New Here And Need Advice

[Purpleroses1010]

Hello everyone. I'm so excited to find a forum for hair care.
I started my relaxed hair journey in September 2015. I did an at home relaxer after taking out box braids. My hair was under processed so 3 months later I went to a hair stylist. She did a corrective relaxer. Around a month later I started to see a lot of my hair shedding. I tried to do protein treatments,deep condition,co wash but it still kept shedding.

In April 2016 I went back to the stylist for a touch up. She relaxed my whole head because she said it should be straight. She also said my ends are horrible and it needed more time to process. I told her I like having texture to my hair but she didn't listen. Now my hair shedding has gotten really bad. Almost everyday there's shedding. I tried everything. Including black tea rinses. I don't know if I'm doing them right or if I need a different brand. My hair is shoulder/almost armpit length. It's so frustrating to co wash or shampoo and there's so much shedding. My hair is still thick though. The hair strands are long not short. Any advice,tricks,tips would be appreciated.
-Thanks

 

[almond eyes]

Hello everyone. I'm so excited to find a forum for hair care.
I started my relaxed hair journey in September 2015. I did an at home relaxer after taking out box braids. My hair was under processed so 3 months later I went to a hair stylist. She did a corrective relaxer. Around a month later I started to see a lot of my hair shedding. I tried to do protein treatments,deep condition,co wash but it still kept shedding.

In April 2016 I went back to the stylist for a touch up. She relaxed my whole head because she said it should be straight. She also said my ends are horrible and it needed more time to process. I told her I like having texture to my hair but she didn't listen. Now my hair shedding has gotten really bad. Almost everyday there's shedding. I tried everything. Including black tea rinses. I don't know if I'm doing them right or if I need a different brand. My hair is shoulder/almost armpit length. It's so frustrating to co wash or shampoo and there's so much shedding. My hair is still thick though. The hair strands are long not short. Any advice,tricks,tips would be appreciated.
-Thanks

Sounds like your hair may be low porosity or that the extension braids caused some issues with your hair cuticles that effected the relaxer from taking. I stopped relaxing my hair in 2013 when I realized that my low porosity and frizzy hair is resistant to chemicals. And I also stopped using extension braids because it made my hair very dry and porous. It is critical to do protein and moisture treatments for a few weeks before putting back in extension braids or doing a relaxer.

You may want to do some protein treatments to get your hair strong and health again and if the ends are not great you may have to do some trimming.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[ms.blue]

Look up the Olaplex thread...maybe that product will help with the shedding /breakage from the hair being over processed.

 

[Subscribe]

Hello and welcome.

Find a new stylist and read everything you can on this forum for relaxed hair.

Protein, protein,protein.

 

[Saludable84]

Hello everyone. I'm so excited to find a forum for hair care.
I started my relaxed hair journey in September 2015. I did an at home relaxer after taking out box braids. My hair was under processed so 3 months later I went to a hair stylist. She did a corrective relaxer. Around a month later I started to see a lot of my hair shedding. I tried to do protein treatments,deep condition,co wash but it still kept shedding.

In April 2016 I went back to the stylist for a touch up. She relaxed my whole head because she said it should be straight. She also said my ends are horrible and it needed more time to process. I told her I like having texture to my hair but she didn't listen. Now my hair shedding has gotten really bad. Almost everyday there's shedding. I tried everything. Including black tea rinses. I don't know if I'm doing them right or if I need a different brand. My hair is shoulder/almost armpit length. It's so frustrating to co wash or shampoo and there's so much shedding. My hair is still thick though. The hair strands are long not short. Any advice,tricks,tips would be appreciated.
-Thanks

First, you need to relax on the relaxers for a while. Im not saying to get you to stop relaxing, Im saying that because your hair and scalp need a break.

Second, that stylist is a big Even if a corrective was done, which can be very damaging, the second time around, she basically did another corrective on top of corrected hair. If you told her you wanted texture and she did what she wanted to do, she will just do what she wants to do going forward.

There are lots of underlying issues for shedding. Your scalp may just need a rest. I dont know your regimen to really speak on that, but it could also be just normal shedding. When I was relaxed, since my hair was long, shedding always looked like a lot of hair. As a natural, shedding looks like a nightmare because of the curling and lengt. Also, make sure its shedding and not breakage. Check for bulbs.

If tea rinses dont work, try applying odorless garlic to your scalp or use products targeted towards hair fall.

PM if you need to. Relaxed hair thread and @sunnieb can help too.

 

[sunnieb]

@Purpleroses1010 welcome to the forum!

How is your hair? Have you tried anything suggested here?

 

[Atthatday]

Welcome! Sorry that you are going through this, but you're in the right place. The members are very knowledgeable, helpful and right on point.

As for treatment: OLAPLEX , OLAPLEX, OLAPLEX!!! Though it's a professional product, I can attest that it works wonders!!! I wish I was aware of it earlier, but I'm grateful my search has ended.

Good luck and blessings!!

 

[NappyNelle]

Welcome @Purpleroses1010 !

Do you have a regimen? If so, can you share it and include the products you are using? Have you made any changes to this regimen since the April relaxer?

 

[Purpleroses1010]

Sounds like your hair may be low porosity or that the extension braids caused some issues with your hair cuticles that effected the relaxer from taking. I stopped relaxing my hair in 2013 when I realized that my low porosity and frizzy hair is resistant to chemicals. And I also stopped using extension braids because it made my hair very dry and porous. It is critical to do protein and moisture treatments for a few weeks before putting back in extension braids or doing a relaxer.

You may want to do some protein treatments to get your hair strong and health again and if the ends are not great you may have to do some trimming.

Best,
Almond Eyes

I use hair mayo once a month and a the argan oil deep condition twice a month. I think the deep condition has protein

 

[Purpleroses1010]

Welcome @Purpleroses1010 !

Do you have a regimen? If so, can you share it and include the products you are using? Have you made any changes to this regimen since the April relaxer?

Deep condition- Argan oil creme of nature deep condition 2x a month

Shampoo- I used the olive oil ors shampoo, but hated it. I also used the argan oil shampoo. My hair hated that too. So now I'm using the twisted sista shampoo. I shampoo twice a month.

Conditioner/co wash-Tresemme moisture rich. Eden cleansing co wash. I co wash once a week.

Moisturizer/Leave in- DIY. I found this online. Conditioner, water, glycerin. Every 1-2 days+ seal with extra virgin coconut oil.

Leave in- Shea Cantu leave in.

Protein treatment- Ors Hair mayo.
Once a month

Oil scalp with extra virgin coconut oil, evoo, cold pressed castor oil. 3x a week.

No heat since April.

I started using green tea and black tea treatments. Every two weeks.

 

[Purpleroses1010]

Welcome! Sorry that you are going through this, but you're in the right place. The members are very knowledgeable, helpful and right on point.

