What's a quick fix for (suspected) protein overload?

[YankeeCandle]

I'm just guessing it's protein overload based on the fact that :

(a) I only recently (past two months) started consciously adding significant protein to my regimen and

(b) my hair is now breaking off-- I mean literally snapping off in the middle of the strand with a "snap, crackle, and pop" sound---like mad for the first time in my life and also feels more wiry to the touch than normal for my fine texture.

Of course, it's also possible it's actually a response to moisture-based DC'ing, since I also started doing THAT over the past two months as well! erplexed

What substances or ingredients will help quickly get my hair to stop the breakage?

It only started over the past week or two, so it's been a dramatic change.

 

[Americka]

Check out this thread.

And this thread.

 

[YankeeCandle]

^^^ Thanks for these helpful threads.

I hope I'm "diagnosing" myself correctly, though.

I'm worried my problem might be due to the moisture DC'ing and baggying (also new) and that I'll be making the problem worse by doing those things in the beliefs they are counteracting a "protein problem."

This is why I usually avoid trying out two new items (skincare, food, etc) at the same time--you can't determine where problems come from!

 

[Americka]

^^^ Thanks for these helpful threads.

I hope I'm "diagnosing" myself correctly, though.

I'm worried my problem might be due to the moisture DC'ing and baggying (also new) and that I'll be making the problem worse by doing those things in the beliefs they are counteracting a "protein problem."

This is why I usually avoid trying out two new items (skincare, food, etc) at the same time--you can't determine where problems come from!

You are quite welcome!
I thought moisture overload would result in very "mushy" type hair. I had it once, prior to LHCF, when I left conditioner in overnight. Never did it again.

 

[Americka]

Perhaps one of Sistaslick's articles on moisture/protein balance can help you?

 

[LushLox]

^^^Yeah you will know when you have moisture overload, the hair is literally mush. You've been provided with some good threads. Hope you sort the problem out quickly OP.

 

[~NanCeBoTwin~]

Good luck on determining your problem. I know my hair HATES protein, so I add NO additional protein to my routine. I do Henna from time to time and apply 100% AVJ which both of these act like proteins, but are not truly.

They've provided you with great articles. The sistaslick article is really good, I use it often. Good luck again.

 

[YankeeCandle]

Thanks for all your replies, everyone!

I have read sistaslick's great articles in the past; it's kind of hard for me to apply the "theory" of hair to my own head. I wish I had a personal hair diagnoser on call .

FYI, I have clarified-washed it once since I posted, but because I am on vacay and did not have access to my stash, could not DC. I compromised by using a cheapie suave conditioner as a leave-in and sealing with coconut oil and then putting up in a bun (out of harm's way hopefully) for the past several days.

Because I haven't been manipulating my hair these past few days, I can't determine whether the breakage has improved.

 

[SherylsTresses]

Use a clarifying shampoo will rid you of your protein overload immediately...!!!

 

[Irresistible]

clarifying only strips the hair of all moisture, does nothing for protein overload


YC, keep up with the oils and you do need to deep condition as soon as you can, keep those going (oils and DC'ing) , with no protein for a while till you see a change

sometimes there is no quick fix for it

 

[Irresistible]

I'm just guessing it's protein overload based on the fact that :

(a) I only recently (past two months) started consciously adding significant protein to my regimen and

(b) my hair is now breaking off-- I mean literally snapping off in the middle of the strand with a "snap, crackle, and pop" sound---like mad for the first time in my life and also feels more wiry to the touch than normal for my fine texture.

Of course, it's also possible it's actually a response to moisture-based DC'ing, since I also started doing THAT over the past two months as well! erplexed

What substances or ingredients will help quickly get my hair to stop the breakage?

It only started over the past week or two, so it's been a dramatic change.

The problem is not moisture, moisturized hair doesn't just snap off, it's most definitely protein

 

[Bluetopia]

clarifying only strips the hair of all moisture, does nothing for protein overload


YC, keep up with the oils and you do need to deep condition as soon as you can, keep those going (oils and DC'ing) , with no protein for a while till you see a change

sometimes there is no quick fix for it

Yeah I had protein overload over the summer and clarifying did squat for it.

Also if that is what you have STOP USING COCONUT OIL!!!!!!

It aids in protein retention so if you have protein overload using it isn't the best idea.

