Many protein treatments come in the form of a mask. These are applied after you shampoo and are left in for a few minutes before you rinse off and apply conditioner. Other protein treatments are applied or sprayed onto your hair after shampooing and conditioning.
What's the right way to use a protein treatment? To add protein treatments into your hair care routine, apply yours on clean, conditioned hair and then wash it out. "If you have fine hair, you may just shampoo and then use the protein treatment so that your hair is not too weighed down," Williams notes.
Hair that is stringy, flat, or limp is a definite sign that your hair needs a protein treatment. Normally, hair should be pretty durable and full, so when it starts to droop, take notice. By adding protein back into the hair, you can revitalize your strands and get them to a healthier state.
Take an inch of your hair and stretch it, if it doesn't stretch or breaks, feels dry and rough, it is brittle/damaged and needs moisture treatment. If the hair stretches far and does not return and/or breaks, feels mushy, gummy or cotton candy-like, your hair needs protein.
As a general rule, deep protein treatments are safe to use about once a month but can be used more frequently depending on the condition of your hair or with the direction of your hairstylist. If you're unsure, try using protein treatments and products every four to six weeks and pay attention to how your hair reacts.
Depending on hair length, thickness etc. it will take about 20-45 minutes for the protein treatment to fully bond to your hair.
Very fine or thin hair can also benefit from added protein, which can help make strands look thicker and stronger. If your hair looks stringy or limp, those may also be signs that your strands need more protein.
Are certain hair types protein sensitive? There isn't a correlation between curl pattern or hair texture and protein sensitivity. Whether your hair is 4C, 3A, or 2B, you can have protein sensitive hair. However, protein sensitivity is more common in those with low porosity hair.
Coconut oil contains the right amount of vitamins and proteins, required by the hair.
Hair loss may occasionally be caused by lack of protein in the diet. Some people who go on crash diets that exclude protein or who have abnormal eating habits may develop protein malnutrition. When this happens, the body will help save protein by shifting growing hairs into the resting phase.
Protein. As hair is made of protein, ensuring you have enough protein in your diet is crucial for making hair strong and healthy. If you are not consuming enough protein in your diet, your hair is likely to become dry, brittle and weak. Extremely low protein diets may result in restricted hair growth and even hair loss ...
Do's of Protein Treatment
If your hair doesn't have any buildup whatsoever, just apply the protein treatment on damp hair. Your hair should be clean though. This enables the protein treatment to penetrate the hair shafts easily.
Interestingly, consuming too much protein can also lead to hair loss. This is because when the body has an excess of protein, it will start to excrete the excess through the urine. The hair follicles are then deprived of much-needed nutrients, which can lead to shedding and thinning.
If there is too much protein deposited in the hair it loses elasticity. It becomes stiff, rigid, and therefore more susceptible to breakage under lesser amount of tension. Combine this with already damaged hair and it is a recipe for disaster.”
Known as protein overload, having too much protein in your hair may cause it to appear dull, dry, and brittle. Keratin, the main protein in your hair, can be added to your hair to strengthen your strands.
Deep conditioning is an effective way to treat damaged hair and reverse some of the damage caused by heat exposure, split ends, and hair breakage. Protein treatments are meant to restore curl strength and elasticity, while also promoting hair growth.
Common signs of protein overload
If you pull one strand of hair it will have no elasticity, but instead it will snap and break. The hair will feel dry, brittle and stringy, because it won't have enough moisture to stretch and support elasticity. The hair will lose shine and look dull.
Just like your body, your hair requires protein to stay healthy. However, if these amino acids are compromised – by things like heat styling, colouring or other damage to the hair, the protein can become altered, leading to brittle, dry, fragile and frizzy hair.
If you notice your hair has become stringy, limp, or sticky, you could be lacking protein.
Hair looks limp and stringy.
Dull and limp hair is a sign of protein deficiency. Most clients will think it just needs a bit of hair styling product to bring it back to life, but this practice actually compromises the health of the hair significantly.
And over time, a lack of protein can make you lose muscle mass, which in turn cuts your strength, makes it harder to keep your balance, and slows your metabolism. It can also lead to anemia, when your cells don't get enough oxygen, which makes you tired.
Animal-based foods (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy foods) tend to be good sources of complete protein, while plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds) often lack one or more essential amino acid.