As for treatment: OLAPLEX , OLAPLEX, OLAPLEX!!! Though it's a professional product, I can attest that it works wonders!!! I wish I was aware of it earlier, but I'm grateful my search has ended.

Good luck and blessings!!

Can you tell me how it worked for you?

 

[Purpleroses1010]

@Purpleroses1010 welcome to the forum!

How is your hair? Have you tried anything suggested here?

I'm still looking. Can you post links to things you think would be helpful. I think I need to change my regimen

 

[Purpleroses1010]

T

First, you need to relax on the relaxers for a while. Im not saying to get you to stop relaxing, Im saying that because your hair and scalp need a break.

Second, that stylist is a big Even if a corrective was done, which can be very damaging, the second time around, she basically did another corrective on top of corrected hair. If you told her you wanted texture and she did what she wanted to do, she will just do what she wants to do going forward.

There are lots of underlying issues for shedding. Your scalp may just need a rest. I dont know your regimen to really speak on that, but it could also be just normal shedding. When I was relaxed, since my hair was long, shedding always looked like a lot of hair. As a natural, shedding looks like a nightmare because of the curling and lengt. Also, make sure its shedding and not breakage. Check for bulbs.

If tea rinses dont work, try applying odorless garlic to your scalp or use products targeted towards hair fall.

PM if you need to. Relaxed hair thread and @sunnieb can help too.

Thanks. I'm never going back. I'll learn how to self relax. I think it is shedding because it's long. I need to check for the bulbs. Im also taking your advice and not relaxing until I get my shedding under control.

 

[Purpleroses1010]

Thank you so much ladies. All of you are so nice and helpful.

 

[NappyNelle]

Deep condition- Argan oil creme of nature deep condition 2x a month

Shampoo- I used the olive oil ors shampoo, but hated it. I also used the argan oil shampoo. My hair hated that too. So now I'm using the twisted sista shampoo. I shampoo twice a month.

Conditioner/co wash-Tresemme moisture rich. Eden cleansing co wash. I co wash once a week.

Moisturizer/Leave in- DIY. I found this online. Conditioner, water, glycerin. Every 1-2 days+ seal with extra virgin coconut oil.

Leave in- Shea Cantu leave in.

Protein treatment- Ors Hair mayo.
Once a month

Oil scalp with extra virgin coconut oil, evoo, cold pressed castor oil. 3x a week.

No heat since April.

I started using green tea and black tea treatments. Every two weeks.

Thank you for the update!

1. Have you clarified recently?
2. How often do you use your moisturizing mix?
3. How are you styling your hair daily?

I think your regimen is too moisture heavy. I would increase the protein treatments to twice a month. Have you tried Aphogee 2 Minute? Additionally, the moisturizing mix + Cantu may be too heavy on your hair, causing it to further weaken the strands.

 

[Atthatday]

@Purpleroses1010: Hello! After thinking I didn't need to use Olaplex, of which I was wrong, I'm just now starting to incorporate Olaplex into a schedule. I've used it for bleach highlights and as a stand alone treatment. It stopped breakage instantly for me. It's an amazing product!

I always chelate before I use it, because I have hard water. My plan is to use 1 & 2 every other week, and 3 in the other weeks for the rest of the summer. I still do my weekly protein and deep conditioning treatments.

Olaplex can be used with relaxers.

 

[Atthatday]

Glycerin may be a problem. I can't use it on my naturally dry hair. It's a humectant and the light bulb finally registered in my brain: NO GLYCERIN for me, ever!!! I destroyed my hair over the last month.

 

[sunnieb]

I'm still looking. Can you post links to things you think would be helpful. I think I need to change my regimen

Hey there! I haven't forgotten about you! Unfortunately, many of the articles that helped me in the beginning of my hair journey are no longer out there. I know we used to post the full articles in threads, but I can't find exactly what I'm looking for. I'll post random articles as I find them that I think will help you.

It's a lot of reading, but that's a good thing. When I first found this forum in 2008, I didn't even join right away. I just read, read, and read more.

 

[sunnieb]

Here's a good article by an old member - Sistaslick. I read all of her stuff when I first joined.
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Breakage and Shedding


Understanding the difference between breakage and shedding is an important part of any healthy hair regimen. Many people use these terms interchangeably to refer to any hair that falls from the head. In its truest sense, shed hair is hair that has reached the end of its growing cycle and naturally falls from the scalp along with its root attached. The root is a tiny white bulb on the scalp originating end. If a hair does not possess this white bulb, then it is not a naturally shed hair, rather, a broken one. Shed hair tends to be longer in length than broken hairs which are generally short pieces of varying lengths. If you have stretched your relaxer for a great number of weeks, your shed hair will have the curly new growth present on the area next to the bulb, and you will be able to see where the relaxed hair begins. Some find that garlic shampoos or products with garlic extracts help curb shedding. But remember, shedding is a natural, internal process and may not respond to topical, external treatments. So don't be alarmed if nothing works for you. Changes in diet, hormone imbalances, birth control pills, and pregnancy can also affect the rate at which hair is shed.

Breakage on the other hand is not natural, and is an indication of an imbalance of important forces within the hair strand. Broken hairs do not fall naturally from the head, but are typically a sign of mishandling or abuse. The proper treatments, will help stop breakage in its tracks.

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Protein and Moisture
Scenario 1: Kim's hair is breaking like crazy and feels like a brillo pad. Every time she touches it, pieces seem to just pop right off. Snap, crackle, pop. Combing is impossible without tons of little hairs covering her sink and back. Her hair feels hard and rough even when wet. She's given it protein treatments because the product says its supposed to stop breakage in its tracks and rebuild the hair, but so far nothing is working and her problem is getting worse.

Scenario 2: Trina's hair is breaking like crazy as well. Her hair feels dry, looks dull, and is very weak. Her hair is too weak to withstand simple combing. It feels extra stretchy when wet and almost follows the comb as she pulls through to detangle. She has deep conditioned and done hot oil treatments on her hair once a week. Since her breakage began, she?s stepped up the conditioning but her problem has gotten worse.

Both of these women have issues with breakage, but the solutions to their individual problems require two very different approaches. Before you go shopping for your hair care product arsenal, you must understand the difference between protein and moisture and what they mean for your hair. Protein and moisture are the key cornerstones of great hair care. Maintaining a proper balance between these two entities is critical for the healthiest hair growth possible. The two scenarios above perfectly illustrate what happens when the balance between protein and moisture is tipped too far in either direction. This section will teach you to effectively recognize the difference between protein based and moisture based problems and help you can organize your hair regimen to effectively combat these issues as the arise.

Protein

Protein is what gives the hair its strength and structure. Hair is about 70% keratin protein by nature. Protein is found most prevalently in products like instant conditioners (bargain brands like Suave and V05), leave in conditioners, protein conditioner treatments, and even some moisturizers.

