Signs of Protein Overload Hair - How to Fix Protein Overload in Hair
Protein is added to various hair products to provide nutrition for hair and make it look better. But too much protein in hair will damage your hair from the inside and keep you away from healthy hair. In this article, let’s take a look at the signs of protein overload in hair and how to fix it, as well as the differences between protein and moisture overload.
What Is Protein Overload?
Protein overload refers to there being too much protein in your hair, which causes the amount of protein and moisture in the hair to be unbalanced. Both of them are essential for hair health. If the moisture and protein are not at an ideal level, too much of either of them will destroy the integrity of the hair, making the hair look poor quality. Typically, curly hair (especially with tighter curl patterns) is more prone to protein overload, while straight and loose wavy hair tends to experience moisture overload more easily.
What Does Excess Protein Do to Hair?
An excessive amount of protein in hair will build up and form an intense barrier, so water and other moisturizing ingredients can't penetrate the hair strand. Your hair will look dry, dull, brittle, have no shine, and feel rough and limp.
Signs of Protein Overload Hair - How to Tell If Your Hair Has Too Much Protein?
Your hair strand is made up of multiple types of protein; the most important one is called keratin, which offers hair structure and strength. It also improves the elasticity of your hair and repairs damage. However, protein overload does not come with good results. Then, how to tell if your hair has protein overload, or what are the signs of protein overload hair?
Sign 1: Your hair feels dry and frizzy for a period of time
The hair dryness we talk about here is not a state at some moment but is a constant state. If you wash or moisturize your hair, but it feels like you have not done anything, the hair easily feels dry and frizzy, you should pay attention to your hair. This is one of the important symptoms of protein overload, which is caused by loss of moisture.
Sign 2: Your hair has no elasticity and is easy to break
Pull a random strand of your hair; if it can't be stretched, with little or no stretch before breaking, this may be another sign. This often accompanies stiffness.
Sign 3: Your hair is experiencing excessive shedding
Check the hair left on your comb or the place you stay. The normal amount of hair loss per day is between 50 and 100 hairs, but if you lose more hair every day, you may have excessive shedding. If you're experiencing breakage, then you will notice that the breakage is happening very easily, like you could tug on your strand and it will snag. Protein can strengthen the hair, but too much protein can also cause abnormal hair loss.
Sign 4: Your hair has no shine and looks dull
Frequent or high-concentration applications of products such as hydrolyzed wheat or silk protein masks and protein treatments can create a rigid film on the hair surface that blocks moisture from penetrating the hair shaft. This results in uneven distribution of natural oils, and moisture caused by this film increases light scattering, making the hair look visually dull.
Sign 5: Your hair has split ends
Proteins can build up on the hair surface, forming a brittle, hard shell that blocks moisture penetration, resulting in a rough, stiff texture and increased split ends.
Sign 6: Your hair has heavy tangles
Protein overload hair will tangle up any chance that it gets, and is going to lock back up. You can detangle that section, leave that section out, and give it a minute or two to start drying up a little.
What causes protein overload in hair?
Protein overload happens when there is too much protein and too little moisture in the hair. This is usually because you may have used too many hair products that contain proteins. If your hair products have ingredients like silk protein and hydrolyzed protein, you can reduce the frequency of using these products.
You don’t have to experience all the signs; several of them will remind you of protein overload. Sometimes, it is difficult to tell, as its appearance is similar to damaged hair.
How to Fix or Treat Protein Overload in Hair?
There are some measures that can be taken for protein overload hair recovery. The final purpose is to get a balance of protein and moisture for healthy hair. Hair bundles and virgin hair wigs can save your hairstyle temporarily if you are in urgent need.
1. Check out all the ingredients in your hair products and get rid of protein products
It is possible to find proteins in a variety of hair products, and they can be identified by the word hydrolyzed in front of the ingredient name; for example, wheat protein, quinoa protein, soybean protein, rice protein, etc. Make sure to identify all of the products that contain protein because you do not want to make the situation worse by using those products indefinitely. Generally, it is safe to use deep protein treatment once a month.