I'm slowly but surely healing my hair by using JBCO/EVOO and keeping away from glycerin in the winter. Baggying is also helping and oil rinses have been a life saver.

Another neat trick i learned from the board is to add a teaspoon of table salt to 8ozs of my deep conditioner and then steam my hair for a half hour. This has helped out so much in just my first time doing it

Over moisturizing makes your hair mushy....so unless you've left that crucial factor out of your description...i think you can pretty much rule it out of your diagnosis.

 

[SherylsTresses]

Irrestible, for my hair a clarifying shampoo got rid of MY protein overload. I tried all other things and held onto protein issues for about two weeks. NOTHING AT ALL HELPED MY HAIR except for my clarifying poo followed by a moisturizing conditioner.

OP other people can only tell you what worked for THEIR hair but this is what works for me.

Clarifying and Protein Overload
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=400360&highlight=

 

[Irresistible]

Yeah I had protein overload over the summer and clarifying did squat for it.

Also if that is what you have STOP USING COCONUT OIL!!!!!!

It aids in protein retention so if you have protein overload using it isn't the best idea.

I'm slowly but surely healing my hair by using JBCO/EVOO and keeping away from glycerin in the winter. Baggying is also helping and oil rinses have been a life saver.

Another neat trick i learned from the board is to add a teaspoon of table salt to 8ozs of my deep conditioner and then steam my hair for a half hour. This has helped out so much in just my first time doing it

Over moisturizing makes your hair mushy....so unless you've left that crucial factor out of your description...i think you can pretty much rule it out of your diagnosis.

I dunno girl , that salt thing varies for user

it stripped me good

but hey, now that I think about it, I do think it stripped some protein too, cause I HAD to put oils AND protein back after........so maybe......

clarifying brittle breaking hair from protein can end u up all matted in worse shape

the Salt ..... could be iffy

Its true what she says about Coconut Oil YC , Just to be on the safe side use another oil for a minute, Avocado oil is a miracle worker to me

 

[Irresistible]

Irrestible, for my hair a clarifying shampoo got rid of MY protein overload. I tried all other things and held onto protein issues for about two weeks. NOTHING AT ALL HELPED MY HAIR except for my clarifying poo.

OP other people can only tell you what worked for THEIR hair but this is what works for me.

and of course you are right , all we can do is say what worked for us or didnt

we both did that now

I of course had to say it won't work or could make it worse because that's my standpoint/belief

well she already clarified anyway.....so I guess when she re-checks it again she can find out what it did for her

 

[Irresistible]

Thanks for all your replies, everyone!

I have read sistaslick's great articles in the past; it's kind of hard for me to apply the "theory" of hair to my own head. I wish I had a personal hair diagnoser on call .

FYI, I have clarified-washed it once since I posted, but because I am on vacay and did not have access to my stash, could not DC. I compromised by using a cheapie suave conditioner as a leave-in and sealing with coconut oil and then putting up in a bun (out of harm's way hopefully) for the past several days.

Because I haven't been manipulating my hair these past few days, I can't determine whether the breakage has improved.

So I guess the main question now Ms YankeeCandle would be..... how did your hair feel/do after clarifying?

you know I love Coconut oil but they do say it stops protein loss....not sure if it's the best oil to use right now

let us know how your hair is doing

you gotta get back in it.....to know .....eventually

plus whatever else you decide to do, you definitely need to deep condition and get another oil in it

I wanna know how your hair is doing now

 

[SkorpioLust]

What's in your moisturizers and conditioners that you are baggying with? IT could also be a reaction to an ingredient. My hair, for example breaks with silicones, petroleum, etc. There are lots of so-called moisturizing products with bad ingredients that only coat the hair doesn't really moisturize. So if you're going all out with products like that, that could be the problem.

I personally have never had breakage from protein. And I was using protein conditioner in summer as a daily co-wash (GPB or swimmers conditioner). The result was my hair wouldn't take a relaxer and wouldn't hold a curl. The protein had my hair too locked into place. I cured that by going heavy on deep moisturizing conditioners under a heat cap.

I wouldn't think clarifying would help strip protein. Anyway, I'd think if you are truly doing all the moisturizing you say the protein would have been balanced. Seems odd. I'd check ingredients.

 

[Irresistible]

Yeah I had protein overload over the summer and clarifying did squat for it.

Also if that is what you have STOP USING COCONUT OIL!!!!!!

