Dry hair can be due to many different reasons, but what should you be doing to fix it? Many people struggle to decide whether they should add more protein or moisture to their hair care routine. I’ve done some research and I think I can help!
To see if your hair needs moisture or protein, pluck a strand of hair from your head and stretch it. If the strand breaks or doesn’t stretch, your hair needs moisture. If the strand stretches but breaks or doesn’t revert to its original length, your hair needs protein. Hair lacking moisture feels hard and brittle; hair lacking protein feels mushy.
Keep on reading to learn more about how protein can affect your hair and how to go about incorporating it into your routine!
The Benefits of Adding Protein To Your Hair
As with all things hair-related, adding protein to the hair has its pros and cons. Depending on your hair type it can either be the best thing you could do for your hair or the worst!
The main benefit of adding protein to your hair is that it reinforces and strengthens hair and helps hair retain water. Protein treatments are great at repairing damaged hair by attaching protein to your hair cuticle, which hardens it and protects it from further breakage. Choose a protein treatment with conditioning properties to avoid dry hair.
01. It reinforces the hair
Protein can make the hair stiffer and stronger so that it can withstand tension. If your hair has too much elasticity and stretches and breaks when you comb it this is a great option for you. It will make your hair more manageable and less limp, ‘soft or stretchy’ and prone to breakage.
02. It helps the hair to retain water
Secondly, adding protein to the hair will help it to hold on to water and moisture better and for much longer. The molecular makeup of protein causes it to be ‘water-loving’ and will help it to bind to water. If your hair dries too quickly when it gets wet, and struggles to retain the moisture protein may be the best solution.
Hair that absorbs AND loses water very quickly, can be called high porosity hair. Protein, when added to the hair, will help to fill in the gaps where water escapes the hair and will bind with the water particles to prevent it from escaping.
03. It can make the hair too stiff
However, if your hair is already stiff and has enough protein, adding more protein to it can make it weak, brittle, and prone to breakage. With protein, you need to strike a balance. You need to first determine what type of hair you have and if it is lacking protein as you wouldn’t want to overload it.
04. It can be difficult to remove from the hair
Once the protein has been added to hair that didn’t need it, it can be very difficult to remove it completely. If you experience protein overload, you may struggle to get your hair back to normal.
The protein particles small enough to penetrate hair get in deeper and deeper the longer the protein treatment is left on the hair. Protein particles cling to low porosity hair with good structure (that didn’t actually need the protein) the most making it even harder to remove!
The Best Way To Add Protein To Your Hair
The most natural way to add protein to your hair is by applying a homemade egg yolk hair mask. To make this hair mask, mix one egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and honey. Following this, apply the mask to your hair’s length and ends and wait 45 minutes before you rinse the mask out using lukewarm water.
The best way to add protein to your hair is to do it in stages and slowly increase the intensity. Do not opt for a high-intensity protein treatment right away as this may be too much for your hair to handle. It can also be too intense for hair that isn’t really that damaged, to begin with.
Build up to a protein treatment by adding it in small doses to your hair through your hair products and see how your hair responds to the extra protein. You will be able to assess whether the protein is benefitting your hair or if it is harming it and you can prevent any possible mishaps or protein overload!
If you are planning on having a protective style done to your hair such as braids, then you may want to consider doing a full-on protein treatment right away. This is because protective styles often place a lot of tension and strain on the hair and the protein treatment could help to strengthen and reinforce the hair so that it can withstand the style you have chosen.
I recommend the Fortifying Protein Hair Mask and Deep Conditioner with Argan Oil and Macadamia Oil By Arvazallia for the best results!
How To Save Your Hair And Recover From Protein Overload In 4 Steps
Once the protein is in the hair, it is there to stay for a while! The protein particles penetrate the hair shaft very deeply and it can be difficult to remove the protein from the hair once it’s in there. Although the process is tiresome and a bit of a pain, it is not impossible for your hair to recover from protein overload!
The best way to save your hair from a protein overload is to wash your hair twice a week with a clarifying shampoo; a good one to try is the Biolage-Normalizing Clean Reset Shampoo as it clarifies your scalp and to retain moisture. Follow this up by soaking your hair is clean water to flush out as much protein as possible before conditioning your hair.
Step 1. Check your products
The first thing you need to do is read the ingredient list on all of your hair care products. Most hair products contain sources of protein in them so scour the labels for the word protein and get rid of these products!
You need to make sure that you aren’t adding any unnecessary protein to your hair in through your everyday routine as even small traces of protein can build up and overload the hair.
Step 2. Wash it out of the hair
Some people have suggested adding moisture to the hair to fix the problem, however, this will only mask the protein overload and treat the symptoms instead of actually solving the real problem!
Once you have rid your hair care stash of all products containing protein, you need to invest in a clarifying shampoo. A clarifying shampoo can be drying and may strip the hair of moisture but it will remove some of the protein.
You may need to wash your hair a few times with the clarifying shampoo to properly get rid of the protein, do between 2-3 rounds of shampoo during the hair wash process.
Step 3. Soak your hair
Next, you can allow your hair to soak in a basin of water for around 30 minutes. Fill up a basin/ bucket or bath with water and allow your hair to rest in the water. This will allow any remaining protein to leave the hair and collect it in the water instead. Once you have soaked your hair, make sure you do a final rinse with clean water!
Step 4. Deep condition your hair
It is now time to deep condition your hair! All that washing and shampooing using a clarifying shampoo would have really dried out the hair so you need to inject a boost of moisture into the hair! Try and use products that contain moisture-rich ingredients such as shea butter.
You may also want to incorporate a hair oil such as avocado oil or argan oil into your routine to boost hydration levels and prevent split ends or further dryness.
To avoid drying out the hair further, try and stay away from heat tools and any harsh chemicals such as bleach and hair dye or products that contain sulfates!
You may need to repeat these steps over the course of a few weeks depending on the severity of the protein overload! Just be patient and you should be able to get your hair back to normal, no need to get it all cut off!
Is your hair still feeling dry after a moisturizing treatment? It could be due to a few common mistakes! Check out our article here for some solutions to this problem.
Final Thoughts
Don’t be scared by the thought of protein overload, protein can be a good thing! If used correctly and in the correct circumstances and amounts, protein can make your hair both softer (through water retention) and stiffer (by reinforcing the hair)! Just remember everything in moderation.
If you still aren’t sure whether the protein is the right route for you, consult with your hairstylist or hairdresser so that you can make the best decision for you and your hair!