Moisturizers

Moisturizers are products that are water-based and nourish your hair deep within the strand. Water is the ultimate moisturizer so waterbased products are best for really getting the best moisture benefit. Products with moisturizing properties tend to be your conditioners and other water-based products. Moisturizers may also be protein-based, but these protein based moisturizers do not have the moisturizing benefit that moisture-based moisturizers have. Good moisturizers will not contain ingredients like petrolatum, mineral oil, or lanolin. These are cheap product fillers. Be wary of products that claim moisturizing benefits and contain these ingredients. There is nothing moisturizing about them! Petrolatum and mineral oil are sealants and have the potential to suffocate the hair and scalp and seal out the moisture it needs.

Sealing in your Moisturizers:
Our hair naturally contains moisture, but because our hair is also naturally porous, keeping the moisture inside is a difficult task. Sources of outside moisture, or external moisture supplementation, are a must for black hair. Water molecules and moisture from these supplemental moisturizing products easily pass into the hair shaft, but they pass out just as easily. The moisture you apply needs to held in by something. Oil.
A light coating of oil on top will help seal the moisture inside. Oils are made of large molecules. These molecules are too large to absorbed by the hair strand. Applying oils to the hair and scalp will coat them and trap moisture that is inside on the inside and moisture that is outside on the outside. The key is to lock in the moisture within the strands with your oil. If you use oils without a moisturizer or before one, the oil will seal the moisture out of the hair strand and lead to eventual dryness. This technique of moisturizing and sealing has really been helpful to me and is a resonating hallmark of my regimen. Moisturizing success is all in the order in which you apply your products.

REMEMBER! Oils DO NOT Moisturize.
Perhaps a words like "nourish" would be better than moisturize. If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me to recommend a good oil that moisturizes, I would be rich! Oil alone will not and cannot moisturize within the hair shaft. An oil can only coat the outside of the strand, and give it shine- the illusion of moisture. Again, the molecules that make oil are much too large to penetrate through all of the cuticle layers. The cuticle layers can be as few as 6 layers or many as 15 or more layers thick. Oil molecules are hydro-phobic which means they repel and do not readily mix with water. Remember, if you apply an oil product to your hair before you have added a moisturizing product, you have created a seal on your hair strand that water and moisture cannot penetrate.

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When the Balance Tips, You Must Wet Assess


Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Hair is not exempt from this old adage. Growing out your hair is a constant battle between maintaining an even protein and moisture balance. Breakage is the result of the hair chemistry being thrown off balance. Remember Kim and Trina from the beginning of the section? Hair that is shifted too far on either side of the balance (too much protein or too much moisture) will break.

The Importance of Wet Assessment


Though health assessments can be performed on dry hair, determining your cause of breakage is often easiest on wet hair. Hair in its wet state exudes the basic properties of hair---elasticity and strength, excellently. In fact, these qualities are often exaggerated on wet hair. Thorough and frequent wet assessments will help you maintain your hair's health and condition.

Hair in its optimal condition will not break when wet unless undue stress is placed upon it through aggressive combing or detangling. A balanced and healthy hair strand will stretch and break only under undue, or unusual types of pulling stress. Balanced hair will feel soft and supple, yet strong while wet. When you comb through it when wet, it should resist excess stretching and will hardly break if you are careful. Over time, and with trial and error, you will be able to tell what is normal stress for your hair.

If your hair does indeed break when wet, the way the hair breaks under these conditions will give you a sure indication of whether more moisture or protein is required to regain the proper balance.

How Do I Perform a Proper Wet Assessment?
It will be difficult for you to wet assess your hair by holding a single strand and pulling on both ends. That type of stress would be considered "undue" stress, because no single hair is ever really subjected to that sort of tension at one time. Any strand of hair (healthy or not) that you pull on by both ends has the potential to snap depending on the pressure you apply to it. Hair should be wet assessed by the normal act of combing though it or touching-testing it.

Wet Assessment Break Down

If your hair:

(Wet or Dry) Stretches slightly/returns to original length /no breaking= you are balanced just stick with maintaining!

(Wet or Dry) Stretching a little more than normal then breaks= more protein

(Wet or Dry)Stretching, stretching, stretching/no breakage yet= more protein

(Wet)- Weak, gummy, mushy, limp hair= more protein

(Wet or Dry) Very little/no stretching then breakage= more moisture

(Dry) Rough/tough/hard/tangly/brittle hair= more moisture

Unsure= err on the side of moisture

For those of you just starting out on your journey to healthier head of hair, I recommend you begin with a more moisture friendly regimen before you incorporate the protein aspect. The reason being, many of us (before our hair care awakening) have naturally moisture deficient hair careroutines and regimens- especially those with no regimen at all. Rarely have I seen a woman have hair problems that are a result of over-conditioning her hair and too much moisture. I can guarantee you that almost 99% of the time, poor moisturizing and conditioning are the issues that spawn ourhair care interventions.

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When the Balance is thrown off by too much protein:

Hair that is shifted too far on the protein side will break easier, both wet and dry, because it lacks elasticity. Hair that breaks with very little tension or stretching is moisture deficient. Any type of stretching or tension will break it because the protein goes in and adds structure to the hair. Too much structure will make the hair rigid, decrease its elasticity, leave it brittle and prone to breakage. This was the issue with Kim's hair. She was feeding her hair more protein than she needed to maintain a healthy balance. If this describes your hair at any time listen up! To correct this imbalance, you will need to go into a simple deep conditioning and moisturizing regimen. You may not be doing "protein treatments" per se, but you may be using other products that are protein heavy ingredient wise. I would watch out for protein in common products like leave in conditioners, moisturizers,gels, and instant conditioners like Suave and V05. Protein hides in alot of everyday products- so avoid those for a few weeks until your moisture balance is corrected. This will give your hair a chance to even out the protein/moisture balance.

Should I schedule my protein treatments in advance?

I do not advise "protein-ing" on a specific schedule, simply because our hair is seasonal. Setting aside a week or two in your regimen for protein conditioning is just not effective at addressing your hair needs as they arise. It doesn't know or understand our "schedules." Its needs and wants change from day to day, week to week. The only product you must adhere to a schedule is the Aphogee Treatment for Damaged Hair because it can only be used every 6 weeks or so because of its strength. The other treatments in between that one should only be done as you need them. Sometimes that might be weekly, other times it may be every 2 or 3 weeks! Only your hair can dictate that to you. I'm sure you've seen the threads where I discuss how to tell when your hair needs more protein- or when it needs more moisture. There are very specific ways to tell =) Once you get to know your hair more and more, it will be like second nature! Scheduling is good for when you are just starting out and getting into the groove, but you'll soon start to see that your hair often has its own plan for when you need different things for it! Then, scheduling kind of becomes useless in the grand scheme of hair care things. It also prevents you from truly developing an understanding of your own hair because instead of looking for certain cues and signs, you are looking at the calendar. Protein-ing on a schedule can eventually lead to protein overload if you aren't careful! It is so much harder to bounce back from an overload of protein than it is an overload of moisture/conditioning.

