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View Full Version : "Damaged hair sinks in water" Possible new hair myth?



Dreams_in_Pink
January 11th, 2010, 01:43 AM
There's this new tv commercial going around claiming that "Healthy hair floats on water surface whereas damaged hair sinks due to open cuticles"

Is this true? Or is it yet another hair myth developed to sell a product?

Heavenly Locks
January 11th, 2010, 01:46 AM
I haven't anything constructive to add, but when I skimmed by the title I read -

"D*mned Hair Sharks in water!"

I was like, ooh, that sounds scary!

Dreams_in_Pink
January 11th, 2010, 01:48 AM
"D*mned Hair Sharks in water!"


:rollin: good one!

Heavenly Locks
January 11th, 2010, 01:51 AM
Oh no! Look out for the *dun dun...dun dun...* HAIR SHARKS!!

http://www.davehamilton.org/Just%20for%20fun/smiley%20shark.gif

rogue_psyche
January 11th, 2010, 01:53 AM
I haven't anything constructive to add, but when I skimmed by the title I read -

"D*mned Hair Sharks in water!"

I was like, ooh, that sounds scary!

:laugh: LOL Do hair sharks chomp down on the hair of unsuspecting swimmers and mermaids?

To the OP: I think that's a myth. I've never tested it myself though.

Shar2
January 11th, 2010, 01:54 AM
I think there's a "wet assessment" a lot of people do to test their porosity and it's the same idea. You put some strands of hair in water and if they sink after a while then your hair has high porosity (ie moisture easily enters and leaves the strands) and if they float then your hair as low or regular porosity. Or something like that.

IMO, it doesn't really make sense to me either way because the water level in hair adjusts to the environment around it. So if there's more moisture outside (in the bowl, or say, when it's humid outside) than inside, the hair will absorb moisture and it will eventually sink (at least that's what I think) as it tries to equalize with the environment around it. Therefore, it's not a good test. But, it is a good way to get people to buy products.

Dreams_in_Pink
January 11th, 2010, 01:55 AM
Oh no! Look out for the *dun dun...dun dun...* HAIR SHARKS!!

http://www.davehamilton.org/Just%20for%20fun/smiley%20shark.gif

actually, i do think the products of that brand eat my hair like sharks :( they're full of cones and fragrance!! (which makes me think that promotion sentence is a myth)

Heavenly Locks
January 11th, 2010, 01:57 AM
Isn't a strand of hair just too light to break the surface tension anyway? :hmm:

TheEndlessOcean
January 11th, 2010, 02:52 AM
Isn't a strand of hair just too light to break the surface tension anyway? :hmm:It should be, until the hair absorbs enough water. I have no idea if the sinking/floating thing is true or not, but maybe damaged hair has more gaps that allow moisture in? :confused:

pelicano
January 11th, 2010, 03:08 AM
Yes, it's a porosity test. Whenever I've tried it, half my hair sinks (the oldest half) and the other stays afloat!

Loreley
January 11th, 2010, 03:12 AM
This is interesting. I don't think it's true, though.
Maybe if you wash your hair with a product which has a lot of cones, it won't let the hair absorb water so it will be lighter and floating on the surface. And without cones it absorbs water and sinks because it's heavier. :confused:

Dreams_in_Pink
January 11th, 2010, 04:20 AM
Yes, it's a porosity test. Whenever I've tried it, half my hair sinks (the oldest half) and the other stays afloat!

i don't believe in this for many reasons, but now i feel tempted to see what my hair will do :confused:


This is interesting. I don't think it's true, though.
Maybe if you wash your hair with a product which has a lot of cones, it won't let the hair absorb water so it will be lighter and floating on the surface. And without cones it absorbs water and sinks because it's heavier. :confused:

this makes a lot of sense. Their products are usually filled with cones. In other words they're saying "use our products so that your hair will no longer absorb moisture and will pass our healthy hair test!!" :D

itsthatgaljay
January 11th, 2010, 11:38 AM
I would have thought damaged, split ends have higher surface area, so is less likely to sink?

