Protein Issues 101: A Very Basic Introduction

[Please feel to ask questions on this post in the Facebook group for more thorough answers to your specific questions! Please note that this 'Protein' series will be an ongoing blog series for me. Thank you!] 

I'm writing to address the issue of protein sensitivity. This term is used too loosely in my honest opinion.

 In general, we often see many curly girls who suddenly develop very brittle, dry, straw-like hair whose hair snaps immediately while wet. These are all symptoms of excess amounts of of protein. This is called “protein sensitivity.” In general, they're also told that they are "protein sensitive." This is inaccurate a majority of the time.

 Such a reaction does not mean it is a protein sensitivity. It could also be a simple overload of protein. An ‘overload’ is when you begin using too many protein products without any moisturizing agents in your products to keep a proper balance hence creating the protein overload. A lot of curlies experience some form of protein issues throughout their curly journey due to either a disruption in their balance, having coarse and or being low-porosity.

A reason why protein suddenly becomes such an issue also is due to the Curly Girl Method itself. In the original method — and even the more modern form with gentle shampooing — we are instructed to condition. For instance if you were to only to wash with conditioner: this can cause a high risk of over-conditioning. The average co-washing conditioners which are most popular — such as Suave — often don’t contain proteins in them. [I will also be addressing over-conditioning in an upcoming post!]

As you keep co-washing without any forms of proteins than you are high risk of over-conditioning will lead to protein deficiency. This becomes a major problem of over-conditioning for fine curlies who then are advised to use protein which lead to an overload. This same effect can also happen to curlies who use lines like such as DevaCurl (for instance) which use heavy proteins in almost every product. Eventually, their begins to become moisture derived and overloads on proteins.

A majority of protein issues are created by improper usage of moisture and protein; this obviously not applied to those who suffer true protein sensitivity.

Another factor to ‘protein sensitivity’ is that brittle, dry, frizzy, curl loss and a general ‘odd feel’ to hair can also be indications of build-up.

Before determining if your hair is experiencing protein issues: it is imperative to also rule out build-up, humectant issues, as well as proper applications of products.

For those of us who do experience forms of protein issues? What causes it? More importantly: how we can rectify it? Sometimes due to either to specific proteins or even using so many product with protein(s) to the point of creating a protein build-up or overload.

I will explain differences below between true sensitivity, overload and protein overload which can be caused by a true protein sensitivity and or build-up; meaning too many proteins.

• 1. Protein sensitivity: hair cannot tolerate proteins without overloading. Coarse hair will experience this most, but I have seen true sensitivity also in very low-porosity hair. Protein overload; an excess amount of protein. You’ll recognize those symptoms by breakage during the snap test, curl loss, frizziness, straw-like feeling. Regardless if you are protein nsensitive or not, this can be caused by either too much protein or by protein sensitive. Any strong proteins in coarse hair (for example) will cause this issue. 

•  2. Protein overload: when you overload your hair with so many strong proteins — especially on low-porosity hair — that it often behaves as a protein sensitivity. To determine if you’re experiencing a true sensitivity, it’s imperative to clarify then experiment with stylers. This is similar to an overload, but I like to distinguish this reaction from a true protein sensitivity. Many curlies with this type of reaction often return back to using proteins normally. 

I'm hoping to address and inform on protein issues. Not only what causes it, but what to do to rectify it! On the coarseness scale [http://curljunkie.blogspot.com/2010/02/my-2-cents-on-proteintextureporositymoi.html]: my hair ranges from 7-10+. Therefore, it does not tolerate protein well at all. I'm also low-porosity, so my hair is quite healthy; no heat at all, never dyed, etc.

 Low porosity does not absorb well. Due to this: low-porosity hair tends to have proteins sit on the hair shaft vs. being absorbed as well due its cuticle being sealed. For instance: high-porosity hair (unless it is coarse) tends to love grain proteins (large proteins) in quantity, since its so porous that it can absorb it.

LP hair also tends to be healthy, so it does not crave as much as protein as damaged hair for instance. The more damaged the hair, the more protein it craves. This is similar to finer hair craving protein. A large reason why many curly haired brands are so protein loaded is due to the 'presumed' (but sadly often true) common knowledge that many curly girls do have damaged hair.

In general: fine hair will crave protein since what makes the hair fine is a lack of protein.

In contrast to this: coarse hair is caused by too much protein; making the hair strand wider. Coarse strands are the rarest whereas medium strands are the most common.

Medium strands can be on the coarse side or finer side. I noticed people with medium strands on the coarser side tend to have a higher chance when it comes to experiencing true protein sensitivity.

Despite high-porosity hair generally craving protein, it's possible to be sensitive to protein while being high-porosity if your hair is coarse.

In my specific case: my hair is very coarse and low-porosity. Protein is a very difficult thing for me to handle based on these two characteristics.

 Regardless if your hair is coarse and truly protein sensitive like or mine or protein sensitive, I'm using this post to help you understand how to address protein needs or where your protein issues are coming from.

 Before you can correct — or even learn how to work with it — you need to discover the root cause.

 Let's try to discover your cause(s) by answering these questions below. Here are some brief lessons and quick informative answers below.

