Healthy hair contains protein that gives your hair fullness, shine, and density. But despite the benefits of protein for hair, its abundance may affect the health of the hair and may even cause split ends and dryness.
Keratin is the main protein in the hair and works to strengthen the hair strands. But when keratin builds up, it can weaken the hair roots, causing split ends, dryness, and brittleness.
The effect of protein on the hair
Keratin envelops the hair and is found inside the hair, literally at the heart of each strand is keratin. Keratin coats the hair strands, which increases the strength of the bonds between your hair molecules. But this protein may build up on the scalp, adding weight to the hair, eroding the hair strand, and making the hair more susceptible to damage.
Benefits of protein for hair
Excess or accumulation of protein on the hair may cause the following:
- brittle hair.
- hair damage.
Treatment of protein accumulation on hair
There are some ways to help you get rid of these excess proteins in the hair, including:
wash hair well
Soaking your hair in warm water will help rid your hair of excess oils and accumulated proteins, but you'll need a shampoo that breaks down the protein stuck to your hair.
hair cut
Cutting split ends of hair helps to get rid of split ends and treat frizz.
essential oils
You can also try to get rid of some of the excess protein from the roots of your hair using essential oils, such as:
- mint.
- Lavender oil.
You can apply these oils to your scalp to cleanse it and increase blood flow to your scalp to promote healthy hair growth. Make sure to use a carrier oil to dilute any essential oils before applying directly to the scalp.
Stop using heat and dyes
If you suffer from damaged and dry hair due to excess protein, it may be time to give your hair some time to take a break from heat styling and hair dyes. Wash your hair well and let it breathe freely without using any dyes or exposing it to heat.
If you suffer from protein buildup, it is not preferable to use a deep moisturizing treatment or hair mask to get rid of this problem.
Tips to prevent protein damage to hair
The best way to treat damage to your hair is to prevent it from happening completely. You can follow these tips to prevent protein buildup:
- Do not use two keratin products on top of each other.
- Do not use more products than recommended.
- Wash your hair once or twice a week with a medicated shampoo appropriate for your hair type.
- Don't over-wash or condition your hair.
- Apply conditioner to the ends of the hair.
There is not much research on the damage of protein accumulation or excess keratin on the hair, but some women have noticed hair damage, especially after protein treatments, and some of them have suffered from hair loss, damage and fragility. It is easy to get rid of these accumulated proteins, but it may take a little patience and use products suitable for the nature of your hair.
And remember that cleaning your hair and giving it a break from styling and hair dye is the first step to fixing hair that has a lot of protein. And remember that a little attention every day gives your hair more health, vitality, and shine