Islandgrrl
January 11th, 2010, 11:48 AM
Hmmm...now I'm afraid to get in the water. What if the damaged parts of my hair all sink to the bottom, taking me with them????? What then??? :bigeyes: I think I'm more afraid of that than those darned hair sharks!

pelicano
January 11th, 2010, 11:48 AM
It's because porous hair lets water in, therefore becomes heavier. Not sure why the scepticism on this one, to be honest. :confused:

pelicano
January 11th, 2010, 11:50 AM
Hmmm...now I'm afraid to get in the water. What if the damaged parts of my hair all sink to the bottom, taking me with them????? What then??? :bigeyes: I think I'm more afraid of that than those darned hair sharks!

That really made me laugh! :D

teela1978
January 11th, 2010, 11:58 AM
I believe this one to a degree. Cone-free or cone-laden, my hair floats quite well on top of water. But eventually the ends start to sink.

And I'm curious, what's the product? (lover of cones and fragrances)

Buddaphlyy
January 11th, 2010, 11:59 AM
I agree with Shar, they are talking about a porosity test.

Important note though: Just because you "fail" the porosity test doesn't mean your hair is damaged. Curlier hair is more porous than straight hair because the cuticles have a harder time staying flat because of the coils. Also "older hair" i.e the ends, are probably more porous than roots because they've been exposed to "damage" (combing, brushing, washing) for longer.


This is interesting. I don't think it's true, though.
Maybe if you wash your hair with a product which has a lot of cones, it won't let the hair absorb water so it will be lighter and floating on the surface. And without cones it absorbs water and sinks because it's heavier. :confused:

I don't think the presence or absence of cones would make a difference. Cones are not permanent and they don't actually seal everything. So some moisture would be able to get in regardless. Not to mention, if someone was say, bleaching their hair, cones probably couldn't cover all the raised cuticles from the chemical rearrangement that has occured.

enfys
January 11th, 2010, 12:08 PM
I don't care if it's a myth; my hair floats if I remember my last bath. I passed the test!

I don't think it's as easy as damaged sinks/healthy floats; it's a bit like how they used to see if witches sank...

Dreams_in_Pink
January 11th, 2010, 12:13 PM
Hmmm...now I'm afraid to get in the water. What if the damaged parts of my hair all sink to the bottom, taking me with them????? What then??? :bigeyes: I think I'm more afraid of that than those darned hair sharks!

good point! :D


And I'm curious, what's the product? (lover of cones and fragrances)

Here the brand is called "Elidor" but it's international names are Sunsilk, Hazeline, Seda and Sedal. The commercial claims to have brought hair professionals (?) together for a revolutionary line of hair care products (??), one of those professionals is "thomas taw" (???) who talks about how damaged hair sinks (????) :D

pelicano
January 11th, 2010, 12:16 PM
I agree with Shar, they are talking about a porosity test.

Important note though: Just because you "fail" the porosity test doesn't mean your hair is damaged. Curlier hair is more porous than straight hair because the cuticles have a harder time staying flat because of the coils. Also "older hair" i.e the ends, are probably more porous than roots because they've been exposed to "damage" (combing, brushing, washing) for longer.

Yes, exactly. It's helpful to know whether hair is porous, as sometimes protein treatments can help 'plug up' the gaps a bit etc (very scientific term there! :D), and acid rinses can help smooth down the cuticle.

Buddaphlyy
January 11th, 2010, 12:21 PM
Yes, exactly. It's helpful to know whether hair is porous, as sometimes protein treatments can help 'plug up' the gaps a bit etc (very scientific term there! :D), and acid rinses can help smooth down the cuticle.

Yep. I don't think I've ever passed the test (I do think it's useful though), but I know my hair is healthy (it's virgin, and I rarely use heat). I do use a lot of protein based products and I love Roux Porosity Control for keeping my hair in tip top shape.

MandyBeth
January 11th, 2010, 01:18 PM
Hmmmm, I've used Sunsilk before (hey, cone addict here) and then - protein made my hair throw a FIT. But if I kept using more cones, it behaves.

Now, having scrubbed the cones out (and itchy scalp with it - my hair doesn't like clarifying so well either), I've shockingly found that with a shampoo bar instead of SLS, and no more cones hanging around - hmmm, my ends DO like the protein. My roots don't, but they aren't so fond of any conditioner.

However - cone coated hair does still sink. But damaged hair will not sink on contact with water. It's too light. Once it soaks in water enough, yes, it sinks. Now, how long it takes for that section of hair to soak up the water, depends on about a bazillon reasons.

But I too read the title as "Darned hair sharks in water" and was thinking maybe that was my problem....