair soft and moist.

Good Luck.
 
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LightEyedMami

New Member
I have low-porosity 4b hair and the best thing for my hair is deep conditioning (with heat) and clarifying with shampoo (or baking soda) weekly....nothing has worked better for me then those things HTH.
 

Evolving78

Well-Known Member
This is my daughter's hair. She has a ton of fine, cottony, 4a hair..dries quickly, tangles very very easily. Her hair is down her back, however I never have it down..its in twists 99% of the time, b/c I don't feel like dealing with the detangling sessions any more than I have to. For a down look, I'll just unravel the twists.

Hair like your daughter's and mine needs something that will "fill in the cracks" in the hair shaft and smooth the cuticle down a bit. Products that work on my hair are like water on hers..nothing.

One thing I like is the Shea Butter moisture lotion. Its very lightweight in texture, however it seems to keep her hair moisturized better than any other sort of leave-in, also helps get me get a comb through itSometimes I mix it with water and put in a spray bottle before twisting her hair.

She would probably benefit from sealing as well, have you tried that? Maybe put the lotion on first and then seal with coconut, castor..vaseline..?

her hair sounds like mine. and my hair likes that Shea Butter Moisturizing lotion. this is the thing. her hair will respond better to products that are of a thin consistency or liquidity. once you use those, you can use a light oil like coconut, jojoba oil, grapeseed, etc... i like avocado oil for thicker. castor oil might be too thick.

my daughter has low porosity as well. i use liquid first, a moisturizing lotion, then a styling cream to smooth and seal. i wash/cowash her hair every couple of days and i dc once a week.

for our liquids we use Taliah Waajid Bodifier Mist, Wave Nouveau Moisturizing Mist, and Hawaiian Silky 14n1

for moisturizing lotions we use Oyin Hair Dew, Taliah Waajid moisturizer for kids, Kids Organic Shea Butter Detangling Lotion, or BB moisturizing lotion with castor oil.

for cream i use Taliah Waajid styling cream for kids.

i always work with dampen hair with my dd, then i apply the liquid moisturizing, lotion, then the cream when i am ready for styling.

i also mist her hair throughout the day with a watered down Taliah Waajid mist (heavily watered down)

my daughter is 3b/3c but it can be very dry. i am a very coily 4a. my hair tangles easily relaxed or natural.

i use the Wave Nouveau Moisturizing Mist on my hair and use jojoba oil to seal. very light and not greasy.

but to sum everything up, you need products that absorb into the hair, not just sit and coat the hair. that is why i suggest products that are thin or liquidity.
 

HeChangedMyName

Well-Known Member
She may have product build-up. OP, when was the last time you clarified or used a chelating shampoo on your daughter's hair?

Usually I alternate betwee kids organics shampoo and suave clarifying shampoo. I wash her hair biweekly now because it seems so dry. Ive cowashed her hair a couple of times as well.

Please share your current wash day regimen with us so we know what you are using. Also let us know what you are using during the week.

Here is a low porosity thread that may help you. There is another. I will try to post it when I find it.

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=575011

You may want to chelate and do the hair strand test before following any of the low porosity suggestions just to make sure she is low porosity.

On wash day depending upon how her hair is styled, I wash it in braids or in chunky pony tails. Afterwards, I apply kids organics shea butter detangler then seal with coconut oil or BB Castor oil moisturizer.

OP please post your regimen for you DD hair, what products you use and how often?

I pritz her hair with water and remoisturize every four days.

This is my daughter's hair. She has a ton of fine, cottony, 4a hair..dries quickly, tangles very very easily. Her hair is down her back, however I never have it down..its in twists 99% of the time, b/c I don't feel like dealing with the detangling sessions any more than I have to. For a down look, I'll just unravel the twists.

Hair like your daughter's and mine needs something that will "fill in the cracks" in the hair shaft and smooth the cuticle down a bit. Products that work on my hair are like water on hers..nothing.

One thing I like is the Shea Butter moisture lotion. Its very lightweight in texture, however it seems to keep her hair moisturized better than any other sort of leave-in, also helps get me get a comb through itSometimes I mix it with water and put in a spray bottle before twisting her hair.

She would probably benefit from sealing as well, have you tried that? Maybe put the lotion on first and then seal with coconut, castor..vaseline..?

that is how I seal her hair. and what I use. :grin:

Keep in mind that natural 4b/c hair doesn't "silken" up when wet. This doesn't mean that the hair is unhealthy. It basically stays cottony and products won't change this.

I don't have a problem with the cottony look, it just feels dry. even when it is drenched in water.
I've been researching and I may have to add baking powder to her poo in order to open the cuticle and also to help strip any product that isn't coming off during the wash. I'm determined to find a happy medium because her hair is growing and I want to keep it that way and not loose unnecessary hair to shedding or dryness.
 

HeChangedMyName

Well-Known Member
Thanks. does the castile soap lather? Check this out ladies: The first pic is her hair soaking sopping "wet" :ohwell: the second is just fresh out the towel where all I did was squeezed out the excess, and it is moisturized and sealed.
 

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Jobwright

Well-Known Member
My DD's hair is the same. It never really gets saturated with water. Even when I clarify/chelate, the water beads up on the hair, never really absorbing the water. Even after hours in the pool, the pool water just beads up.

But what I have found that works well is Elastsa QP Mango Butter. I section off a small area of hair, spray with distilled water (if working on dry hair), melt some EVCO in my hands, run the EVCO down the section, coat from root to ends with EQPMB, twist. The twist look sleek, moisturized and shiny. When it initially dries, it feels sorta like gel dried on them, but as the hours and days go by, much softer hair and the twists remain in tact without a lot of frizz. I use this product for mini twists, chunky twists, cornrows, braids, everything.

Daily, if not twice daily, I spray with a mix of distilled water, Tresemme Naturals condish and EVCO. After the misting, and if her ends are starting to look frizzy, I put a little JBCO on the ends and length to trap the moisture in.

Also, baggying my DD's hair at night helps trap some moisture in there. I just lightly mist with the mix I just described, put a baggy on and a bonnet on top, bed, then in the morning, softer, more moisturized hair. HTH
 
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