How much is too much?

I totally agree that relaxed ladies need more protein. If you are relaxed or color treated, those processes have compromised the protein structure of your hair--so you kinda need the supplemental protein. Not everyone needs protein though, some naturals can live without it...

For the relaxed ladies though, It's like we've all sustained different degrees of "damage" from the relaxing processes. Some people's hair is more protein deficient by nature (from the coloring/relaxing) so they require more to keep the balance in tact. Relaxing and coloring breaks protein bonds so depending on the type and degree of relaxer and level on bond breakage you will need more or less protein than someone else. So you can't say weekly, daily, or monthly protein is too much or too little because we do not know the true condition and specific needs of your hair to start with. At the end of the day, you must experiment and get to know your own head of hair.

Some proteins are stronger than others, but daily or even weekly use of even the milder protein treatments may result in an imbalance between the protein and moisture levels within the hair strands in some people. Honestly, it's almost too hard to even go by the "types of proteins." You never know the percent composition of these products so though it may have a specific protein down the ingredient list, it might not be as strong as if it were higher on the ingredient list(greater percent composition). The protein in question could be 30% of the product or 0.3%! Who knows! You have to play around with different products to know how strong it is on your hair. You can't really say "Oh this is wheat protein so its gonna very light!" Or "this is animal protein, so its gonna be very heavy." It would be nice if that were true all the time, but because the product percent composition really plays such an important role, label reading can only do so much. For example, every product with keratin isn't going to feel the same way across the board. Just like every product that contains glycerine or water isn't going to feel the same! You must experiment and find your hair tolerance and it will vary from product to product, not necessarily protein to protein.

Another example, some people think Aphogee 2 minute is a mild to tough protein, but my hair tends to laugh at it and feel the exact same after using it. For me, I just experimented using different combinations of products to find out what my hair tolerance is.
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When the Balance is thrown off by too much moisture:

Yes! There is such a thing as "over-conditioning" the hair and Trina found that out the hard way. Hair that is shifted too far on the moisture side will be "super-elastic" and stretch more because it lacks a sound protein structure. Many ladies describe the feel of over-conditioned/over-moisturized hair as ?"mush-like" or "overly soft" when wet. It almost has a weak, limp spongy feel to it. Protein deficient hair will tend to pull and stretch along with the comb and then break. It will always stretch first then break which is the result of very low supplemental protein in the regimen. When this is the case, you will need some kind of protein to give the hair structure which will make it feel rigid (stronger) again. If your hair is stretching without returning, even if its not breaking you should use a light protein to correct this. When your hair stretches, the strand "thins" and becomes weaker across the cross section. It may not break right then at that very point in time, but stretched out of and beyond its shape, it is compromised and will eventually break at some other point. Your hair should be springing back to position. If it's stretching and stretching without breaking it may be your hair's way of telling you, "Hey, I need a little structure (protein) here! I'm getting waaaay too elastic, but not yet enough to break-- so do something now!" This is where a preventive maintenance protein application would come in. You don't have to wait for breakage to act. Your hair is telling you now! Start light, and work from there. You may not need a heavy treatment just yet.

And, you don't have to get all of your protein from a "treatment" per se or conditioner either. You can always throw in protein based leave in conditioners like (Infusium23) or waterbased moisturizers like (Cantu's Breakcure/or Elasta QP mango butter) to help you maintain the balance within your regimen. This way you can get a little or a lot without relying on one product.

 

[sunnieb]

Gymfreak was another member I read when I got here. Here's an old post of hers:

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The Difference Between Clarifying and Chelating…

First off, please keep in mind that each hair product has a purpose. Once we learn and understand the function behind each product we own, we can move forward in making better decisions in regards to our hair...

Now…Clarifying shampoo is meant to eliminate product buildup from the hair, and shouldn‘t be used every wash. If you use silicones or greases heavily on a regular basis, you can benefit from clarifying once a month or so. Regular shampooing should be sufficient in removing regular buildup on a regular basis. It's the method of your shampooing (in conjunction with using the right shampoo for your hair type) that gets the scalp and hair clean, not just the products.

Chelating products remove product buildup, chlorine, calcium, and medication deposits from the hair, so they are more thorough. A chelating product penetrates the strands all the way to the cortex and is also ideal for balancing the hair prior to chemical services so that the results will be even. So, really these products aren't meant for frequent use unless you have a specific need for them, like if you have hard water.

 

[sunnieb]

Protein seems to be one the most confusing things for alot of people. Here is some info that hopefully will help.

For starters, proteins come in different strengths. One easy way to help gauge the strength of a protein is too look at the smell, consistency and the color. In general, the darker, stinkier, and more liquid a protein conditioner is, the stronger it is

Cosmetic chemists use lots of different kinda of proteins in conditioners. Here is some info about different ones

All proteins are strengthening proteins to some degree but here are more specific characteristics of these proteins:

Collagen Proteins -- known for increasing elasticity in the hair.

Silk Proteins -- known for softening the hair.

Wheat Proteins -- a moisturizing and strengthening protein. Known for increasing the hair's ability to maintain & receive moisture.

Keratin Protein -- responsible for keeping the hair strong and pliable. This is the strongest of the (hair product) proteins and is actually the one hair is made from. This one re-structures hair that has been damaged or broken down by chemicals. It helps to replace the amino acid cysteine which is the main one lost during chemical processing. This is the heavy duty protein. If you see the following as an ingredient:

*a) Keratin protein -- the will re-structure and strengthen the hair cuticle (the outer layer only & the most important layer)

*b) Hydrolyzed Keratin Protein of Keratin Amino Acids -- this means that the Keratin molecules have been broken down and are small enough to go beyond the cuticle and penetrate the hair shaft. It will strengthen all 3 layers of the hair. That is why the term "deep conditioning" technically only refers to this kind of treatment using penetrating proteins.

*c) Hydrolyzed Human Hair Keratin -- This is an exact match for the keratin your hair has (or has lost due to chemical processing). This is the highest quality and most potent keratin that can be used in hair products.

*Vegetable protein -- Vegetable protein absorbs more easily into the hair shaft (than animal protein) and does not create build-up, leaves the hair very shiny, radiant, luxuriant, and healthy.

*Animal protein -- Animal protein breaks down into fatty acids, which coats the hair and create residual build-up.

Silk Amino Acids/Protein -- Natural Silk is the strongest, natural fiber known to mankind. Discovered in Japan and has been used for centuries in all kinds of products that require durability. Silk has a tiny molecule that can penetrate the entire hair shaft deeper than all other proteins without adding any weight leaving the hair feeling clean and non-greasy.

