Perfectly Balanced Hair's Impact on Breakage

[divachyk]

I always chase protein/moisture (p/m) balance and have a few broken strands here and there when I comb through my hair. I find myself referencing all of SistaSlick's articles to no avail. I am of the few that believe that zero breakage is unachievable (for me) whereas others feel zero breakage is achievable. I'm curious to hear your input....so my question is for the perfectly balanced --

(1) How did you achieve p/m balance?
(2) Now that you're balanced, do you experience breakage. If so, how much weekly? (included a poll)
(3) How do you combat your breakage?

This is not a debate over who is right/wrong about p/m balance and its impact on breakage, yet it's more informational (for me) because the topic of breakage is discussed so often - thx.

 

[Aireen]

Hopefully this is helpful.

(1) How did you achieve p/m balance? I'm not quite sure but if I HAD to say, it would be that I washed my hair once/week, used collagen protein as my main strengthening treatment, constantly used moisturizing conditioners, and never stressed about my hair. I know stress is associated more with shedding but for me, I noticed my hair breaks more now that I'm constantly anxious about growth and retention. Before when I was taking it all in stride, my hair was fine... Go figure.

(2) Now that you're balanced, do you experience breakage. If so, how much weekly? (included a poll) When I WAS balanced, I never had breakage, if I did it was rare. Silly things like not wrapping my hair then yanking the comb through to detangle it made it break but not a lot, or not properly blow drying my hair. What I mean by the latter is, I used to run the blowdrier's comb through my hair without properly thinking about knots to save time. NORMALLY though, when I wasn't rushing and going at a steady pace or taking my time, I didn't have breakage.

(3) How do you combat your breakage? Well I went on this protein kick — thinking that I could make my hair even stronger — that cost me my breakage "immunity". Now I solely use moisturizing conditioners to get my hair back to that state, it doesn't break A LOT but I just miss never having to worry how much hair was in my comb. Oh and I'm going to stop stressing.

NOTE: I DID use keratin protein to strengthen my hair but it wasn't very often because I preferred the property that collagen protein gives to the hair better.

Hope that helps, I know the other ladies will chime in and give you more insight than I can.

 

[Mleah]

^^^What is your preferred collagen protein, Miss Aireen?

 

[lettieg27]

(1) How did you achieve p/m balance?

As a person with fine hair I use more protein than moisture, just about every product I have has some type of protein in it, but my hair seems to like it. I still make sure that moisture is imposed as well.


(2) Now that you're balanced, do you experience breakage. If so, how much weekly?

For my most breakage is from manipulating with a comb or something like that. Since I have such fine hair it breaks rather easily so I do believe for myself that preventing breakage is impossible. I'm going to try henna to see about thickening my hair and helping with the unnecessary breakage.

(3) How do you combat your breakage?

I leave my hair alone most of the time, and try not to style or bother it too much. I'm also really paranoid about messing it up since this is the longest my hair has ever been and I'm not use to it.

 

[Aireen]

^^^What is your preferred collagen protein, Miss Aireen?

Alberto VO5 Hot Protein Moisturizing Intensive Creme Treatment - Comes in packets of 3. Collagen protein is 4th on the list but it keeps my hair extremely soft. I love it, I wish it was available in a big bottle. I use it after I relax.

Motions CPR Protein Reconstructor (OLD FORMULA) - The old formula had collagen as the 6th ingredient it was really good and melted new growth so my hair was never knotted, it had a bad smell but my hair was always soft with this. There's a new formula now, collagen is the 12th ingredient and it's after fragrance. I don't think it will be bad but it won't be as good as the original. I'm going to try it out and see how good it is.
EDIT: Used it, it's good, not like the original but it's still acceptable. Leaves my hair soft but not AS soft as before; they put more cones it seems and my hair doesn't love them therefore I can't rate this new version as high as the old one. To be fair, I did use a pretty harsh conditioner for dandruff so if it worked through that then it must be a good product. I would buy it again.

I absolutely love collagen protein, it adds strength without leaving hair hard and I love how it helps with elasticity. I would say it's mild, although I think it depends on the placement of collagen on the ingredient list which is in relation to the quantity. For me, I do have to do more than one treatment or combine a treatment with lots of collagen with a little bit of keratin to get the perfect balance with protein.

 

[theLovelyStyle]

Someone voted zero breakage. I wanna know how!!!

 

[LuvlyRain3]

I think that when it comes to protein. You need to figure or which protein you're hair needs. Which is why collagen protein would be a good one to have. It improves the elasticity of your hair which would be a great thing for hair that's been manipulated.

 

[Aireen]

Someone voted zero breakage. I wanna know how!!!

I voted that since I went a long time without breakage and I'm only NOW experiencing some. I wrote my response in the 2nd post.

 

[Lynnerie]

I voted 20+ although I'm not counting each individual strand.

I feel my moisture/protein balance is good and my breakage is due to these pesky SSK's.

 

[Evolving78]

i rarely get breakage. if i do, it's from my hair snagging on a clip, pick, or comb, etc...
i don't comb, or brush my hair. i don't do a lot of crazy styles. and i try to keep it moisturized daily. i use a cowash that has some protein in it and i use a protein treatment every 6 weeks.

i voted 1-5 hairs.

 

[divachyk]

Thank you for the feedback. What sparked this thread is that I was reading through some subscribed threads and came across several posts where ladies indicate they get ZERO breakage. For me, that's unrealistic to date.

