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Protein Treatment and Reconstructor Treatment. Same thing?

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Not necessarily. Protein reconstructors are specifically designed to reconstruct the keratin protein bonds in your hair. Not all protein treatments are reconstructors. Some may include keratin, some may include other forms of human or vegetable protein and may just strengthen certain areas of the hair (such as the cuticle), but they may not reconstruct the entire strand fully.
 
navsegda said:
Not necessarily. Protein reconstructors are specifically designed to reconstruct the keratin protein bonds in your hair. Not all protein treatments are reconstructors. Some may include keratin, some may include other forms of human or vegetable protein and may just strengthen certain areas of the hair (such as the cuticle), but they may not reconstruct the entire strand fully.
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thanks for answering so quickly.

i recently brought Avlon's 5 in 1 (i think that's the name) reconstructor. My hair has been quite elastic lately. Probably too many co -washes and not enough protein?
 
Yeah, I agree with navs. I know some reconstructors I have don't list any protein in the ingredients so they must not all be the same thing.
 
navsegda said:
Not necessarily. Protein reconstructors are specifically designed to reconstruct the keratin protein bonds in your hair. Not all protein treatments are reconstructors. Some may include keratin, some may include other forms of human or vegetable protein and may just strengthen certain areas of the hair (such as the cuticle), but they may not reconstruct the entire strand fully.
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Guess I am going to have to be the odd one out on this one.:lol: Dsylla, I do think that when we talk about protein treatments and protein reconstructors on the boards, we mean the same thing. A "treatment" is just hair board slang for a reconstructor. A protein reconstructor or treatment simply rebuilds or reinforces the cuticle layers on a level much deeper than a regular protein conditioner which is why their effects are more pronounced and last longer. Treatments/reconstructors are simply highly concentrated protein conditioners with low moisturizing capacity/properties. They are the same. When someone says, "I'm doing a protein treatment or reconstructive treatment" we don't expect to see them with Suave milk and Honey b/c it contains some proteins.:lol: We know they are using a highly concentrated protein conditioner/reconstructor like aphogee or keraphix.

A reconstructor does not need to contain keratin at all, though. Aphogee Treatment for Damaged Hair is just about the strongest, hardcore protein reconstructive treatment you can get and it doesn't have keratin. Its ability to reconstruct and reinforce the hair shaft comes from its extremely high concentration of its protein and heat. IMO, what separates reconstructors/treatments from other regular protein conditioners is protein type, size, and concentration.

There is another thread by SG that discusses the differences between conditioners and reconstructors/treatments, lemme see if I can find it.
 
Sistaslick said:
Guess I am going to have to be the odd one out on this one.:lol: Dsylla, I do think that when we talk about protein treatments and protein reconstructors on the boards, we mean the same thing. A "treatment" is just hair board slang for a reconstructor. A protein reconstructor or treatment simply rebuilds or reinforces the cuticle layers on a level much deeper than a regular protein conditioner which is why their effects are more pronounced and last longer. Treatments/reconstructors are simply highly concentrated protein conditioners with low moisturizing capacity/properties. They are the same. When someone says, "I'm doing a protein treatment or reconstructive treatment" we don't expect to see them with Suave milk and Honey b/c it contains some proteins.:lol: We know they are using a highly concentrated protein conditioner/reconstructor like aphogee or keraphix.

A reconstructor does not need to contain keratin at all, though. Aphogee Treatment for Damaged Hair is just about the strongest, hardcore protein reconstructive treatment you can get and it doesn't have keratin. Its ability to reconstruct and reinforce the hair shaft comes from its extremely high concentration of its protein and heat. IMO, what separates reconstructors/treatments from other regular protein conditioners is protein type, size, and concentration.

