Many people are aware of the fact that hair is basically protein – actually, a very specific type of protein known as keratin. In order to have healthy hair, you need to have ample protein in your diet, which will get relayed to the hair. If hair is looking dull, is damaged or constantly breaking, protein deficiency may be the cause. For such people, the best way to proceed would be to opt for protein treatments. Such treatments are all the more important for people who have split ends or extremely damaged hair. When such hair receives protein treatments, each strand receives a new lease of life – the protein fills in the gaps that have emerged in the hair, making the hair stronger and more resilient to breakage and further damage.
However, there is a limit to how much protein hair can take, because too much of a good thing is also not good. While hair does need protein, it also requires moisture, which is why it is essential to maintain a balance between the two. Many a times, people use hot styling tools, such as curling or straightening irons, too frequently. The extreme heat evaporates the natural moisture of the hair, making them dry, frizzy, unmanageable and also weak. This again plays around with the basic structure of the hair.
The growth of each hair starts in the base of hair follicles – it is here that each hair receives nourishment via keratin and oil. While keratin is the main part of the hair structure, the oil is relayed via the sebaceous gland. The gland, which sits at the base of the hair follicles, ensures that the hair remains moisturised and healthy. As the hair grows in length, it slowly starts to lose the moisture, and as a result its strength. This is why, as a rule thumb, the longer your hair, greater the chances for damage. So, longer hair needs more moisture and more protein, as compared to shorter hair.
There are also other factors that play an important role in depriving hair of protein, and weather is one of the biggest. Whether it is winters or summers, the extreme temperatures can play havoc with your hair. This is why it is important that you take extra care of your hair during such times. Both in the winters and summer, sun can snatch the essential hydration from hair. If there are strong winds, your hair can feel parched and this often leads to split ends. This is why it is crucial that during such extreme climates, you provide your hair with extra moisture and increase protein in your diet.
If you are someone who constantly gets several chemical treatments done on your hair, you need to ensure that you cleanse your hair on a regular basis. The chemicals that are used for such cosmetic procedures might make your hair look good, but the fact of the matter is that these do more damage than benefit. Hair becomes weak and hence becomes more prone to breakage. This is why it is important that hair is cleansed and stripped off of all these chemicals on a regular basis.
Protein treatments help with the rebuilding and restructuring of hair that has been damaged due to such processes. While extensive damage is difficult to combat, there can certainly be improvement with regular treatments. It is important to understand that hair damage cannot be repaired overnight; it will take time. So, undergoing treatments every other day, will not help; rather it will cause greater damage and more hair fall. As a matter of fact, if you undergo protein treatments at frequent intervals, your hair will lose the essential hydration and lubrication. Your hair will start to feel really hard and unpliable, which means that you will have to work harder to tame them.
Protein and keratin treatments should be done as per a schedule set out by someone qualified. So, talk to your doctor or the owner of a good salon, because they will be able to advise you about the correct frequency of such treatments. Sage advice would be to follow up each protein treatment with proper hydrating conditioning as well.
Such professional will also tell you that when you are getting a protein treatment, it would be wise to cover your head with a cap, preferably a heating cap. The heat will assist with the opening up of the cuticles, which means that the treatment will be able to reach deeper within and work from inside. This way, the actual structure of the hair will be repaired and hence, you will once again find yourself on your way to healthy hair.
There are several homemade protein treatments, which are normally created using natural ingredients, such as eggs, mayonnaise, avocado and oils. However, these might not work as quickly as certain store bought. If you are using store bought protein treatments, it is important that you follow the instructions carefully. You could also opt to head to your local salon and ask them to carry out the protein treatments, where there is less chance of anything going wrong.
While protein treatment for the hair is an essential part of bringing hair back to life, it is also important that you increase protein in your diet, along with essential fats. Taking care of your hair is the first and most important step to ensuring that you have a full head of hair for a really long time.
