How can I tell if I need more protein or moisture..so confused...help

[ZLUVSNEWZEE]

Okay so I've been doing my research trying to figure out why my hair is so thin and keeps breaking off. I'm confused at this point. I recently killed my hair by applying 2 dye kits on my relaxed hair 2 days in a row so I did a BC a little while ago. I have been wearing braid extensions but suddenly decided to stop wearing them as my hairline is dispearing and has been for awhile. Every since the mishap with the hair dye my hair has been soooo thin. I used to have thick hair, really thick and I can not see past how thin it is. Also whenever my hair is wet, even with conditioner as soon as I touch it it breaks off. What does this mean? Is this too much moisture? Too much protein? Too little of either. I've been researching and just can't seem to figure out what to do next. My hair seems healthier and stronger when dry but when wet all my hair breaks off. I know it's not all shedding because there is no root attached. What should I do next? I have just recently gotten mega tek and plan to use it religiously to gain thickness and length but what do I do to stop my hair from breaking? My hair will be wet often as I plan to DC often and airdry as much as possible. My hair used to be so thick that back when I was younger and got the press and curl our hairdresser used to be pissed that he had to do our thick heads..miss that. Any help or direction on where I should look for help?

 

[Aireen]

If your hair is stiff — moisture.
If it's gummy, overly soft, snapping, and stretching — protein.
If you're unsure — use moisture.

That's the rule of thumb.

I know when people do colour treatments they follow up with protein but I suggest you pick between the two depending on how your hair feels and what you're comfortable with first for 1-2 weeks then alternate between the two (moisture and protein) until your hair feels back to normal. A good protein treatment is Aphogee Two Step, it's not light though and you need to follow the instructions precisely. A lighter protein that will also work is Motions CPR. For moisture you can use Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose or White Camellia.

 

[Aireen]

By the way, these articles should help you out some if you haven't read them already:

The Fine Art of Protein and Moisture Balancing for Black Hair Care Pt. 1 : SISTERS OF THE FAITH ™ (You can continue with the other parts of the series from the link after you're done reading.)

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/hair-care-tips-product-review-discussion/502376-types-protein.html

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/ha...g-right-but-its-still-breaking-click-now.html (This for if you've already tried moisture/protein balancing among other things to nurse your hair back to health but it's just not doing so. Since your problem was hair dye, the former article should suffice.)

 

[ZLUVSNEWZEE]

Thanks for all the helpful info Aireen...here I go

 

[Aireen]

Thanks for all the helpful info Aireen...here I go

Good luck!

 

[divachyk]

Great advice provided by Aireen. She provided great rules to follow.

OT Side Note: Sometimes hair can trick you on what it's lacking. Recently, my hair was feeling all coarse and stiff when dry. One would think moisture is what I needed but what helped was to clarify, protein treat, DC. I say that to not contradict Aireen but to encourage you to follow the rule of thumbs first, but if moisture doesn't work, then perhaps try incorporating a light protein (something like Aphogee 2min). I used cones the week prior so I'm pretty sure my hair had buildup and cones was blocking moisture. If you're protein sensitive, Aphogee 2 Step may be a little harsh but I LOVE Aubrey Organics White Camella.

 

[silenttullip]

Simple way = overly stringly and gummy = protein needed
hard, brittle, and waxy = moisture needed
That's how I tell anyway

 

[Aireen]

Great advice provided by Aireen. She provided great rules to follow.

OT Side Note: Sometimes hair can trick you on what it's lacking. Recently, my hair was feeling all coarse and stiff when dry. One would think moisture is what I needed but what helped was to clarify, protein treat, DC. I say that to not contradict Aireen but to encourage you to follow the rule of thumbs first, but if moisture doesn't work, then perhaps try incorporating a light protein (something like Aphogee 2min). I used cones the week prior so I'm pretty sure my hair had buildup and cones was blocking moisture. If you're protein sensitive, Aphogee 2 Step may be a little harsh but I LOVE Aubrey Organics White Camella.

I agree, I edited my post a lot to try to incorporate everything without bombarding the OP with too much information to feel overwhelmed. Thank you for your extra response to help the OP because sometimes one user's post isn't enough, the information sometimes needs to be broken up into different parts to be clearer.