Protein-Sensitive Members: How do You Combat Breakage?

*Muffin*

*Muffin*

New Member
As your protein-sensitve comrade, I would like to know how you successfully maintain the strength of your hair despite being protein sensitive. Is there a certain kind of protein treatment you must use? Do you rely on other methods of strengthening your hair? Or do you just try really hard to be gentle with styling? TIA.
 
I'd like to know as well. The only protein my hair can really tolerate it Aphogee 2 Minute, and Neutral Protein filler.
 
LaidBak said:
I'd like to know as well. The only protein my hair can really tolerate it Aphogee 2 Minute, and Neutral Protein filler.
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What's a protein filler? Is that like henna and coconut oil? My hair can tolerate very little protein, and even treatments that it can tolerate (like Giovanni Nutrafix and AOGPB) leaves my hair feeling rougher and drier than normal. I wonder why that is? I've tried egg yolks, too, and my hair is kind of iffy about that. Sometimes it tolerates it well, at others it doesn't, and much depends on the way I use it. I was thinking of trying plain yogurt as a protein treatment and seeing how that works.

P.S. Do you think it's a fine-haired thing? I have fine strands as well.
 
My hair is very fine and VERY protein sensitive. Every 6 - 8 weeks I add a mixture of the following mild proteins to my dc:

Yogurt (plain full fat)
Silk amino acid
Hydrolized wheat protein
Keratin (Roux mendex)
*I eyeball all the measurements.

My dc is AOHSR + Matrix Biolage + wheat germ oil + evco + other oils I feel like adding. The oils are VERY IMPORTANT for moisture retention. My hair feels like butter after this treatment.

I can't do protein any more often than 6-8 weeks and my hair loves this mixture.

HTH
 
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Have you tried this conditioner
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*Muffin* said:
What's a protein filler? .
Click to expand...

Neutral Protein Filler is a clear liquid typically used during the coloring process. But it actually can be used on its own, mixed with water, or mixed with conditioner. I use it mixed with my liquid leave in, and mixed in with my DC when I need to come back from mushy hair. I can use it with heat and not get any extra breakage. I like it better than SAA because SAA eventually breaks down and starts smelling like fish.

Here is the thread that put me on to it. There are also links to reviews.
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=364463
 
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I just get mine through food. I eat a lot of eggs, beef, and chicken. I also practice very low manipulation by doing two strand twists and then I braid the twists into two french braids and keep it like that for 7-10 days. My moisturizer is water-based (twice each week) and I seal with a mix of olive, grapeseed, coconut, bhringraj oils.
 
Ensjg598 said:
My hair is very fine and VERY protein sensitive. Every 6 - 8 weeks I add a mixture of the following mild proteins to my dc:

Yogurt (plain full fat)
Silk amino acid
Hydrolized wheat protein
Keratin (Roux mendex)
*I eyeball all the measurements.

My dc is AOHSR + Matrix Biolage + wheat germ oil + evco + other oils I feel like adding. The oils are VERY IMPORTANT for moisture retention. My hair feels like butter after this treatment.

I can't do protein any more often than 6-8 weeks and my hair loves this mixture.

HTH
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Thanks. My hair is very protein sensitive as well. I remember I started using grapeseed oil because I heard it was strengthening and protective. Now I don't know if grapeseed oil contains protein, but my hair HATED it. It turned into a rough, tangly, waxy-feeling mess. The only oil my hair likes that has protein in it is Avocado oil (thankfully). So now I've been making a mixture of coconut oil (which my hair adores) and avocado oil to preserve my hair's softness and strength. I'm so going to try the yogurt treatment thing. I believe I tried it once before, but I didn't like it because I mixed it with egg yolks, which is probably way too much protein, and my hair doesn't care for egg yolks too much.

I think I will take a page out of your book and add mild proteins to my DC as well.
 
I use coconut oil, not as much as I used too, and I love my 100% AVJ which acts like a protein. I also eat alot of protein.

I say I'm protein sensitive because it seems every time I've tried to add a real protein to my reggie my hair would act out. But I'm also NOT an ingredient junkie so if my products contain protein I really don't know.

But I know my hair thrives with out doing real protein treatments so I'll keep on keepin' on.....unless I see a need to try real proteins out again.
 