It aids in protein retention so if you have protein overload using it isn't the best idea.

I'm slowly but surely healing my hair by using JBCO/EVOO and keeping away from glycerin in the winter. Baggying is also helping and oil rinses have been a life saver.

Another neat trick i learned from the board is to add a teaspoon of table salt to 8ozs of my deep conditioner and then steam my hair for a half hour. This has helped out so much in just my first time doing it

Over moisturizing makes your hair mushy....so unless you've left that crucial factor out of your description...i think you can pretty much rule it out of your diagnosis.

you know what.....I PRAY to God I never get protein overload again, I had the mutha of all protein overloads, I TRULY thought I would lose my hair it was litterally clumpy and hard and stuck together , for MONTHS.

But thinking about it, I do think I would go ahead and try the salt treatment if it were to happen again, because I do remember my hair needing oil after YES, but man my hair really came back with a protein treatment, even better than before.....so I know it took some protein out too

I used it under 'normal hair conditions' so I really could feel just what it did

 

[Irresistible]

so YankeeCandle here you have it, your own personal hair diagnostics....diagnoser's ......or whatever........hehe

I hope we helped


we all have different answers


just how it goes

 

[Irresistible]

Irrestible, for my hair a clarifying shampoo got rid of MY protein overload. I tried all other things and held onto protein issues for about two weeks. NOTHING AT ALL HELPED MY HAIR except for my clarifying poo followed by a moisturizing conditioner.

OP other people can only tell you what worked for THEIR hair but this is what works for me.

Clarifying and Protein Overload
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?p=9386076

hey maybe ur clarifying poo had salt?

k just thinking of how it could have worked now

 

[Irresistible]

What's in your moisturizers and conditioners that you are baggying with? IT could also be a reaction to an ingredient. My hair, for example breaks with silicones, petroleum, etc. There are lots of so-called moisturizing products with bad ingredients that only coat the hair doesn't really moisturize. So if you're going all out with products like that, that could be the problem.

I personally have never had breakage from protein. And I was using protein conditioner in summer as a daily co-wash (GPB or swimmers conditioner). The result was my hair wouldn't take a relaxer and wouldn't hold a curl. The protein had my hair too locked into place. I cured that by going heavy on deep moisturizing conditioners under a heat cap.

I wouldn't think clarifying would help strip protein. Anyway, I'd think if you are truly doing all the moisturizing you say the protein would have been balanced. Seems odd. I'd check ingredients.

yeah more info would be good I guess

but I know some people's hair is very protein sensitive , no matter what they do after or with it, once they reach their hair's threshold ...it's overload

 

[ceebee3]

What's helped/helping me is to deep conditon one day with heat for at least 25 minutes then braid or bun.

The next day use a moisturizing conditioner to wash then bun or braid again.

Next day hot oil treatment braid or bun then back to the deep conditioner.

Don't use shampoo at all, you can rinse the oil out with a moisturizing conditioner.

This is the second time I've noticed my hair breaking and I'm not waiting a week to do a treatment like last time. I don't want another setback.

 

[YankeeCandle]

sometimes there is no quick fix for it

You can say that again, Miss Irresistible. Funny how only a few weeks of a certain method of haircare can create a problem that needs much longer than that to fix.

Yeah I had protein overload over the summer and clarifying did squat for it.

Also if that is what you have STOP USING COCONUT OIL!!!!!!

It aids in protein retention so if you have protein overload using it isn't the best idea.

I'm slowly but surely healing my hair by using JBCO/EVOO and keeping away from glycerin in the winter. Baggying is also helping and oil rinses have been a life saver.

Another neat trick i learned from the board is to add a teaspoon of table salt to 8ozs of my deep conditioner and then steam my hair for a half hour. This has helped out so much in just my first time doing it

Over moisturizing makes your hair mushy....so unless you've left that crucial factor out of your description...i think you can pretty much rule it out of your diagnosis.

These are great ideas/points that I knew nothing about, even from my time here. Thank you for teaching me!

Clarifying and Protein Overload
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?p=9386076

Thank you so much for your testimonial and for the link (which I'm about to read after doing a stack of dishes--bleh).

I quite agree that everyone's hair responds differently...actually, that's why I was hesitant to quickly diagnose this as a protein problem. Just because many people react this way to protein doesn't mean my hair does; that's why I'm worried that there could be another source to the problem that I'm unaware of.

