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mamaherrera
June 6th, 2014, 10:26 PM
I know that damage from protein overload can be breakage, but can protein overload cause hairs to fall out/shed before they should?? Anyone know?? Cuz I henna my sides weekly, because they are at the forehead and are visible very quickly. I only do roots but still there is some overlap, very little, but there is. If I have protein overload, although I never see broken hairs, could the henna weight on the hair, cuz it to pull hairs out of the roots or something?? I have heard people say things, but I don't know if it's really the henna or other issues and they blame the henna or if protein overload can really do that? And one more thing: since those hairs are short (2-3 three inches) they never get conditioner on them, so they don't get much moisture.

gagajm
June 6th, 2014, 11:17 PM
i would think too much protein and lack of conditioner are causing your breakage not the henna

mamaherrera
June 6th, 2014, 11:29 PM
but I don't have breakage!! I just notice I shed a lot of those short temple hairs that only grow 2-3 inches, and I don't want to think the henna or lack of moisture/whatever can make those hairs so weak that when I apply henna, it allows them to be pulled out or shed or something like that.

eadwine
June 7th, 2014, 01:27 AM
Well after henna I also shed a lot more but usually the rest of the week the shed is minimal so I guess those hairs were already on their way out anyway :)

mamaherrera
June 7th, 2014, 01:42 AM
right!! No thanks, good point. Like I said, I've just noticed lately that when I play with my short temple hairs, or comb through them, I'm shedding like 8 of those 2-3 inch ones, the short ones (which is where I do my weekly henna) because they become obvious quickly! ANd since it's such a small area of short hairs, it seems like that's a lot of shedding of those little ones. And this week (i just noticed) it's been 5-8 daily. Not just after henna. Now here's the thing: I am also shedding a bit more due to postpartum,but I didn't think the little short hairs would be affected in that shed, I thought just the long ones. But maybe it does have something to do with that??? I dont know. I used to always think that henna would only cause breakage, but I don't really think it can cause hairs to come out of the pore easier.

eadwine
June 7th, 2014, 02:10 AM
It could simply be that those short hairs have reached their terminal length and would have fallen out anyway. Also, like you said: after giving birth you will shed. From what I understood pretty much in quick succession what you haven't shed in 9 months. You have had 9 months to get used to the thicker hair, and all of it shedding at this rate of course doesn't feel normal :)


If you really think it is protein overload, there is a simple thing to test this: stop the henna and the protein for a bit, see if it improves.

Anje
June 7th, 2014, 08:51 AM
Many people shed more with henna, but I don't think that's protein overload. Frankly, protein overloaded hair feels significantly different than hair that's a bit dried out after henna.

mamaherrera
June 7th, 2014, 11:41 AM
I do often wonder what protein overload feels like. I notice my temple areas always look greasy right away (sweat is one thing) but also, since those hairs only grow 2-3 inches, or 4-6, I think my natural oils have an easier time at keeping them moisturized. And like ANJE said, this isn't just shedding the day I rinse henna, this shedding happens 5 days after henna, so it's definitely not the rinsing process. I just have heard some people say that when they have protein overload, they shed more, but I don't know if this is true. I thought protein overload just causes breakage. Do you know what protein overload feels like??? My henna use of once a week, is nor more protein treatment that others that do a protein treatment once a week.

maskedrose
June 7th, 2014, 11:49 AM
My temple hairs simply have a very short terminal length. They rarely grow beyond 4 inches, and most are 2-3 inches. It used to bug me, but now I just embrace my halo of curlies lol.

Nope
June 7th, 2014, 11:50 AM
Protein overload makes your hair feel really dry, brittle, and crunchy. If you think you have it, do a wet hair elasticity test. Take a strand of hair and stretch it. If it barely stretches before breaking, you need moisture. If it stretches a lot before breaking, you have too much moisture.

mamaherrera
June 7th, 2014, 12:05 PM
Thanks so much. That makes me feel good, so obviously you shed some of those daily no?? I have a good patch probably about a good inch by an inch of square area on both temples that only grow that long, and that it slowly starts to get longer as I go back, so then they go to 4 inches, then to 6, etc. But my only thing is that lately I 've been shedding lots of them. I just run my fingers through and voila! Another short shed hair. Don't know if that can be from the postpartum shedding or the warmer weather. and my hairs don't seem dry and brittle, in fact they usually look greasy. TMI, I know! They don't tangle obviously because they are so short. I will try the strand test just to make sure. But obviously it's not the rinsing process because I shed them even after henna days.


My temple hairs simply have a very short terminal length. They rarely grow beyond 4 inches, and most are 2-3 inches. It used to bug me, but now I just embrace my halo of curlies lol.

Dark40
June 8th, 2014, 04:50 PM
I have a question. How often should you use protein packs?

Anje
June 8th, 2014, 04:58 PM
I have a question. How often should you use protein packs?
No more often than your hair likes them.

Seriously, it depends hugely on the nature of your hair. Really damaged hair that likes protein might like it every week or two, I'd guess. On the other end of the spectrum, the magic frequency for my hair which really doesn't care for protein and doesn't experience damge types that reduce protein is: Never!