
Hair that is stringy, flat, or limp is a definite sign that your hair needs a protein treatment. Normally, hair should be pretty durable and full, so when it starts to droop, take notice. By adding protein back into the hair, you can revitalize your strands and get them to a healthier state.
How to tell if your hair needs a protein treatment?
Hair that is stringy, flat, or limp is a definite sign that your hair needs a protein treatment. Normally, hair should be pretty durable and full, so when it starts to droop, take notice. By adding protein back into the hair, you can revitalize your strands and get them to a healthier state. 4. Your Hair Feels Gummy Or Sticky
Why does my hair feel limp after protein treatment?
If your hair feels limp or weak, it may be a sign that your hair needs a protein treatment. Protein treatments boost the hair with a variety of nutrients and proteins to help reconstruct and strengthen hair strands.
What is a protein treatment for hair growth?
In order to fill in the gaps, you need a protein treatment to strengthen your strands. The treatment works by nourishing the hair with vital proteins that help seal those gaps and create a stronger canvas for styling.

How do I know if my hair likes protein?
Take an inch of your hair and stretch it, if it doesn't stretch or breaks, feels dry and rough, it is brittle/damaged and needs moisture treatment. If the hair stretches far and does not return and/or breaks, feels mushy, gummy or cotton candy-like, your hair needs protein.
How does hair feel after protein treatment?
If you've used protein treatments to remedy your hair woes and it looks like not much has changed, your hair could have too much protein. Your hair may look and feel dry, brittle, dull, and stiff. If you take a closer look at your hair, protein overload may also cause split ends and breakage. It may also shed more.
How long does protein hair treatment take?
It's a protein that's naturally in your hair. How It Works: A stylist applies a keratin hair-straightening product to your hair and then uses the heat of a flat iron to seal it in. The process takes about 90 minutes or longer, depending on your hair's length.
Why is my hair hard after protein treatment?
It is possible to add so much protein to your hair that the moisture is unbalanced, leaving your hair feeling stiff, dry, or hard. This is why we recommend paying attention to how your hair feels before and after a protein treatment, and waiting at least a few weeks before doing another treatment.
Should I deep condition after protein treatment?
You may find you never need to apply additional protein to your hair, and that's fine. Anytime you apply an intense protein treatment, you must follow up with a deeply moisturizing conditioner. Rutlin explains, "You cannot have one without the other. This is why you see some people have brittle and damaged hair.
Can protein treatments grow my hair?
Help to eliminate breakage and split ends: In improving the strength and elasticity of hair, protein treatments help eliminate breakage and split ends. Ogboru adds that this can give the appearance of hair growth, as protein treatments prevent weak, brittle hair and stronger hair breaks less.
How do you wash your hair after a protein treatment?
"If you have fine hair, you may just shampoo and then use the protein treatment so that your hair is not too weighed down," Williams notes. "Generally, you would leave a protein treatment on the hair for 20 to 30 minutes before rinsing.
Can I wash my hair 1 day after protein treatment?
When Can You Wash Your Hair After a Keratin Treatment? Most hairstylists recommend at least 3 days (72 hrs) before you can get your hair wet.
What is the difference between protein and keratin treatment?
Definition. A protein treatment is a conditioning treatment that adds proteins to your hair and helps to strengthen and repair it, while keratin treatment is a chemical procedure that straightens the hair, making it shiny and manageable.
How do you tell if your hair has build up?
How to Tell if You Have Product Buildup in Your Hair – Signs and Symptoms to Watch Out ForYour Hair Feels Dry But Your Scalp Feels Greasy.Your Hair Looks Dull All The Time.Your Hair Feels Rough and Stiff Every Day.You Find Yourself Using Way More Shampoo Than Usual.Your Hair Struggles To Hold A Style.Lack of Volume.More items...•
What Does too much protein in hair look like?
Known as protein overload, having too much protein in your hair may cause it to appear dull, dry, and brittle.