2. Use deep conditioners on your hair
Then, moisturizing products should be used in place of these items. The ability to retain moisture is essential for overcoming protein excess. It is possible via the application of moisturizing deep conditioners or moisturizing creams. Simply take it out of the package and examine the contents: honey, aloe vera, shea juice, argan oil, grape seed oil; if these are the components in the hair product you are looking at, then these are the products to use.
3. Change your wash schedule
If you are someone who washes hair once a week, you may need to consider washing it twice a week. Changing your hair wash schedule is to make sure that your hair is getting the moisture. It needs a constant fix, so try to increase the frequency of washing your hair for a period of time.
4. Apply clarifying shampoo to cleanse hair gently
Make sure that your hair is getting more clarified. When you have protein overload, you should soak your hair in regular warm water and use non-sulfate clarifying shampoos to remove all of the dirt and protein buildup from your hair.
What Shampoo Is Good for Protein Overload?
To counter protein overload hair, you should choose a shampoo that can remove excess keratin without stripping your hair, then you balance it with moisture, like clarifying/chelating detox shampoo and moisturising, protein-free shampoo.
Protein Overload vs. Moisture Overload: What Are the Differences
Hair requires a proper ratio of protein and moisture to maintain strength, elasticity, shine, and the best curl pattern. Protein overload and moisture overload are two common issues found in human hair, but they show different results and require different treatments.
1. Definition and core reason
Protein overload occurs when there is too much protein and too little moisture in the hair, and moisture overload occurs when there is too much moisture and too little protein in the hair.
2. Symptoms or signs
| Aspect | Protein Overload | Moisture Overload |
|---|---|---|
| Hair Texture | Rough, stiff, straw-like, brittle, dry | Limp, overly soft, mushy, stringy, greasy |
| Elasticity | Lacks elasticity, snaps easily when stretched | Stretches too far, feels mushy, snaps after stretch |
| Curl Definition | Loss of curl pattern, brittle curls | Curls lose definition, struggle to hold shape |
| Hair Appearance | Dull, lacks shine and luster | Lifeless, lacks volume |
| Breakage and Shedding | Increased snapping and shedding | Split ends and breakage due to hygral fatigue |
| Other Signs | Tangled | Fluffy, weighed down |
3. Diagnostic test
To test the protein overload, you can stretch a hair strand. If it feels dry, brittle, and snaps immediately, it indicates protein overload. To tell if you have moisture overload, still, stretch a hair strand; if it stretches a lot, feels mushy, and then snaps, it would be a moisture overload.
4. Causes in hair care routine
Protein overload is often caused by excessive use of protein-heavy products and not balancing protein treatments with enough moisturizing products. On the other hand, overuse of moisturizing products (deep conditioners, leave-ins) and washing hair too frequently may lead to moisture overload. Other reasons for too much moisture are high porosity hair and insufficient protein treatments.
5. Treatment
| Aspect | Protein Overload Treatment | Moisture Overload Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate Care | Soak hair in warm water to remove buildup | Clarify hair regularly to remove excess moisture |
| Shampoo Type | Use clarifying shampoo to break down protein buildup | Incorporate a clarifying shampoo; do not use it often |
| Conditioners | Avoid protein-rich products temporarily, use moisture-rich deep conditioners and hair butters | Avoid heavy conditioners and leave-in creams temporarily |
| Routine Adjustment | Incorporate moisture-rich products and gentle sulfate-free shampoos; consider co-washing | Incorporate protein-rich products to strengthen the hair shaft |
| Styling Tips | Avoid further protein buildup | Avoid leaving hair wet too long, air-dry or diffuse hair |
6. Effect on hair health
Too much protein makes hair stiff, brittle, and prone to breakage due to excess protein bonding without enough moisture to maintain flexibility. Moisture overload leaves hair limp, mushy, and prone to hygral fatigue, weakening the hair shaft due to excess water absorption and poor protein support.