 

[sunnieb]

Shoutout to Harlista.com for posting Sistaslick's full article. I think this is a lesson to us all to post articles and not just links. So much information is lost when the link is no longer valid. Here it is:
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Regimen Building for Newbies 101

The most important key to building a solid regimen is finding your own hair tolerance. Everyone's hair is unique. What works for someone may not work for you. Hair can be moisturized, supple one day and dry and brittle the next. It's important that you build your regimen around these factors and address these circumstances within your regimen.

Tip: The more you do to your hair chemically the more moisture and protein the hair will need.

YOU WILL NEED:
1 Moisturizing Shampoo. This should be used 1-2x/week depending on your schedule. Choose a shampoo that is Sodium/Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate free. These ingredients tend to strip the hair making it feel squeaky clean. These shampoo's listed below, leave the hair detangled and soft. Here are some examples:

Creme of Nature (red and green label) Shampoo, Kenra Moisturizing Shampoo, Elucence Moisture Benefits, Neutrogena Triple Moisture Cream Lather Shampoo, Elasta QP Creme Conditioning Shampoo

1 Clarifying Shampoo. A clarifying shampoo should be used 1-2x/month if you are heavy handed with your products/oils etc. By using this shampoo you will remove dirt, build up. It's a great way of starting your hair off fresh for the month. Your hair should feel squeaky clean. Here are some examples:

Pantene Pro-V Purity Shampoo, Suave Shampoos, Nexxus aloe rid shampoo, Avalon Organics Lemon and shea butter, Ion clarifying shampoo

1 Moisturizing Conditioner & 1 Protein Conditioner. You should follow up with one of these conditioners after every wash. Use either one depending on what your hair needs at the time. I would recommend deep conditioning the hair for 30-45mins preferably with heat (hooded dryer). Protein conditioners are used for rebuilding the hair and giving it strength. Protein conditioners should be followed by a moisturizing deep conditioner to restore moisture and elasticity to the hair. Here are some examples of moisturizing conditioners:

Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner, Silk Elements Moisturizing Treatment, KeraCare Humecto, Mizani Moisturefuse, Elasta QP DPR-11, Creme of Nature Nourishing Conditioner, Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner

Here are some examples of Protein Conditioners:

ORS Hair Mayo, Aphogee 2 min reconstructor, Nexxus Keraphix, Affirm 5 n 1, Aphogee 2 Step, Nexxus Emergencee, Motions CPR, Elasta QP Anti Breakage Serum

1 Leave-in conditioner. This should be used after washes or as a daily moisturizer. Here are some examples:

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave-in, Elasta QP H-Two Leave-in, Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Leave-in, Cantu Shea Butter, Salerm 21, Lacio Lacio

Water based moisturizer (1 Moisturizer). Use daily to hydrate the hair. I recommend using your moisturizer 1-2x/day (morning & night). Here are some examples:

Moisturizing: S-Curl, Hollywood Beauty Olive & Carrot Oil, ORS Olive Oil, ORS Carrot Oil, Wave Nouveau Finishing Lotion Protein: Cantu Shea butter, Elasta QP Mango Butter, Profective Healthy ends

Natural Oils are used for sealing in water based moisturizers. Add a light coating of oil to the ends of the hair and work your way up. Don't over do it now!!

Here are some examples: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Jojoba Oil, Safflower Oil, Castor Oil


Basic Regimen to Get You Started!

You Will Need:

1 Clarifying Shampoo
1 Moisturizing Shampoo
1 Moisturizing Deep Conditioner
1 Protein Deep Conditioner
A Leave-in Conditioner
1 Moisturizer
1 Natural Oil

Wide tooth comb
Satin/Silk Scarf and/or Satin Bonnet

- Shampoo your hair with a moisturizing shampoo 1-2x/week (Preferably sulfate free)
- Use a moisturizing deep conditioner with heat (At least 30mins) after every shampoo
- Always follow up with a leave-in conditioner
- Use a water-based moisturizer 2x/day (Morning & night) then seal in the moisture with a natural oil
- Always wear a satin/silk scarf or bonnet to bed
- *If You Are Relaxed* Relax at least every 8 weeks (If You can go beyond that, even better)
- Do a protein treatment when needed (Whenever the hair feels very limp, mushy, overly soft etc.)
- Trim when needed
- Use a Clarifying shampoo (remove buildup) 1-2x/month (depending on the amount of product you use)
- Use a wide tooth comb to comb/detangle your hair. You'll experience less breakage.


That's it!! Remember to take a step back and re-evaluate your hair and your methods. LISTEN to your hair. It will tell you when something is not working well for you (i.e. Dryness, breakage etc.) Give your hair time to get adjusted. It's all about trial and error until you realize what your hair likes, then you'll see improvement.

Happy Hair Growing!!

 

[sunnieb]

DP

 

[Purpleroses1010]

Here's the amount of hair loss I got today when combing.

 

[Purpleroses1010]

Thank you for the update!

1. Have you clarified recently?
2. How often do you use your moisturizing mix?
3. How are you styling your hair daily?

I think your regimen is too moisture heavy. I would increase the protein treatments to twice a month. Have you tried Aphogee 2 Minute? Additionally, the moisturizing mix + Cantu may be too heavy on your hair, causing it to further weaken the strands.

1. Yes
2.Every night or every two days. At first I was putting too much. It was soaked then I read that could be a problem so I only use a little to moisturize and seal.
3. In buns or ponytails. I detangle when I'm cowashing, deep conditioning,or shampooing

I haven't tried Aphogee. I use ors hair mayo. I'll definitely get Aphogee 2 min. I was scared to get a harder protein treatment. I'll also stop using Cantu and just use the moisturizing mix.

 

[Purpleroses1010]

Thank

Shoutout to Harlista.com for posting Sistaslick's full article. I think this is a lesson to us all to post articles and not just links. So much information is lost when the link is no longer valid. Here it is:
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Regimen Building for Newbies 101

The most important key to building a solid regimen is finding your own hair tolerance. Everyone's hair is unique. What works for someone may not work for you. Hair can be moisturized, supple one day and dry and brittle the next. It's important that you build your regimen around these factors and address these circumstances within your regimen.

Tip: The more you do to your hair chemically the more moisture and protein the hair will need.