How often should you do a protein treatment on damaged hair?
every 4 to 6 weeksTo eliminate all confusion, protein treatments--especially deep treatments--should be done every 4 to 6 weeks. Protein treatments should be applied so sparingly for a couple of reasons, the first being that applying protein treatments too often can lead to protein overload causing breakage throughout the hair.
What is protein treatment for hair?
By receiving a protein treatment prior to chemically treating your strands, you are helping to strengthen the base of your hair and are essentially making it a healthier canvas for your color.
Why does my hair need protein?
Just like your body, your hair needs protein in order to stay healthy. If your hair feels limp or weak, it may be a sign that your hair needs a protein treatment. Protein treatments boost the hair with a variety of nutrients and proteins to help reconstruct and strengthen hair strands. Having protein-packed strands is an amazing way ...
What does it mean when your hair is stringy?
Your Hair Is Stringy Or Limp. Hair that is stringy, flat, or limp is a definite sign that your hair needs a protein treatment. Normally, hair should be pretty durable and full, so when it starts to droop, take notice. By adding protein back into the hair, you can revitalize your strands and get them to a healthier state.
How to give your hair a better base for color?
In order to give your hair a better base for your haircolor, ask your stylist for a protein treatment before the color application. By doing this extra step, you can help to ensure that your strands stay strong during the chemical service.
How to keep hair healthy without feeling crunchy?
To keep your strands strong and healthy without feeling crunchy or stiff, chat with your Redken stylist to see how often your hair needs an extra protein boost. Wondering why your hair even needs a protein treatment in the first place? Well, human hair is made out of tough, fibrous proteins like keratin that help keep it strong. When hair lacks this protein, it can start to rebel and look lifeless. By restoring those building blocks in your hair, you can help treat some of your top hair concerns. Here are five signs that your hair is crying out for a protein treatment.
Why does my hair have a high porosity?
Hair with high porosity often has tears and gaps in the strands that make it more susceptible to damage. These gaps and tears allow the hair to absorb too much water, which can cause frizz, tangles, and even color loss on color-treated hair. In order to fill in the gaps, you need a protein treatment to strengthen your strands. The treatment works by nourishing the hair with vital proteins that help seal those gaps and create a stronger canvas for styling.
How to tell if hair is elastic?
To find out just how elastic your hair is, take a strand of your hair (that’s still attached to your head) and wet it. Once the strand is wet, stretch the hair. If the hair bounces back to its original length without breaking, then your strands are balanced. However, if the strand doesn’t bounce back, looks limp, or breaks, ...
How to apply protein treatment to hair?
Apply protein treatment or mask to hair from scalp to ends. Comb through with fingers or a wide-toothed comb to ensure even application.
Why does hair need protein treatments?
If the hair is made up of protein, why does it need additional protein treatments? According to Shamban, hair naturally loses moisture and nourishment the farther away it is from the root. "As we lose moisture and nourishment, the keratinized protein begins to unravel and break down. It loses strength, elasticity, and the bonds weaken. Rebuilding, supporting, and boosting this protein matrix is key to healthy hair and scalp. This can be done chemically in the salon or more naturally and botanically at home."
What is the benefit of protein treatment?
The key benefit of a protein treatment is the ability for the protein ingredients like hydrolyzed wheat protein or silk amino acids to attach directly to the hair follicle and harden the cuticle layer. This places a barrier around the follicle, which protects it from further damage, Ogboru explains.
How to use protein heat treatment?
A simple protein heat treatment is as follows: Apply protein treatment or mask to hair from scalp to ends. Comb through with fingers or a wide-toothed comb to ensure even application. Wrap hair into a bun and apply a covering, such as a shower cap.
What is the purpose of protein in hair?
Type of ingredient: Strengthener. Main benefits: Improves hair elasticity, strengthens the hair follicle and improves the overall appearance of the hair. Who should use it: Protein has proven reparative benefits but may not be necessary for those with strong, shiny, and thick hair.
What happens when hair gets farther from scalp?