•  1) True protein sensitivity tends to occur mostly in coarse hair and or low-porosity hair. If your hair is generally healthy: your hair may not crave as much protein as someone with damaged curls. Or if your hair is coarse, you do not need as much as protein therefore your hair is reacting to too much protein — regardless of its porosity. 

•  2) You may just be using too much protein. This is a common mistake. If you use too much protein without any moisture, your hair will overload -- regardless if it's fine, damaged, etc. You need a proper moisture-protein balance for your hair to be its healthiest. If your hair feels crunchy suddenly, it may just be too much protein. A large part of loving your curls is listening to them. Try clarifying with a clarifying shampoo then using a deep treatment without protein and see if your hair feels 'normal' again. If it does: use some protein stylers and see how your hair does. Protein sensitivity symptoms can simply mean that your protein-moisture balance is off. If your hair then reacts to the protein stylers again: you may have coarser hair or being using the improper proteins.

•  3) Protein sensitivity does not mean your hates ALL proteins nor does it mean you stop using protein COMPLETELY. Even in coarse hair, there’s proteins which will be tolerated easily such as keratin. Your hair may hate specific proteins. Your hair may hate wheat protein, but love keratin protein! Or vice-versa. Proteins are not made universally. 

Despite its extreme sensitivity, my hair loves a conditioner with keratin as its “protein boost.” Since my hair cannot handle constant proteins, I use products with penetrative proteins to boost it. You'll know when your coarse needs a boost due to noticing a loss in curl diameter, a seaweed like feeling, and a general softness that is atypical to the coarse texture. In short: look for mild symptoms of over-conditioning. 

Besides chemical proteins -- such as "hydrolyzed wheat' protein," -- your hair could also react to natural proteins such as coconut oil or hops.

While coconut oil won't be as strong as a hydrolyzed protein (the hydrolization process is what intensifies it): it will still be a protein like reaction especially if the products contains hydrolyzed proteins.

 'Natural' (aka proteins that didn't have hydrolysis but contain natural protein properties) will be weaker, so they're generally tolerated better. It's common to be able to tolerate natural proteins easier due to them being weaker. High dews and humidity is when truly protein sensitive people must be careful of over-conditioning.

•  4) As notated above: summer is when proteins are tolerated the best. The higher the dews are, the easier your hair will accept proteins. The same way that your hair will crave proteins in higher dews and humidity. Besides that, the proteins that are most easily accepted are silk amino acids and keratin proteins. If you're experiencing protein-sensitivity: try these two proteins. 

•  5) Before deciding to never use proteins in your regimen: be careful. As someone who has both truly protein sensitive coarse hair as well as a firm belief in science: this will be a disaster. A lot of people's hair cannot handle using no protein.

 As someone who believes firmly in the scientific facts: it will not work to do that. Regardless how much your hair hates proteins, it will eventually require a form of protein at some point.

Like I mentioned above, the protein-moisture balance is important!

If you completely stop protein and potentially disrupt the balance, you could cause a lot of problems with your hair. It'll make you more prone to over-conditioned hair. Too much or too little protein can both serious consequences for your hair. You need to keep a proper balance.

That may mean that maybe you cannot use protein stylers, but can handle monthly protein treatments, iE. This is where I recommend “protein boosts.”

• If you have truly protein sensitive hair: find a conditioner which your hair handles despite its protein, keep it on hand, and use it whenever your hair feels begin to feel limp. The best advice that I can give is to do the protein test at every wash. Wet a strand of hair and stretch it. If it over-stretches and breaks (or nearly breaks) than you need protein. If it does not stretch than you need moisture. If it stretches than returns to its actual size, your levels are balanced. 

•  It's also important to recognize the signs of over-conditioned and over-moisturized hair: it'll feel gooey like, lose curl definition, feel sticky and be limp like. 

• As for protein overloaded hair: it'll be crunchy, straw-like, lose curl definition, be frizzy and possibly even break. 

After consulting the protein test and looking at how your curls behave:

•  1) Start keeping a log on what protein(s) are in certain products. Do you notice your curls look nice with soy protein, but are crunchy and frizzy when using wheat protein? If so: rule out the wheat and see if your curls go back to 'normal' or even become curlier.

•  2) Are you using 6 products with protein (for example)? If so: it may be protein overload caused by simply too much protein without moisture. This is a topic not brought up a lot. 

I've seen some ladies what I refer to as a "protein build-up" which is essentially experiencing extremely overloaded hair by using far too many proteins. It happens mostly to low-porosity curly girls who can't absorb the large proteins. Low porosity needs ingredients -- especially proteins -- which will truly penetrate.

These curlies were using so much protein; stylers, protein treatments, etc. Their moisture-balance was completely disrupted leading to serious breakage. Eventually after avoiding protein for awhile, their curls were back to normal. They were eventually able to use protein, but had to avoid using too much. Balance is truly key. In conclusion: protein sensitivity is complex. You need to really understand what protein(s) are causing it, how your regimen may be causing it to be worse, and understanding the moisture-balance ratio.

When it comes to proteins: whether we're truly protein senstive, low-porosity, protein craving or not than we must sequentially be using proteins properly with a proper moisture balance. As I go on this series, I will address further protein questions and protein 'myths' that are often said without a proper understanding of the scientific aspects of proteins.