*Muffin* said:
Thanks. My hair is very protein sensitive as well. I remember I started using grapeseed oil because I heard it was strengthening and protective. Now I don't know if grapeseed oil contains protein, but my hair HATED it. It turned into a rough, tangly, waxy-feeling mess. The only oil my hair likes that has protein in it is Avocado oil (thankfully). So now I've been making a mixture of coconut oil (which my hair adores) and avocado oil to preserve my hair's softness and strength. I'm so going to try the yogurt treatment thing. I believe I tried it once before, but I didn't like it because I mixed it with egg yolks, which is probably way too much protein, and my hair doesn't care for egg yolks too much.

I think I will take a page out of your book and add mild proteins to my DC as well.
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All of the BSS/over the counter stuff is too strong for my hair. The yogurt mix works best for me because I can control the concentrations of the various proteins. Once you get the ratios down, your hair will thrive. But I MUST use it with a super moisturizing dc and no more than every 6-8 weeks, otherwise, it's nothing but trouble. I definitely have to stay away from the eggs. All I get is HARD, TANGLED hair from them.

As for the oils, my hair LOVES wheat germ, coconut, avocado and olive. The grapeseed was so-so for me too. No tangling, but no real noticable benefit.

Good Luck!
 
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Ensjg598 said:
My hair is very fine and VERY protein sensitive. Every 6 - 8 weeks I add a mixture of the following mild proteins to my dc:

Yogurt (plain full fat)
Silk amino acid
Hydrolized wheat protein
Keratin (Roux mendex)
*I eyeball all the measurements.

My dc is AOHSR + Matrix Biolage + wheat germ oil + evco + other oils I feel like adding. The oils are VERY IMPORTANT for moisture retention. My hair feels like butter after this treatment.

I can't do protein any more often than 6-8 weeks and my hair loves this mixture.

HTH
Click to expand...

The products in red are why your hair is thriving. For protein sensitive hair, you MUST use products containing ceramides which is fatty substance that optimizes protein and moisture.
 
I use the V05 Hot Protein Creme Treatment. I have a friend that sends it from Canada and it is the ONLY protein my hair will tolerate and even actually likes!
 
Funny you started this thread because I just logged on to start one asking if my hair is protein sensitive...does that mean I dont need it?

My hair gets REALLY hard and dry. I cant even use CHI keratin mist...as soon as it hits my hair it gets hard as a rock! Does this mean that we get enough protein in our diets and dont need to add it to our hair directly?
 
blackindia07 said:
Funny you started this thread because I just logged on to start one asking if my hair is protein sensitive...does that mean I dont need it?

My hair gets REALLY hard and dry. I cant even use CHI keratin mist...as soon as it hits my hair it gets hard as a rock! Does this mean that we get enough protein in our diets and dont need to add it to our hair directly?
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Even though my hair is protein sensitive, I still need it because without it my hair starts breaking. It'll be fine when it's freshly relaxed and I have NG, but it starts breaking a bit as soon as the NG comes in. I just don't need as much protein, I think. I can do fine without protein treatments for a while. But when my hair needs them, forget it :nono:. It's a struggle, but I'm going to give the yogurt thing a try.
 
Wow....sometimes I really wish I could spank my hair :spank:. I mixed some unrefined Avocado Oil in with my Coconut Oil that I usually use for sealing/oiling, and my hair decided to go A-wall! It became dry and crunchy feeling, not to mention greasy, and I had to do wash and do a moisturizing deep condition prematurely. I thought my hair liked avocado oil. It seems like I can only handle it in my deep conditioning treatments. I believe that since coconut oil is a protein enhancer it made whatever protein that's in the avocado oil stronger.
 