Its true what she says about Coconut Oil YC , Just to be on the safe side use another oil for a minute, Avocado oil is a miracle worker to me

I've never used Avo oil but I've been meaning to. The health food store in this area will not be open till the day after Christmas, so that's on my shopping list.

Jojoba gets on my nerves with its waxiness and we don't have any here right now anyway. But there's olive oil in the house I'm staying in, so would that work in the meantime (until I can get the Avo?)

What's in your moisturizers and conditioners that you are baggying with? IT could also be a reaction to an ingredient. My hair, for example breaks with silicones, petroleum, etc. There are lots of so-called moisturizing products with bad ingredients that only coat the hair doesn't really moisturize. So if you're going all out with products like that, that could be the problem.

Thanks for digging deep into my hair problem! It is most appreciated, especially around this hectic time of year.

Here is exactly what I've been doing for the past two months:

WASHING AND CONDITIONING

1. Once-a-week conditioner washing as I've been doing for the past 6 or so years. Of late (past 2 months), I've been using a cheapie White Rain Energizing Citrus conditioner because people here recommended the cheapies would have better slip for detangling than my usual Pantene Relaxed and Naturals.

2. Two total Nexxus Emergencee treatments--one per week for two consecutive weeks, followed by DC'ing (under a conditioning cap overnight/during sleep but without heat) with Biolage Hydrating Balm.

2. Two total Joice J-PAK treatments--one per week for two consecutive weeks, followed by the Biolage detailed above.

3. Three or four weeks using no protein treatments but once-a-week DC'ing (under conditioning cap overnight without heat) with ORS Hair Mayo.

4. One week doing a one-time- impromptu DC scraped together from an ORS Olive Oil packet, honey, and coconut oil, and then heated under a conditioning cap using a hairdryer.

*** there were 3-4 clarifying washes thrown in there at some point***

LEAVE-INS / MOISTURIZING

1. To define my curls after my wash, I have stopped using the Wen conditoner I'd been usin as a leave-in for several years (not enough curl definition), and went back to gels, using the various no-alcohol gels recommended here: ECOSTYLER and the green ICE Fantasia Olive Oil one.

2. ***Two times only*** (the two washes before last) I used Mane and Tail Conditioner as a leave-in before adding my gel on top. I had heard it had a light amount of protein and was hoping it would toughen up my fine strands.

2. Several weeks doing 2-3x weekly scalp massage (in between washes) with Jamaican Black Castor Oil (I have thinning hair and this was recommended). Sometimes on top of that I would add a hair food pomade (from Sam's tropical line sold online) that is based on JBCO, avocodo oil, and other oils--it might have included mineral oil or paraffins or other additions, but I don't know for sure because it's not with me at this location.

3. Assorted moisturizing and sealing techniques I read about here: e.g. spraying 3-day old hair with water mixed with cheapie conditioner and using that to refresh curls; e.g. spraying hair with water and then sealing with coconut oil.

4. Frequent baggying of my whole head overnight or under a hat or half-wig...either with nothing on my hair (save for the dried gel from the wash day) or, sometimes, with either the castor oil or with coconut oil over dampened hair.

But thinking about it, I do think I would go ahead and try the salt treatment if it were to happen again, because I do remember my hair needing oil after YES, but man my hair really came back with a protein treatment, even better than before.....so I know it took some protein out too

Do you mean that you washed with salt, then did a protein treatment anyway, even though your problem was from protein to begin with? Is that because the salt is so powerfully stripping that you can afford to do a protein again afterward?

so YankeeCandle here you have it, your own personal hair diagnostics....diagnoser's ......or whatever........hehe

I hope we helped


we all have different answers


just how it goes

I LOVED my personal hair diagnosers and give you all !!!

I just re-put up my bun (in my satin scrunchie, LOL), and some hair broke off as I did. I'm pretty sure it's broken hair because they seem so much shorter than my normal shed hair, and they actually make a snapping noise and feel as they come off my head.

 

[Irresistible]

You can say that again, Miss Irresistible. Funny how only a few weeks of a certain method of haircare can create a problem that needs much longer than that to fix.

*****EXACTLY******



I've never used Avo oil
, so would that work in the meantime (until I can get the Avo?)


*****YES******

Do you mean that you washed with salt, then did a protein treatment anyway, even though your problem was from protein to begin with? Is that because the salt is so powerfully stripping that you can afford to do a protein again afterward?

