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Hair is way more than just a strand of body tissue that grows on a human’s head or scalp. It is a multi-step process that has different levels and aims to serve countless purposes, depending on the hair type and desired results. The hair cortex is one of the most important components of your hair. This layer helps to determine how strong or elastic your hair can be, as well as its general health.
In this article, we are going to further explain various sections of the hair cortex, how it relates to hair porosity, how the cortex is distinct from the cuticle and how heat damage impacts the cortex. We will also look at how the hair cortex can be preserved and how the use of specific equipment such as the Laifen SE High-Speed Hair Dryer can be beneficial to hair.
What is the Hair Cortex?
The hair cortex is the second layer of the hair shaft, which is just beneath the cuticle and above the medulla, the innermost core, often absent in soft hairs. The cortex has a shaft in the form of long spiral chains of a protein called keratin, which imparts the hair the strength and shape it has. This layer is responsible for hair colour resulting from the pigment melanin and bonds of sulfur compounds that influence hair texture flexibility.
Depending on the condition of the hair, one can determine how healthy the hair cortex is for that particular hair. If this layer is compromised, your hair can become rough, dry and lacklustre. Sometimes, hair can become overly smooth. You should know the basic makeup and role of the hair cortex to be able to make appropriate decisions while protecting the hair you need.
Structure of the Hair Cortex
The hair cortex structure is mainly made up of keratin, which is a fibrous protein with the strength and flexibility of your hair. The cortex is the thickest layer of the hair shaft, and it is held together by sulfur-containing bridges that join the keratin fibres. These bonds are referred to as glue-like structures that take care of the shapes and flexibility of the hair. There are two main types of bonds in the cortex: Disulfide bonds and hydrogen bonds.
Disulfide Bonds: These are rigid, permanent connections that keep hair alignment and construct the curls’ durability. They are also involved in the formation of curly or wavy hair types. If these bonds are damaged (by wash and wear, perm or straightening), it leads to an indefinite alteration of the texture of the hair.
Hydrogen Bonds: These are relatively frail contact that are rather transient in nature. This is when they are broken and reformed every time that you wash and style your hair. They help the hair to be elastic but they do not form necessary bonds, which is the disulfide bonds.
Also, it contains substances called melanin, which determines the natural glamour and colour of your hair. The quantity and kind of melanin in the cortex reveal your hair to be black or brown or blonde, or red, respectively. Average dark hair is associated with more melanin in the cortex part.
Hair Cortex vs Cuticle: Key Differences
The cuticle and the hair cortex are considered two layers of the hair shaft but they are comprised of different functions, thus have distinct composition.
Cuticle: The cuticle layer is the first layer of the hair shaft and is made of shaped flat cells which are overlapping to each other. The cuticle is an outer shield for other tiers of the hair, such as the cortex layer. The cuticle on the hair will always have some levels of smoothness and integrity, which assist hair in retaining moisture and shine. However, when the cuticle is disrupted through the use of heat appliances, chemicals, or rubbing, then it leads to dull, frizzy and weak hair.
Hair Cortex: The cortex is dense and thick in the middle of the hair shaft and is situated under the cuticle. Due to its importance in making hair strong and elastic and possessing the right colour, it is seen as the main nutrient. Although the cuticle shields the cortex, the condition of the cortex defines the hair texture and its look.
For easier understanding, let’s assume that the cuticle is the hair’s armor while there is the inner part, the cortex which is the actual framework of the hair.
How Does the Hair Cortex Affect Hair Porosity?
Hair porosity is the measure of how well hair can absorb and hold moisture. It is an important consideration in emphasizing hair performance to moisturizers, conditioners and hair dyes. The hair permeability therefore depends to a major extent on the state and organization of the hair cortex.
There are three main levels of hair porosity: low, medium, and high. All of these porosity levels depend on the condition of the cuticle and the specific permeability of the cortex.
Low Porosity Hair: This hair type has close packed cuticle layers, and this makes it hard for moisture to enter the cortex. Low porosity hair type is shiny and smooth but can easily attract buildup in the absence of moisture.
Medium Porosity Hair: This is considered the middle of the best hair porosity. The layers of the cuticle are slightly protruding, so moisture remains good but does not come into contact with the teeth for the hair’s porosity. Hair with middle porosity is much easier to manage and style than other hair types.
High Porosity Hair: High porosity hair stand has the raised or damaged cuticle layers to let the moisture to permeate the cortex very easily as well as move out. This type of hair is normally dry and easily susceptible to frizzy and harsh hair breakages.
Hair cortex and hair porosity are related since the state of the cortex defines the ability of hair to absorb moisture. It also means that hair with a healthy cortex can retain the best level of moisture, thus producing stronger, shinier, and more manageable hair. On the other hand, the cortex is responsible for hair porosity problems that cause hair to become more dry and brittle if the cortex is damaged.
Hair Cortex and Heat Damage: How to Protect It?
Things like flat irons, curling irons, and blow dryers are used to make various hairstyles, including straight and curly. However, it is established that heat, whether too much or improperly applied, is destructive to the hair cortex.
The cortex has keratin proteins too, and these can be damaged with high temperature. This damage makes hair to become dry, brittle and hard to manage since hair literally breaks easily whenever stretched. Something else that may be changed in the cortex is disulfide bonds which may disturb the normal texture and strength of hair.
To reduce heat damage to the hair cortex, the following are recommended:
Use Heat Protectants: Stay protected from heat at all times by using a heat protectant product before using any Heat styling tools. These products create a form of shield around the hair, minimising the amount of harm that the heat can inflict.
Opt for Lower Heat Settings: Try as much as possible to utilize the lowest intensity heat that you will be able to achieve your preferred style. Stress that is accompanied by heat shocks at the cortex is dangerous and permanent harm can be experienced at the cortex when exposed to extreme heat.
Invest in Advanced Hair Dryers: One way of avoiding heat damage is to use the best hair dryer possible - the Laifen SE High-Speed Hair Dryer. This dryer is meant to provide low heat when drying your hair to reduce the rate at which the hair cortex is compromised.
Limit Heat Styling: The best way to achieve this is by avoiding exposing your hair to heat styling tools from time to time, where you can go for natural looks or air drying so your hair can have a break.
Conclusion: Understanding the Hair Cortex
The hair cortex is known to be critical in determining your hair's strength, texture, and health. The medulla is, therefore, the dense core of the shaft that holds the solid material protein called keratin and determines the color through melanin. It is, therefore, very important to know the difference between the cortex and the cuticle and how heat and porosity impact the cortex in order to have good hair.
It’s crucial to keep hair cortex layers safe and shield them mainly from heat aggression because it contributes to well-being, strength, and elasticity. With the help of tools such as the Laifen SE High-Speed Hair Dryer, you stand to minimise the amount of heat that your hair is subjected to, and your hair will, therefore, remain healthy and colourful for a long time.
Taking good care of the hair cortex helps to enhance their required quality, and this can easily be granted just by following the above mentioned rules not to expose hair to severe damaging treatments.