I use to be VERY bothered by breakage, obsessed even but now I just chalk it up as a loss and KIM. I only become overly concerned if breakage becomes continuous. Right now I'm dealing with some under processed sections and I'm losing more strands than normal but under normal conditions, I normally lose 1-5 strands weekly (majority are lost on wash day since I rarely comb my hair otherwise). Although the topic of breakage doesn't consume me like it use too, I still spot check the number of hairs lost to ensure I tweak my regi for protein or moisture.

 

[Aireen]

Thank you for the feedback. What sparked this thread is that I was reading through some subscribed threads and came across several posts where ladies indicate they get ZERO breakage. For me, that's unrealistic to date.

I don't think it's impossible but I will say it doesn't last long because you can easily tip the balance if it's already even. Also, I think the normal manipulation that I'm used to causes me not to have breakage but anything above and beyond WILL cause breakage if I'm being careless. It's not that the hair is resilient per say but there's no wear and tear for me with normal practices unless like I said, I do too much or too little. So I can understand ladies getting normal shedding and not breakage if their balance is set.

 

[silkii_locks]

1) How did you achieve p/m balance?
By pre-pooing one week with a high quality protein condtioner and Deep conditioning with a high quality moisturing conditioner and then switching the process for the following week.

(2) Now that you're balanced, do you experience breakage. If so, how much weekly? (included a poll)
Very little breakage if any.

(3) How do you combat your breakage?
The first thing I do is determin what type of breakage that I have. If the strand doesn't stretch and breaks quickly then I know my hair is dry and I need to up my moisture. I'll usually do a steam treatment with Grapeseed oil.

If the strand stretches too much and feels mushy when it's wet then I know that I need protein and I'll use Aphogee 2-Step.

Edited To Add: I voted 1-5 strands weekly.

 

[divachyk]

I don't think it's impossible but I will say it doesn't last long because you can easily tip the balance if it's already even. Also, I think the normal manipulation that I'm used to causes me not to have breakage but anything above and beyond WILL cause breakage if I'm being careless. It's not that the hair is resilient per say but there's no wear and tear for me with normal practices unless like I said, I do too much or too little. So I can understand ladies getting normal shedding and not breakage if their balance is set.

Hopefully my thinking out loud doesn't prompt anyone to jump on me for this but I often wonder if avoiding major hair manipulation until wash day causes it to weaken and be able to endure less combing, brushing, tugging etc. Kinda like when you go a long while without working out, you can easily pull a muscle when you return to the gym. This only crosses my mind when I frequent the salon. I feel they do not gracefully comb through the hair like we do at home which point are strands subject to snap because they are not use too (so to speak) that level of manipulation. I know these ramblings probably have no merit. Just random thinkings of mine.

 

[Aireen]

Hopefully my thinking out loud doesn't prompt anyone to jump on me for this but I often wonder if avoiding major hair manipulation until wash day causes it to weaken and be able to endure less combing, brushing, tugging etc. Kinda like when you go a long while without working out, you can easily pull a muscle when you return to the gym. This only crosses my mind when I frequent the salon. I feel they do not gracefully comb through the hair like we do at home which point are strands subject to snap because they are not use too (so to speak) that level of manipulation. I know these ramblings probably have no merit. Just random thinkings of mine.

I think it's a matter of different things working for different people. Some can handle and prefer everyday combing, some can handle or prefer less frequent combing, etc. I'm kind of in between, I don't comb my hair everyday but I have to keep my hair very neat if I'm lazy and want to go a long time without detangling.

I agree with the idea that stylist aren't used to combing hair with consideration. They just YANK through the tangles... If my hair is just not co-operating with me before I get my relaxer, I make sure to put some type of Olive Oil spray just to coat the hair for easier combing when the stylist decides to rip through my hair. I don't use products in my hair after conditioning but I rather put something so that the comb glides better.

 

[mzteaze]

(1) How did you achieve p/m balance?
I always chase heavy protein with a moisture DC.

Lately I have been using Megatek as my heavy protein on week 1 & 3 (under a warm dryer for 10 minutes), followed by Joico's Intense Hydrator as a DC. Once I run out of Megatek, I will switch to the Joico 17-minute miracle group of protein/moisture package.

On week 2 & 4, I use a light overnight protein followed by AE Garlic or another moisturizing DC.

(2) Now that you're balanced, do you experience breakage. If so, how much weekly? (included a poll)

No I don't experience breakage outside of mechanical (from manipulation or tools) breakage.

(3) How do you combat your breakage?

I try to hit it from external and internal sources. I take MSM and garlic tablets for internal work, use sulfuric oil on my scalp plus JBCO for external work.

 

[Krystle~Hime]

1) How did you achieve p/m balance?
By pre-pooing one week with a high quality protein condtioner and Deep conditioning with a high quality moisturing conditioner and then switching the process for the following week.

(2) Now that you're balanced, do you experience breakage. If so, how much weekly? (included a poll)
Very little breakage if any.

(3) How do you combat your breakage?
The first thing I do is determin what type of breakage that I have. If the strand doesn't stretch and breaks quickly then I know my hair is dry and I need to up my moisture. I'll usually do a steam treatment with Grapeseed oil.

If the strand stretches too much and feels mushy when it's wet then I know that I need protein and I'll use Aphogee 2-Step.

Edited To Add: I voted 1-5 strands weekly.

so you use aphogee two step once a week as a prepoo?