*****NO****** I Didnt have 'overload' at the time I did this 'method' its called Kiya's fizzle , if you want to search it , also a thread ' a little bit of moisutrizing mojo' something like that , I used 1/2 tsp to a whole bottle of conditioner, it's not washing with salt per se. I did this under normal hair conditions, and was able to note it did 'take out' protein, I knew when no amount of oils and conditioner got it back , then blam I did a protein treatment and it worked!!!!***********

I LOVED my personal hair diagnosers and give you all !!!

I just re-put up my bun (in my satin scrunchie, LOL), and some hair broke off as I did. I'm pretty sure it's broken hair because they seem so much shorter than my normal shed hair, and they actually make a snapping noise and feel as they come off my head.

my answers are between the *****

well anyway girlie, I really hope your hair is ok, and you can get it to stop breaking

 

[SkorpioLust]

OK. thanks for the details.

Isn't OrS Mayo also a protein treatment? I'm pretty sure. So you do weekly protein treatments (Emergencee, Joico, and ORS) but no deep moisturizing treatments under heat.

Leave ins aren't the same as doing deep conditioning with moisture. ORS is not a moisturizing deep conditioner. That homemade one isn't enough.

Correct that pronto. BAKE some moisture in with heat and a real moisturizing deep conditioner.

And stop with the clarifying. 4 clarifying poos in a month!!! wow. That is totally stripping your hair down. Totally unncessary.

 

[Irresistible]

just skimming your regi

ORS mayo and ORS OORP are both protein too

 

[Irresistible]

OK. thanks for the details.

Isn't OrS Mayo also a protein treatment? I'm pretty sure. So you do weekly protein treatments (Emergencee, Joico, and ORS) but no deep moisturizing treatments under heat.

Leave ins aren't the same as doing deep conditioning with moisture. ORS is not a moisturizing deep conditioner. That homemade one isn't enough.

Correct that pronto. BAKE some moisture in with heat and a real moisturizing deep conditioner.

And stop with the clarifying. 4 clarifying poos in a month!!! wow. That is totally stripping your hair down. Totally unncessary.

oh wow u did that too?????

girl what you trying to do? and where did u get this idea from? do you know I NEVER clarify, its very harsh and some of us can't really tolerate it well

but whew thats way too much

keep pouring oils over your head and deep conditioning WITHOUT protein

 

[Irresistible]

oh and scrap the salt idea , especially now knowing at least part of your problem/dryness could be from over clarifying.....don't do it

 

[YankeeCandle]

^^^ (to Skorpio and Iris)

the 3-4 clarifying/shampoo washes was over 2 months... because I wash once a week, it probably was about 1.5-2 clarifying per month. And that is mostly to counteract the gooeyness of the castor oil, which is very heavy and gloppy on my hair and scalp.

Skorpio, I knew the ORS and Mane and Tail were supposedly "light protein." I used the ORS on its own (without a specific protein treatment before hand and without a followup DC, because it was suggested that it was a mixture od moisture and light protein that seemed a good on-its-own combo.

But yes, between the ORS, the four Emergencee/JPAK treatments spaced over two months, and the two recent leave-ins of Mane and Tail, I guess that is more protein than I'm used to. I don't know for sure because I never knew how much my pre-LHCF products had protein in them.

If overnight uses of Biolage balm and the amped-up ORS olive oil pak are not good enough moisturizing deep conditioners, what do you suggest instead?

I have been afraid of over-DC'ing my hair because it is already fine-textured and thin and doesn't seem like it could take a lot.

 

[SkorpioLust]

Hey, I don't beleive the Biolage Balm is a true deep moisturizing conditioner. It says to only leave on 3 minutes. It may not be made for deep penetration (only to be a surface conditioner). Plus, it does have some keratin protein in it, just so you know.

Also, The Ors olive oil pak has a cone and what I call plastic (polyquarterium and quarterium) in it. Plus with the amino acids (protein) it looks to be for someone with normal hair balance. Not crazy about the glycerin so high up either.

This is just my opinion. Those plastics and cones will coat my hair and dry it out over time. But hair is different. That may not be your problem; but I'd be suspicious. I prefer natural conditioners and find Aubrey Organics Rosa Mosqueta to be really rich and moisturizing. No cones or plastics.