YOU WILL NEED:
1 Moisturizing Shampoo. This should be used 1-2x/week depending on your schedule. Choose a shampoo that is Sodium/Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate free. These ingredients tend to strip the hair making it feel squeaky clean. These shampoo's listed below, leave the hair detangled and soft. Here are some examples:

Creme of Nature (red and green label) Shampoo, Kenra Moisturizing Shampoo, Elucence Moisture Benefits, Neutrogena Triple Moisture Cream Lather Shampoo, Elasta QP Creme Conditioning Shampoo

1 Clarifying Shampoo. A clarifying shampoo should be used 1-2x/month if you are heavy handed with your products/oils etc. By using this shampoo you will remove dirt, build up. It's a great way of starting your hair off fresh for the month. Your hair should feel squeaky clean. Here are some examples:

Pantene Pro-V Purity Shampoo, Suave Shampoos, Nexxus aloe rid shampoo, Avalon Organics Lemon and shea butter, Ion clarifying shampoo

1 Moisturizing Conditioner & 1 Protein Conditioner. You should follow up with one of these conditioners after every wash. Use either one depending on what your hair needs at the time. I would recommend deep conditioning the hair for 30-45mins preferably with heat (hooded dryer). Protein conditioners are used for rebuilding the hair and giving it strength. Protein conditioners should be followed by a moisturizing deep conditioner to restore moisture and elasticity to the hair. Here are some examples of moisturizing conditioners:

Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner, Silk Elements Moisturizing Treatment, KeraCare Humecto, Mizani Moisturefuse, Elasta QP DPR-11, Creme of Nature Nourishing Conditioner, Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner

Here are some examples of Protein Conditioners:

ORS Hair Mayo, Aphogee 2 min reconstructor, Nexxus Keraphix, Affirm 5 n 1, Aphogee 2 Step, Nexxus Emergencee, Motions CPR, Elasta QP Anti Breakage Serum

1 Leave-in conditioner. This should be used after washes or as a daily moisturizer. Here are some examples:

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave-in, Elasta QP H-Two Leave-in, Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Leave-in, Cantu Shea Butter, Salerm 21, Lacio Lacio

Water based moisturizer (1 Moisturizer). Use daily to hydrate the hair. I recommend using your moisturizer 1-2x/day (morning & night). Here are some examples:

Moisturizing: S-Curl, Hollywood Beauty Olive & Carrot Oil, ORS Olive Oil, ORS Carrot Oil, Wave Nouveau Finishing Lotion Protein: Cantu Shea butter, Elasta QP Mango Butter, Profective Healthy ends

Natural Oils are used for sealing in water based moisturizers. Add a light coating of oil to the ends of the hair and work your way up. Don't over do it now!!

Here are some examples: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Jojoba Oil, Safflower Oil, Castor Oil


Basic Regimen to Get You Started!

You Will Need:

1 Clarifying Shampoo
1 Moisturizing Shampoo
1 Moisturizing Deep Conditioner
1 Protein Deep Conditioner
A Leave-in Conditioner
1 Moisturizer
1 Natural Oil

Wide tooth comb
Satin/Silk Scarf and/or Satin Bonnet

- Shampoo your hair with a moisturizing shampoo 1-2x/week (Preferably sulfate free)
- Use a moisturizing deep conditioner with heat (At least 30mins) after every shampoo
- Always follow up with a leave-in conditioner
- Use a water-based moisturizer 2x/day (Morning & night) then seal in the moisture with a natural oil
- Always wear a satin/silk scarf or bonnet to bed
- *If You Are Relaxed* Relax at least every 8 weeks (If You can go beyond that, even better)
- Do a protein treatment when needed (Whenever the hair feels very limp, mushy, overly soft etc.)
- Trim when needed
- Use a Clarifying shampoo (remove buildup) 1-2x/month (depending on the amount of product you use)
- Use a wide tooth comb to comb/detangle your hair. You'll experience less breakage.


That's it!! Remember to take a step back and re-evaluate your hair and your methods. LISTEN to your hair. It will tell you when something is not working well for you (i.e. Dryness, breakage etc.) Give your hair time to get adjusted. It's all about trial and error until you realize what your hair likes, then you'll see improvement.

Happy Hair Growing!!

Thank you. This is easy to follow. I'm going to have to buy new hair products.
I'm afraid to use a lot of protein because I read it's not good for you. Also do you use the protein or moisturizing conditioners when cowashing? I'm sorry if that's a stupid question.

 

[Purpleroses1010]

Protein seems to be one the most confusing things for alot of people. Here is some info that hopefully will help.

For starters, proteins come in different strengths. One easy way to help gauge the strength of a protein is too look at the smell, consistency and the color. In general, the darker, stinkier, and more liquid a protein conditioner is, the stronger it is

Cosmetic chemists use lots of different kinda of proteins in conditioners. Here is some info about different ones

All proteins are strengthening proteins to some degree but here are more specific characteristics of these proteins:

Collagen Proteins -- known for increasing elasticity in the hair.

Silk Proteins -- known for softening the hair.

Wheat Proteins -- a moisturizing and strengthening protein. Known for increasing the hair's ability to maintain & receive moisture.

Keratin Protein -- responsible for keeping the hair strong and pliable. This is the strongest of the (hair product) proteins and is actually the one hair is made from. This one re-structures hair that has been damaged or broken down by chemicals. It helps to replace the amino acid cysteine which is the main one lost during chemical processing. This is the heavy duty protein. If you see the following as an ingredient:

*a) Keratin protein -- the will re-structure and strengthen the hair cuticle (the outer layer only & the most important layer)

*b) Hydrolyzed Keratin Protein of Keratin Amino Acids -- this means that the Keratin molecules have been broken down and are small enough to go beyond the cuticle and penetrate the hair shaft. It will strengthen all 3 layers of the hair. That is why the term "deep conditioning" technically only refers to this kind of treatment using penetrating proteins.

*c) Hydrolyzed Human Hair Keratin -- This is an exact match for the keratin your hair has (or has lost due to chemical processing). This is the highest quality and most potent keratin that can be used in hair products.

*Vegetable protein -- Vegetable protein absorbs more easily into the hair shaft (than animal protein) and does not create build-up, leaves the hair very shiny, radiant, luxuriant, and healthy.

*Animal protein -- Animal protein breaks down into fatty acids, which coats the hair and create residual build-up.

Silk Amino Acids/Protein -- Natural Silk is the strongest, natural fiber known to mankind. Discovered in Japan and has been used for centuries in all kinds of products that require durability. Silk has a tiny molecule that can penetrate the entire hair shaft deeper than all other proteins without adding any weight leaving the hair feeling clean and non-greasy.

Thank you for posting this. I still have so much to learn. Didn't know there's so many proteins. What's the best for ones hair?