As hair gets farther from the scalp, the feast "diminishes"—entree turns to appetizer size, and by the time we are down the shaft towards the ends, there are bare crumbs left to nourish the hair. As we lose moisture and nourishment, the keratinized protein begins to unravel and break down.
Is keratin good for hair?
It is important to note that when both experts discussed the benefits of protein treatments for hair, they typically referred to the benefits of an at-home treatment. In-salon keratin and other protein treatments have been found to have some serious health risks, including exposure to formaldehyde.
How to tell if your hair is missing protein?
Make sure to hold them tight then gently pull the hair. If the hair stretches and bounces back to its normal length without breaking, it means the hair is healthy. If it stretches and doesn’t return or stretches and breaks, then chances are your hair is missing protein.
What is the protein in hair?
Protein and How It Affects the Hair. Our hair is primarily made up of chains of amino acids and proteins called keratin. Think of the hair as a building with keratin as the bricks. Because of overstyling, chemical treatments, and environmental stressors, keratins become worn out, creating gaps in the hair which eventually leads to damage ...
Why does my hair lose hair?
Note: increased hair loss could be caused by many things: a hormonal imbalance, vitamin deficiencies, stress, auto-immune disorders, medications, chemotherapy and more . It’s important to thoroughly consult and analyze the scalp and hair before deciding a lack of protein is the culprit.
Why is my hair not full?
Is the hair not as full and bouncy as they used to? Dull and limp hair is a sign of protein deficiency. Most clients will think it just needs a bit of hair styling product to bring it back to life, but this practice actually compromises the health of the hair significantly. Layering more products on already weak hair will weigh it down, causing it to look stringy.
Why does my hair get frizzy?
Highly porous strands have tears and gaps in the hair, exposing the cortex to stressors. This causes the hair to absorb and release moisture faster than normal, leading to frizzy, tangled hair.
Why does my hair feel sticky?
Or worse, the hair has suffered from far too much lightening , causing it to feel like bubblegum.
Does bleach damage hair?
Hair has been colored recently. Hair color, bleach, and treatments contain chemicals that alter the bonds of the hair, leading to damage. These chemicals elevate the pH of the hair and causes the cuticles to rise.
How to add protein to hair?
To add protein treatments into your hair care routine, apply yours on clean, conditioned hair and then wash it out. "If you have fine hair, you may just shampoo and then use the protein treatment so that your hair is not too weighed down ," Williams notes.
Why do you use protein relaxers on hair?
"Chemical relaxers break textured hair bonds so that the hair can be straightened ," says Ogun. "This process weakens strands and leaves it vulnerable to severe chemical damage.".
How will this treatment impact your hair?
This prevents the hair from appearing dull and lifeless." For those with curly and coily textures, she adds that protein treatments are essential in breakage prevention and keeping curl patterns strong by treating the hair internally. And for chemically treated hair, protein treatments serve as the extra protection needed to maintain its health. "Chemical relaxers break textured hair bonds so that the hair can be straightened," says Ogun. "This process weakens strands and leaves it vulnerable to severe chemical damage." She recommends Soultanicals Afrotastic Curl Elastic Deep Conditioning Treatment ($16, sallybeauty.com), which replenishes relaxed hair with essential nutrients and keeps natural curls healthy.
What goes into a protein treatment?
Our experts share that these treatments should act as a protective barrier for the hair and include essential fatty acids, vitamin E, amino acids, minerals, and hydrolyzed proteins. "A great homemade treatment is a mixture of eggs (pure protein), yogurt (protein and lactic acid, which helps to cleanse deeply while maintaining moisture), and avocado or coconut oil (which contains those fatty acids we need)," Williams adds. But she also notes that there are salon-quality products that do the work for you, too, like the CHI Deep Brilliance Protein Masque Strengthening Treatment ($16.87, amazon.com); this uses essential oils, botanicals, herbs, and vitamins to reconstruct dry, damaged hair.
Why does textured hair feel hard?
