Protein overload can be tricky to spot since it mimics the look of damaged hair. One major sign is a change in the look and texture of your hair as it may start to look dry, dull, and brittle. Your hair may feel more coarse and struggle to hold a curl when dealing with protein overload.
To determine protein or moisture overload, take a few hairs out of your hairbrush or after the shower and pull them between your fingers. If the strand snaps immediately, there's too much protein. If the strand stretches and stretches without really breaking, there's too much moisture.
The way to fix both is to: 1) clarify your hair to get rid of the extra protein, and 2) use a moisturizing, protein-free deep conditioner to put more moisture back into your hair.
Consuming more protein than the body needs can cause symptoms such as intestinal discomfort, dehydration, nausea, fatigue, headaches, and more. Chronic protein overconsumption can also increase the risk of conditions such as cardiovascular disease, blood vessel disorders, liver and kidney issues, and seizures.
Signs Your Hair Is Overly Moisturized
Your hair is limp and falls flat. Your hair is dull and flat-looking. Your hair feels spongy and mushy when wet and feels too soft and fluffy when dry. Your hair has low elasticity — stretches when wet but doesn't bounce back when released.
Protein ingredients are easy to spot on a product's label because they commonly include the word “protein.” Sometimes proteins will also show up as collagen or keratin. Examples of common protein ingredients include: Hydrolyzed wheat protein. Hydrolyzed silk protein.
One major sign is a change in the look and texture of your hair as it may start to look dry, dull, and brittle. Your hair may feel more coarse and struggle to hold a curl when dealing with protein overload. Too much protein may also cause split ends and breakage, leaving hair to shed more.
Avoid using heavy conditioners and leave-in creams and incorporate protein-rich products into your hair care routine. Protein treatments help to strengthen the hair shaft and restore its natural structure, alleviating the symptoms of moisture overload.
Chemical Treatments: Procedures such as coloring, perming, and relaxing can break the disulfide bonds, weakening the hair and causing it to become stretchy. Heat Styling: Frequent use of hot tools like straighteners, curling irons, and blow dryers can damage the hair's protein structure.
On the days you wash your hair, opt for a hair clarifying detox shampoo. The ingredients present in this type of hair product can aid in stripping away the excess keratin on your strands. For a detoxing product that's helpful—not harmful—try a hair chelating shampoo.
✔ Take a strand of damp hair and gently stretch it. ✔ If it stretches without breaking, you have high elasticity (healthy hair). ✔ If it snaps quickly, you have low elasticity (needs strengthening treatments). Best Products: Strengthen weak hair with protein-rich treatments like GK Hair Deep Conditioner.
Due to this, pure coconut oil may not be beneficial to this porosity type. This is because whilst the oil acts as a sealant to stop hydration leaving the hair, it also works in the opposite way, preventing moisture entering. This could leave you locks in protein overload, feeling dry, brittle, and prone to breakage.
If you notice your hair is limp and stringy — without the normal bounce that curly and coily hair is known for — you could have a protein deficiency. By adding protein to your hair, you will boost elasticity and create a bouncier, fuller mane that is easier to style.
While some OLAPLEX products contain some protein, the amounts are minimal and not enough to be considered a protein treatment. Therefore, OLAPLEX is not a protein treatment. OLAPLEX works at a molecular level to rebuild the hair internally. Our hair contains millions of disulfide bonds.
Clarifying shampoo for protein overload
A clarifying shampoo can fix the protein overload in your hair.
Wet Your Hair: Start by thoroughly soaking your hair with warm water. This helps open the cuticles and prepares your hair for deep cleansing. Apply the Shampoo: Take a generous amount of clarifying shampoo and apply it directly to your scalp. Focus on the roots, where buildup tends to accumulate the most.
"After any Keratin Treatment, the Moisture vs. Protein balance in our hair will be "out-of-sync" due to the high protein concentration used during the procedure. This will cause hair to feel rough, coarse and brittle in the short or long term if nothing is done to counteract it.
Buildup. Sebum, dead skin cells, and product residue on the hair and scalp can also add significant weight to strands so they fall limp.
Curly hair can also lose moisture more easily, and without protein, it can become soft, stretchy, and lose its curl definition. This is why a balance of protein and moisture is essential for strong, defined curls.
In addition to humectants, certain oils like grapeseed, olive, and almond oils can actually penetrate the hair shaft to help impart moisture. Adding these ingredients to your wash and styling routine can help make your hair softer and add elasticity to each strand so that it's less prone to snapping and breakage.