 

[Purpleroses1010]

Here's a good article by an old member - Sistaslick. I read all of her stuff when I first joined.
_________________________________

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Breakage and Shedding


Understanding the difference between breakage and shedding is an important part of any healthy hair regimen. Many people use these terms interchangeably to refer to any hair that falls from the head. In its truest sense, shed hair is hair that has reached the end of its growing cycle and naturally falls from the scalp along with its root attached. The root is a tiny white bulb on the scalp originating end. If a hair does not possess this white bulb, then it is not a naturally shed hair, rather, a broken one. Shed hair tends to be longer in length than broken hairs which are generally short pieces of varying lengths. If you have stretched your relaxer for a great number of weeks, your shed hair will have the curly new growth present on the area next to the bulb, and you will be able to see where the relaxed hair begins. Some find that garlic shampoos or products with garlic extracts help curb shedding. But remember, shedding is a natural, internal process and may not respond to topical, external treatments. So don't be alarmed if nothing works for you. Changes in diet, hormone imbalances, birth control pills, and pregnancy can also affect the rate at which hair is shed.

Breakage on the other hand is not natural, and is an indication of an imbalance of important forces within the hair strand. Broken hairs do not fall naturally from the head, but are typically a sign of mishandling or abuse. The proper treatments, will help stop breakage in its tracks.

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Protein and Moisture
Scenario 1: Kim's hair is breaking like crazy and feels like a brillo pad. Every time she touches it, pieces seem to just pop right off. Snap, crackle, pop. Combing is impossible without tons of little hairs covering her sink and back. Her hair feels hard and rough even when wet. She's given it protein treatments because the product says its supposed to stop breakage in its tracks and rebuild the hair, but so far nothing is working and her problem is getting worse.

Scenario 2: Trina's hair is breaking like crazy as well. Her hair feels dry, looks dull, and is very weak. Her hair is too weak to withstand simple combing. It feels extra stretchy when wet and almost follows the comb as she pulls through to detangle. She has deep conditioned and done hot oil treatments on her hair once a week. Since her breakage began, she?s stepped up the conditioning but her problem has gotten worse.

Both of these women have issues with breakage, but the solutions to their individual problems require two very different approaches. Before you go shopping for your hair care product arsenal, you must understand the difference between protein and moisture and what they mean for your hair. Protein and moisture are the key cornerstones of great hair care. Maintaining a proper balance between these two entities is critical for the healthiest hair growth possible. The two scenarios above perfectly illustrate what happens when the balance between protein and moisture is tipped too far in either direction. This section will teach you to effectively recognize the difference between protein based and moisture based problems and help you can organize your hair regimen to effectively combat these issues as the arise.

Protein

Protein is what gives the hair its strength and structure. Hair is about 70% keratin protein by nature. Protein is found most prevalently in products like instant conditioners (bargain brands like Suave and V05), leave in conditioners, protein conditioner treatments, and even some moisturizers.

Moisturizers

Moisturizers are products that are water-based and nourish your hair deep within the strand. Water is the ultimate moisturizer so waterbased products are best for really getting the best moisture benefit. Products with moisturizing properties tend to be your conditioners and other water-based products. Moisturizers may also be protein-based, but these protein based moisturizers do not have the moisturizing benefit that moisture-based moisturizers have. Good moisturizers will not contain ingredients like petrolatum, mineral oil, or lanolin. These are cheap product fillers. Be wary of products that claim moisturizing benefits and contain these ingredients. There is nothing moisturizing about them! Petrolatum and mineral oil are sealants and have the potential to suffocate the hair and scalp and seal out the moisture it needs.

Sealing in your Moisturizers:
Our hair naturally contains moisture, but because our hair is also naturally porous, keeping the moisture inside is a difficult task. Sources of outside moisture, or external moisture supplementation, are a must for black hair. Water molecules and moisture from these supplemental moisturizing products easily pass into the hair shaft, but they pass out just as easily. The moisture you apply needs to held in by something. Oil.
A light coating of oil on top will help seal the moisture inside. Oils are made of large molecules. These molecules are too large to absorbed by the hair strand. Applying oils to the hair and scalp will coat them and trap moisture that is inside on the inside and moisture that is outside on the outside. The key is to lock in the moisture within the strands with your oil. If you use oils without a moisturizer or before one, the oil will seal the moisture out of the hair strand and lead to eventual dryness. This technique of moisturizing and sealing has really been helpful to me and is a resonating hallmark of my regimen. Moisturizing success is all in the order in which you apply your products.

REMEMBER! Oils DO NOT Moisturize.
Perhaps a words like "nourish" would be better than moisturize. If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me to recommend a good oil that moisturizes, I would be rich! Oil alone will not and cannot moisturize within the hair shaft. An oil can only coat the outside of the strand, and give it shine- the illusion of moisture. Again, the molecules that make oil are much too large to penetrate through all of the cuticle layers. The cuticle layers can be as few as 6 layers or many as 15 or more layers thick. Oil molecules are hydro-phobic which means they repel and do not readily mix with water. Remember, if you apply an oil product to your hair before you have added a moisturizing product, you have created a seal on your hair strand that water and moisture cannot penetrate.

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When the Balance Tips, You Must Wet Assess


Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Hair is not exempt from this old adage. Growing out your hair is a constant battle between maintaining an even protein and moisture balance. Breakage is the result of the hair chemistry being thrown off balance. Remember Kim and Trina from the beginning of the section? Hair that is shifted too far on either side of the balance (too much protein or too much moisture) will break.

The Importance of Wet Assessment


Though health assessments can be performed on dry hair, determining your cause of breakage is often easiest on wet hair. Hair in its wet state exudes the basic properties of hair---elasticity and strength, excellently. In fact, these qualities are often exaggerated on wet hair. Thorough and frequent wet assessments will help you maintain your hair's health and condition.

Hair in its optimal condition will not break when wet unless undue stress is placed upon it through aggressive combing or detangling. A balanced and healthy hair strand will stretch and break only under undue, or unusual types of pulling stress. Balanced hair will feel soft and supple, yet strong while wet. When you comb through it when wet, it should resist excess stretching and will hardly break if you are careful. Over time, and with trial and error, you will be able to tell what is normal stress for your hair.

If your hair does indeed break when wet, the way the hair breaks under these conditions will give you a sure indication of whether more moisture or protein is required to regain the proper balance.

How Do I Perform a Proper Wet Assessment?
It will be difficult for you to wet assess your hair by holding a single strand and pulling on both ends. That type of stress would be considered "undue" stress, because no single hair is ever really subjected to that sort of tension at one time. Any strand of hair (healthy or not) that you pull on by both ends has the potential to snap depending on the pressure you apply to it. Hair should be wet assessed by the normal act of combing though it or touching-testing it.

Wet Assessment Break Down

If your hair:

(Wet or Dry) Stretches slightly/returns to original length /no breaking= you are balanced just stick with maintaining!