Ogun notes that textured hair can often feel hard if it is in need of a protein treatment and agrees that timing is everything. "Protein treatments benefit textured hair specifically due to the tightness of the curl pattern. The tighter the curl pattern, the greater the need for hair hydration," she says. "Moisture is key in maintaining healthy and ...
Is protein shampoo good for hair?
Shampoo and conditioner are staples in a standard beauty routine, but a protein treatment should be, too. This product can give your hair the strength it needs for long-term health. Ahead, experts share everything you need to know about protein treatments and how you can best work them into your hair regimen.
Does protein help hair growth?
It has been long understood that eating protein-rich foods can help strengthen hair. Protein treatments themselves accomplish this and more, says Joy Williams, executive master educator and master artist for CHI Haircare. "A great protein treatment can help to repair severely damaged hair, encourage hair growth, and penetrate and heal a dry, ...
How to tell if hair needs protein treatment?
You can tell your hair needs a protein treatment if it feels weak, overly soft, and lifeless. Especially if it seems like products aren’t working and no amount of moisture seems to make your hair look or feel good, it’s time for a protein treatment. @ingecurls
What does each protein treatment do for the hair?
So, what each protein treatment does for the hair is help to return the protein that is lost from the hair shaft. More benefits:
What is the best protein hair mask?
10 Miracle Hair Mask is one of the best protein hair masks available on the market. It is made up of very strong wheat protein that penetrates the scalp to provide immediate conditioning results. It is safe for processed, heat-styled, and color-treated hair, the mask helps to soften and detangle the hair.
How to make your hair healthy?
Everyone wants to have strong and healthy hair, and one way to ensure that your hair is in a good condition is to regularly use protein treatments on your hair. Protein treatment for hair is a salon or at-home treatment that helps to boost the health of your hair with several nutrients got from proteins. Each nutrient plays a specific role in making your hair healthy.
How to make hair stronger?
Protein treatments are used to make the hair stronger, more elastic, and tougher by adding hydrolyzed proteins directly to the hair follicle and making the cuticle layer harder. Any gap or hole that is found in the hair cuticle will be filled while protecting the area around the hair shaft to reduce the possibility of future damage.
What is the best conditioner for hair?
For those who search for a protein conditioner that can be added to weekly hair care routine, Giovanni Smooth as Silk Deeper Moisture Conditioner can be recommended. It has low protein content so it can be used quite frequently on damaged hair without fear of getting too much protein in the hair.
What is the protein in hair?
The human hair is made of the protein called keratin (up to 95%) that builds the structure of the hair shaft giving it shape and strength. When the hair is exposed to the natural elements such as the sun, wind, heat, and certain chemicals, these things cause the protein in the hair to break down. Over a long period of time, the hair loses strength, elasticity, and begins to break. The only way to restore your hair is to treat it with proteins.
Check Your Ingredients
Sometimes its difficult to spot proteins in your hair products. That’s why you must become skilled at reading ingredient labels.
General names for Protein in Hair Products
Amino acids Silk Proteins Animal protein Vegetable protein Glyco protein Casein Cholesterol Collagen Keratin Blue-green algae Quinoa seed extract Casein Milk protein Oat flour Panthenol Rice protein Soy protein Wheat protein
How do I know if my hair needs protein or moisture?
To test whether your hair lacks moisture or protein, you can conduct a small experiment . Take some hair strands, wet them, and gradually stretch them, then release. If your hair does not bounce back to its original shape and instead breaks, it has lost its elasticity and this indicates that your hair probably does not contain enough protein.
What happens when hair lacks protein?
As you already know, proteins are the building blocks of our body. Protein deficiency in the body can lead to brittle bones and increases the risk of infections and illnesses. Proteins are also essential for healthy hair growth. Protein-deficient hair becomes limp and weak, it loses its normal texture and becomes sticky and difficult to manage.
Are there any hair products that can help me get protein-rich hair?
Besides going for a protein-rich diet and trying DIY protein hair masks, you can also try to include in your hair care routine a shampoo & conditioner that are rich in proteins and which can help improve the quality and texture of your hair shaft, giving you glossy, soft, and smooth hair.
