Hair Care

How to Add Protein to Curly Hair

I always had a problem with making my curls look as they should. If you have curls, you know how horrible they can be in the morning or after a shower. Every time before an important meeting, I was stressed out and wondered how my head was going to look.

I shared my worries with my friend, who always has beautiful curls. She always seems like she just came out of a hairdresser’s studio. Thanks to her, I learned how to take care of my curly hair.

For some time, I had an issue with fizzy and dry hair. Even though I moisturize it, my hair was falling out and making me feel very uncomfortable. I had no idea that the issue could be caused by a lack of protein.

Signals That Your Hair May Lack Protein

If you notice that your hair is weak and tends to fall out, it most probably doesn’t have enough proteins. I had the same problem. My friend told me a secret: to have great-looking curly hair, you have to find a balance between moisture and protein.

Why Does Your Hair Need Protein?

Usually, curly hair needs more moisture than proteins, but if you forget about the latter, you are going to notice that your hair doesn’t look great.

If you wonder why your hair needs protein, here is the answer. Just like each part of your body, your hair needs protein to grow and get strong. When it is stronger, it gives you better curls. When your hair is lifeless, and it remains like this even after adding conditioner, you most probably need to add some proteins to your daily beauty routine.

How to Add Protein to Your Hair

The best and quickest way to give your hair proteins is by using protein treatments. You can find them in hair stores, online, or even in drug stores.

By giving your hair protein treatments, you help keep the right balance between moisture and protein. Remember that “regular” can mean different things for different people. Depending on your hair, you have to find a regularity that is going to suit your needs. Perhaps you should use the treatment once a week, a month, or maybe bi-monthly.

It’s easy to “overdose” a protein treatment, but it’s more common to not give enough to your hair. The best way to know is by observing your hair. If you notice they are lifeless and you haven’t done a protein treatment in a while, you should consider doing so.

When you first notice the problem, and you start giving some proteins to your hair for the first time, you might need more frequent treatments. With time, most probably, you are not going to have to do it that often.

Remember to not keep up with the same routine all the time. When your hair is protein deprived, it needs treatment, but if you continue it too long, you might end up with a protein overload.

An QAfrican woman with protein rich hair

Can Your Hair Get Too Much Protein?

There is no better way to know what your hair needs than by noticing how it behaves. Remember that too much protein can also mean trouble. If you noticed that your hair is dry, brittle, breaks more than usual, and is stiff, it might be the first signal that your hair has a protein overload.

Your hair can have too much protein for a few reasons. You might use products with a lot of protein and not know about it. You can also use them for too long. Protein overload often happens when hair is more likely to absorb proteins.

How to Fix Protein Overload

To help your hair get back to a proper level of protein, try to moisturize them more. Remember to do deep conditioning regularly. You can try once or twice a week. The balance should correct itself. When that happens, you can keep using your daily conditioner.

To keep your curls bouncy, reach for co-washes rather than shampoos. When you give your hair enough moisture and gain a balance, you are going to notice that your hair shines and is elastic, and looks healthy.

Is It Definitely a Lack of Protein?

Before starting protein treatment, it’s good to check if the state of your hair can be caused by anything else. Thanks to a bit of self-observation, you’re going to be able to make the right decision regarding treatments.

If your hair suffers because of a nutrient deficiency, you are not going to be able to fix it with even the strongest protein treatments. Very often, people who have brittle hair that falls out suffer from iron deficiency. If you think that you might be affected by those factors or have noticed that your protein treatment didn’t work, contact your primary doctor to check all possibilities.

Hair breakage can occur when the hair cortex is exposed. It’s the part of your hair that is responsible for shape, elasticity, and strength. When it is exposed to external factors, it can break more easily and look not aesthetical.

If you dye your hair or have used bleach, or even regularly use heat tools such as hair irons, blow dryers, etc., you might have excessively dry hair. You might notice that they easily snap and tangle. You might notice it especially in the area between your natural and colored hair.

In this case, protein treatment can be a bit helpful, but if the damages are huge you might be wasting your time. You should consider cutting your hair to get rid of as much damage as possible.

Conclusion

Adding protein treatment to your hair beauty routine can bring your look to another level. You can get strong and shiny hair in no time if you pick the right solution for your problem. Remember to always observe your hair because your body knows best about what you need.

Before you start your treatment, verify if any other factors can influence how your hair looks. And remember that balance is the key to success and to truly fabulous hair.

Hati

Hi I'm Hati and my hair is naturally very curly, obviously! I have started this blog to share curly hair stories and what I use to manage my own hair. Hopefully you will find it useful! My other main passions are food, art and animlas. I have a little cat who I love very much.

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