If you're protein sensitive I would really try henna or cassia (which is a form of henna I *think*) treatments. It really helps to strengthen my hair, but without the dryness and brittleness that using a protein treatment can bring. I use cassia, because I'm not trying to color my hair. I leave it on for about an hour, and follow it up with it a moisturizing conditioner just like I used to do after a protein treatment.
 
simone103 said:
If you're protein sensitive I would really try henna or cassia (which is a form of henna I *think*) treatments. It really helps to strengthen my hair, but without the dryness and brittleness that using a protein treatment can bring. I use cassia, because I'm not trying to color my hair. I leave it on for about an hour, and follow it up with it a moisturizing conditioner just like I used to do after a protein treatment.
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Thanks for mentioning this. I have both henna and cassia. I like henna a lot, but I've been too lazy to mix up the treatments :blush:. The cassia I don't particularly like. Makes my hair frizzy for some reason, but I'll definitely be making a return to the henna. I like it mixed with hot coconut milk and oils :lick:. I think I will do henna bi-monthly and I'll mix a little bit of yogurt in with my normal deep conditioning treatment monthly, and weekly I'll just add a little bit of avocado oil to my AOHSR conditioner. That way I'm strengthening my hair without overloading it. This balancing thing is tricky...
 
I use henna and I incorporate products with small amounts of protein. I use profectiv breakfree, coconut oil. Occasionally between henna treatments if I notice breakage I add an egg to my dc or do a coconut milk/yogurt treatment. Over time my hair has become amazingly less prone to breakage.
 
RosesBlack said:
I use henna and I incorporate products with small amounts of protein. I use profectiv breakfree, coconut oil. Occasionally between henna treatments if I notice breakage I add an egg to my dc or do a coconut milk/yogurt treatment. Over time my hair has become amazingly less prone to breakage.
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You have some very good advice. My hair likes coconut milk a lot. Makes it soft. Never thought to add it to my yogurt treatment, though. I like adding it to my henna to combat dryness. Is it true that coconut milk contains a bit of protein? My goal is to have a small amount of protein in all the treatments that I do, so as to not cause myself to have protein overload.
 
Hey ladies, I just wanted to give a review of yogurt as a protein treatment. It was AMAZING! My hair turned out silky smooth. I was actually in shock. It didn't make my protein-sensitive strands act up. All I did was use low-fat yogurt, EVOO, and Honey mixed together and left it on my hair until it absorbed. I didn't think it would turn out well because my hair felt slightly stiff, but as soon as a rinsed it out and co-washed with AOHSR, it was so smooth and clean feeling. I'm still waiting on my hair to dry, but that is my initial response.
 
Update: Just wanted to update on how my hair feels now that it's dry after the yogurt treatment. When it dried, my hair was a little on the dry and brittle side, kind of like how one's hair feels after doing a protein treatment without balancing it with a moisturizing one (which I did :blush:). Next time I will mix the yogurt in with a moisturizing DC like my AOHSR. I applied a bit of AOHSR to my hair mixed with coconut oil (which I do in emergency situations when my hair is dry) and it feels nice and moisturized now. Overall, yogurt does all that a protein treatment is supposed to do, without making my protein-sensitive hair feel hopelessly rough and tangly. It should definitely be mixed with or followed up with a moisturizing treatment, though (at least in my case).
 
Lately I have been using Nexxus Humectress. I think its really helping to fend off the dryness and brittleness I would have had from the hard protein treatment I got 10 days ago. I think I will always have a tube of this on standby.
 
Its 30 days since that last post ^^ and I've finally figured out how I can use protein, not have brittle hair, and retain my growth. I just have to use moisture and protein in the same wash, every time. I feel kinda stupid for not figuring it out before. For the last 10 days I have been washing my hair every other day (out of necessity, long story). Normally I would have shed and broken hairs all over the place. My hair is usually weakest when wet. But I started using a recontructor for 3 minutes followed by a moisturizing condish for 3 minutes every time I wash. My breakage has literally STOPPED. There is no hair on my shower wall, none on my back, none in the comb, and none in the sink. Its beautiful! So this is now how I retain length. Protein and then moisture at every wash.
 
I am glad to hear you are having so much success!
What products specifically are you using (reconstructor + moisture)?
 
I try to be gentle when styling/detangling. Also, the proteins in my weekly shampoo and conditioner keeps my hair strong. :yep:

I cannot DC with a protein/reconstructing conditioner AT ALL. I tried using Henna & Placenta conditioner ... I left it on for exactly three minutes and it made my hair feel like brick. :nono:
 
I use lighter proteins more frequently. Instead of doing the Aphogee two-step every six weeks. I use a very light protein every week. I follow that up with a deep moisturizing conditioner weekly.
 
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