Protein Overload In Natural Hair

Protein Overload in Natural Hair

http://hairequest.blogspot.ca/2013/04/protein-overload-blues.html

Protein overload in natural hair is an issue many naturals encounter at one point or another. Proteins are essential for the maintenance of healthy hair. Not only is hair made up mostly of proteins but proteins are readily attracted to the hair and are easily absorbed by the hair’s surface. Additionally, water molecules are also attracted to proteins and will readily bond with them. Protein not only helps to attract and bind water to the hair but will also penetrate the hair to fix any weak areas in the protein structure of the hair, keeping it healthy and strong. It is for these reasons that proteins are added to hair products.

What is

protein overload?

Protein overload in natural hair is exactly what the name suggests. It results when too much protein has been added to the hair. There are a number of different types of proteins that hair is made from, however, the principal protein that constitutes hair is keratin. Approximately 70% of hair is protein. Protein gives hair its structure and strength and is required for hair to be healthy. However, protein is not the only key ingredient required for healthy hair. Healthy hair also needs an appropriate amount of water. Moisture and protein must exist in balance in order to ensure that hair is optimally healthy. Too much of either and the integrity of the hair becomes compromised.

http://blackhair.about.com/od/basiccare/fl/How-to-Balance-Moisture-and-Protein-in-Black-Hair.htm

Protein overload symptoms

The symptoms of protein overload include dryness, hair breakage, changes in hair texture and excessive shedding. These indicate a potential protein overload issue especially if they suddenly appear out of the blue with no change in your hair regimen. You need to be familiar with your hair and used to paying close attention to it or these issues and/or their causes may be difficult to pinpoint, particularly because protein overload may not be the only possible cause of any of the symptoms taken in isolation. More than one of these symptoms together, however, and it is extremely likely that you are dealing with protein overload. The symptoms of protein overload are:

 Hair that has become unusually dry and brittle
 Excessive shedding and tangles
 Feels very straw like and stiff.
 Breakage
Source: http://www.trialsntresses.com/natural-hair/protein-overload

Signs of protein overload in hair

Protein strengthens the hair but it also makes the hair inelastic.

Because of the loss of elasticity, hair that is overloaded with protein will snap and break when manipulated. Breakage doesn’t conclusively suggest protein overload, however, since hair that is dry will also break. Signs of too much protein in the hair may also include dull or dirty looking hair that does not stretch or stretches very little before breaking.

It is difficult to say what protein overload would look like beyond hair that is dull because you’d have to know what your hair was like before it became overloaded. Natural hair has varying degrees of natural shine and luster so there is no one size fits all diagnosis. It is important to pay attention to your hair as this is the only way to spot the signs of protein overload, moisture overload or any other hair problem.

What causes protein overload

Hair needs protein to be healthy and strong and about 70% of the hair is made from protein. Many hair products contain protein in order to fill in any gaps that exist in damaged hair and make it strong again. When too much protein is added to the hair, be it from one source or multiple sources, protein overload results and the hair becomes stiff, brittle and

inelastic.

Protein overload recovery
To combat excess protein or protein overload in natural hair or even relaxed hair for that matter, moisture needs to be added to the hair so that balance can be re-established.

The extent to which your hair is overloaded i.e. the severity of your protein overload will determine how long it takes to undo the damage. It will also determine the extent to which you need to avoid adding any additional protein to the hair. If your overload is severe, your regimen needs to consist solely of hair products without protein. This means that you must review your entire product stash in order to identify products for protein overload that are either moisturizing or at the very least won’t add more protein to the hair. Even the ones that are moisturizing must be protein free hair products or you’ll only make matters worse. You may also want to avoid using coconut oil while your hair is overloaded with proteins because it helps prevent the loss of proteins from the hair which will only amplify your protein overload symptoms. It can take weeks or even months to correct protein

overload.

How to remove protein from hair
As previously stated, hair is made up of protein and the integrity of that protein structure gives hair its strength. Over manipulation (mechanical damage) or damage from heat or chemical processing breaks down the protein structure of the hair, weakening it and leading to breakage and split ends. Protein in hair products fill in the gaps in the compromised protein structure and in so doing, strengthens the hair.

Protein is added to many hair products because of the fact that you’ll lose protein from your hair just through the course of normal handling and styling. As long as no protein is added to the hair and moisture is added, your protein overloaded hair will be remedied in time. Look for conditioners without protein such as Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Moisturizing Conditioner which is an excellent conditioner for protein overload being both moisturizing and protein free.

Protein free conditioners
https://blackhairinformation.com/growth/deep-conditioning/8-really-good-protein-free-conditioners/

Protein overload vs moisture overload

Protein-Moisture Balance
http://loveyourcurls.com.au/loveyourcurls/understanding-protein-the-protein-moisture-balance/

Protein and moisture must be in balance in order for hair to be healthy. Hair that is overloaded with moisture will be extremely elastic in contrast to hair that is overloaded with protein, which will be very brittle. For hair that is overloaded with moisture, a single protein treatment is usually enough to restore the balance. However, protein overload takes a lot longer to correct. You may use a mild protein treatment or a strong one, depending on the extent to which your hair is overloaded with moisture. It is also important to remember that when using strong protein treatments to treat moisture overloaded hair, you must follow up with a moisturizing deep treatment since strong protein treatments freeze and harden the hair. Elasticity must be restored or the hair will break during manipulation and styling.

How to treat protein overload in hair

If your hair has too much protein, take the following steps:

1. Use a clarifying shampoo to remove build up. Build up will hinder your attempts to moisturize your hair. After the initial clarifying, use a moisturizing shampoo such as Creme of Nature Ultra Moisturizing Shampoo, Kiwi and Citrus or try co-washing.

2. Deep condition with heat once or twice weekly depending on the severity of the problem. Deep condition using moisturizing deep conditioners that are protein free. Use heat during the deep conditioning process in order to help the moisture enter the hair strand.

3. Moisturize your hair daily, focusing on your ends.

4. Check all your product labels and do not use them if they contain protein.

There are also accounts of people who have had success with using salt to undo protein overload. This is not a widely-known practice but if you are not the patient kind and are not risk averse then it may be something for you to consider. ACV (apple cider vinegar) can also help to undo protein overload according to this account of a regimen to help treat protein overload.

The first step in treating protein overload in natural hair is being able to identify it. Which means always paying attention to your hair. If you determine that you do have protein overload, then with some patience and know-how, you can undo the damage and return balance and health to your natural hair.