There is another thread by SG that discusses the differences between conditioners and reconstructors/treatments, lemme see if I can find it.
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Well said. They may be generally used interchangeably by people on the board, however we can't assume that everyone knows the difference when they are being discussed because not everyone names a product when they say "try a protein treatment" or "try a protein reconstructor" (hence the op's question). Not all protein reconstructors contain keratin, but all protein reconstructors work to reconstruct the keratin proteins that the hair is made of (depending on the strength, some reconstruct different parts of the hair strand or penetrate all throughout). JOICO is ranked number 1 in many places and it just happens to contain human hair keratin, but like you said, Aphogee is pretty strong too and it doesn't contain any, and it works great on the hair, too. So thus, if people are using them interchangeably and referring to the same type of product (for instance if you call Aphogee a protein treatment or if you call it a protein reconstructor), then it's pretty much the same. However, if you are mistaking something that is just a protein treatment (like CHI Infra Treatment, which contains silk and keratin proteins, or many other "treatments" out there that contain proteins but aren't reconstructors) for an actual protein reconstructor (like JOICO K-Pak) and you don't specify what you mean, then they are not the same.

And to clarify exactly what I meant in my quote, some protein treatments (that aren't reconstructors) may contain keratin or other forms of protein, and some protein reconstructors may contain keratin protein or some other form of protein. It all depends on the concentration, size, conformation, and bond strength of the protein molecules whether or not something with a protein in it is actually a reconstructor. And with that said, I still say it's better to err on the side of caution and avoid confusion by directly specifying whether you mean a treatment or reconstructor (or just list a product so people can look up for themselves what it actually is). I made the mistake of assuming that everyone knew I meant a bond when I said Si-OH in one of my previous posts and at least two people thought I was talking about something on a much larger scale, so I had to edit my post to say Si-OH bond and it was my fault for not being more clear.
 
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navsegda said:
However, if you are mistaking something that is just a protein treatment (like CHI Infra Treatment, which contains silk and keratin proteins, or many other "treatments" out there that contain proteins but aren't reconstructors) for an actual protein reconstructor (like JOICO K-Pak) and you don't specify what you mean, then they are not the same.
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Okay, I see where you are going and I agree :yep: Yeah the word "treatment" in this case (CHI Infra Treatment) is a bit misleading. Looking it up, this sounds like just a regular protein-based conditioner-- a treatment only in name really. Cantu Shea butter's waterbased moisturizers are the same way-- they call themselves protein "treatments" too. The term "protein treatment" in a recommendation on the board is usually reserved for the hardcore protein formulations, everything else is just a protein based conditioner.

OT: Sooooo...Have you used this before (the Chi stuff), Nav? How is it strengthwise? How does it smell? (very important:lol: ) Girl, you had me looking at it startin' to Feel that PJ itch...:lol:


Found Sg's thread: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=92906
 
DSylla said:
Sorry, after 2 years on here i feel i should know this, but i'm confused. :confused:
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OT: I may have already mentioned this on another thread but you and your hair look so beautiful in your siggy!!:yep: You're doing an awesome job!
 
Sistaslick said:
Okay, I see where you are going and I agree :yep: Yeah the word "treatment" in this case (CHI Infra Treatment) is a bit misleading. Looking it up, this sounds like just a regular protein-based conditioner-- a treatment only in name really. Cantu Shea butter's waterbased moisturizers are the same way-- they call themselves protein "treatments" too. The term "protein treatment" in a recommendation on the board is usually reserved for the hardcore protein formulations, everything else is just a protein based conditioner.

OT: Sooooo...Have you used this before (the Chi stuff), Nav? How is it strengthwise? How does it smell? (very important:lol: ) Girl, you had me looking at it startin' to Feel that PJ itch...:lol:


Found Sg's thread: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=92906
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've used the CHI Infra Shampoo and the Infra Treatment and I really like both of them. I could feel a difference in strength in my hair immediately when I used them. The good thing about them is that they aren't too strong and the proteins don't override the moisture. The smell is just ok (it doesn't have me making the herbal essences sounds in the shower like with my Garnier), and I don't think either the treatment or the shampoo smell as good as the Silk Infusion or Shine Infusion.
 
Thanks for the responses ladies :)

my hair is very elastic so if i read Sistaslick's Hair 101 thread correctly, that means I need a few weekly protein treatments, right?
 
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