(Wet or Dry) Stretching a little more than normal then breaks= more protein

(Wet or Dry)Stretching, stretching, stretching/no breakage yet= more protein

(Wet)- Weak, gummy, mushy, limp hair= more protein

(Wet or Dry) Very little/no stretching then breakage= more moisture

(Dry) Rough/tough/hard/tangly/brittle hair= more moisture

Unsure= err on the side of moisture

For those of you just starting out on your journey to healthier head of hair, I recommend you begin with a more moisture friendly regimen before you incorporate the protein aspect. The reason being, many of us (before our hair care awakening) have naturally moisture deficient hair careroutines and regimens- especially those with no regimen at all. Rarely have I seen a woman have hair problems that are a result of over-conditioning her hair and too much moisture. I can guarantee you that almost 99% of the time, poor moisturizing and conditioning are the issues that spawn ourhair care interventions.

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When the Balance is thrown off by too much protein:

Hair that is shifted too far on the protein side will break easier, both wet and dry, because it lacks elasticity. Hair that breaks with very little tension or stretching is moisture deficient. Any type of stretching or tension will break it because the protein goes in and adds structure to the hair. Too much structure will make the hair rigid, decrease its elasticity, leave it brittle and prone to breakage. This was the issue with Kim's hair. She was feeding her hair more protein than she needed to maintain a healthy balance. If this describes your hair at any time listen up! To correct this imbalance, you will need to go into a simple deep conditioning and moisturizing regimen. You may not be doing "protein treatments" per se, but you may be using other products that are protein heavy ingredient wise. I would watch out for protein in common products like leave in conditioners, moisturizers,gels, and instant conditioners like Suave and V05. Protein hides in alot of everyday products- so avoid those for a few weeks until your moisture balance is corrected. This will give your hair a chance to even out the protein/moisture balance.

Should I schedule my protein treatments in advance?

I do not advise "protein-ing" on a specific schedule, simply because our hair is seasonal. Setting aside a week or two in your regimen for protein conditioning is just not effective at addressing your hair needs as they arise. It doesn't know or understand our "schedules." Its needs and wants change from day to day, week to week. The only product you must adhere to a schedule is the Aphogee Treatment for Damaged Hair because it can only be used every 6 weeks or so because of its strength. The other treatments in between that one should only be done as you need them. Sometimes that might be weekly, other times it may be every 2 or 3 weeks! Only your hair can dictate that to you. I'm sure you've seen the threads where I discuss how to tell when your hair needs more protein- or when it needs more moisture. There are very specific ways to tell =) Once you get to know your hair more and more, it will be like second nature! Scheduling is good for when you are just starting out and getting into the groove, but you'll soon start to see that your hair often has its own plan for when you need different things for it! Then, scheduling kind of becomes useless in the grand scheme of hair care things. It also prevents you from truly developing an understanding of your own hair because instead of looking for certain cues and signs, you are looking at the calendar. Protein-ing on a schedule can eventually lead to protein overload if you aren't careful! It is so much harder to bounce back from an overload of protein than it is an overload of moisture/conditioning.

How much is too much?

I totally agree that relaxed ladies need more protein. If you are relaxed or color treated, those processes have compromised the protein structure of your hair--so you kinda need the supplemental protein. Not everyone needs protein though, some naturals can live without it...

For the relaxed ladies though, It's like we've all sustained different degrees of "damage" from the relaxing processes. Some people's hair is more protein deficient by nature (from the coloring/relaxing) so they require more to keep the balance in tact. Relaxing and coloring breaks protein bonds so depending on the type and degree of relaxer and level on bond breakage you will need more or less protein than someone else. So you can't say weekly, daily, or monthly protein is too much or too little because we do not know the true condition and specific needs of your hair to start with. At the end of the day, you must experiment and get to know your own head of hair.

Some proteins are stronger than others, but daily or even weekly use of even the milder protein treatments may result in an imbalance between the protein and moisture levels within the hair strands in some people. Honestly, it's almost too hard to even go by the "types of proteins." You never know the percent composition of these products so though it may have a specific protein down the ingredient list, it might not be as strong as if it were higher on the ingredient list(greater percent composition). The protein in question could be 30% of the product or 0.3%! Who knows! You have to play around with different products to know how strong it is on your hair. You can't really say "Oh this is wheat protein so its gonna very light!" Or "this is animal protein, so its gonna be very heavy." It would be nice if that were true all the time, but because the product percent composition really plays such an important role, label reading can only do so much. For example, every product with keratin isn't going to feel the same way across the board. Just like every product that contains glycerine or water isn't going to feel the same! You must experiment and find your hair tolerance and it will vary from product to product, not necessarily protein to protein.

Another example, some people think Aphogee 2 minute is a mild to tough protein, but my hair tends to laugh at it and feel the exact same after using it. For me, I just experimented using different combinations of products to find out what my hair tolerance is.
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When the Balance is thrown off by too much moisture:

Yes! There is such a thing as "over-conditioning" the hair and Trina found that out the hard way. Hair that is shifted too far on the moisture side will be "super-elastic" and stretch more because it lacks a sound protein structure. Many ladies describe the feel of over-conditioned/over-moisturized hair as ?"mush-like" or "overly soft" when wet. It almost has a weak, limp spongy feel to it. Protein deficient hair will tend to pull and stretch along with the comb and then break. It will always stretch first then break which is the result of very low supplemental protein in the regimen. When this is the case, you will need some kind of protein to give the hair structure which will make it feel rigid (stronger) again. If your hair is stretching without returning, even if its not breaking you should use a light protein to correct this. When your hair stretches, the strand "thins" and becomes weaker across the cross section. It may not break right then at that very point in time, but stretched out of and beyond its shape, it is compromised and will eventually break at some other point. Your hair should be springing back to position. If it's stretching and stretching without breaking it may be your hair's way of telling you, "Hey, I need a little structure (protein) here! I'm getting waaaay too elastic, but not yet enough to break-- so do something now!" This is where a preventive maintenance protein application would come in. You don't have to wait for breakage to act. Your hair is telling you now! Start light, and work from there. You may not need a heavy treatment just yet.

And, you don't have to get all of your protein from a "treatment" per se or conditioner either. You can always throw in protein based leave in conditioners like (Infusium23) or waterbased moisturizers like (Cantu's Breakcure/or Elasta QP mango butter) to help you maintain the balance within your regimen. This way you can get a little or a lot without relying on one product.

I think this sounds like my hair. Definitely getting protein. Thanks so much!

 

[Purpleroses1010]

@Purpleroses1010: Hello! After thinking I didn't need to use Olaplex, of which I was wrong, I'm just now starting to incorporate Olaplex into a schedule. I've used it for bleach highlights and as a stand alone treatment. It stopped breakage instantly for me. It's an amazing product!

I always chelate before I use it, because I have hard water. My plan is to use 1 & 2 every other week, and 3 in the other weeks for the rest of the summer. I still do my weekly protein and deep conditioning treatments.

Olaplex can be used with relaxers.

Where fo I get it? I try to buy it but it's only sold to professionals

 

[Saludable84]

It seems too, that your not using protein in the right sequence. Probably better to incorporate it in your actually washing and not in styling.