Breakage! :( Moisture? Protein? Help!

[xoAshley]

So where I live, it's been a super long, very cold, dry winter. My house has literally been no more than 15% humidity for months! I am trying to use a humidifier more often to help this. Randomly within the last couple of weeks, I've been noticing breakage which I NEVER usually have. I do have some split ends throughout, but I always do and that tends to be normal for my hair. (I do NOT use heat of any kind or dye).The breakage I am seeing ranges from an inch to maybe 6 inches in length, usually when I finger comb or brush my hair as normal, I'll notice it in the sink after. The problem is, my hair doesn't feel dry, it feels pretty normal I would say. Although, the scalp area has been getting more easily tangled especially after washing, and the back of my scalp where I lay on my pillow at night I will notice it's more tangled in that area in the morning. But that is it, otherwise it feels pretty healthy and rather soft.

Ironically, BEFORE I started having this issue I was using the Maui Moisture Strength & Anti Breakage Mask about twice a week, just because I thought it couldn't hurt. Now I don't know if I'm getting too much protein and that's causing it, OR if it's because of the excessive dry winter, or both!

Here are the ingredients for the mask:
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cetearyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Myristate, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Water, Microcrystalline Wax (Cera Microcristallina), Polysorbate 20, Cetyl Alcohol, Honey, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Seed Oil, Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Polyquaternium-37, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Stearic Acid, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Glycerin, Tapioca Starch, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Fragrance (Parfum)

Is there even a lot of protein in this mask? I have no idea.

From what I've been reading about protein overload, my hair should be stiff and hard, which its not at all.. so I'm just so confused.

I did try the "strand test" and I've gotten mixed results, some strands seem to stretch just fine without breaking, others break after stretching just a little bit.

I'm out of ideas and this is driving me nuts! The last thing I want is a bunch of broken hairs all over my head. Can anyone make any suggestions or does anyone know what really might be the cause of all this?

Can hair be "dry" and need moisture without actually feeling dry to the touch?!

Thank you so much!

[Nightshade]

Being that it's winter, are you also wearing anything you normally don't? Hats and hoods and the like?

[xoAshley]

Being that it's winter, are you also wearing anything you normally don't? Hats and hoods and the like?

Nope, I'm not an outdoor person during the winter, so I go straight from my car, into work, and then from my car, back to the house. No hat required, lol.

[neko_kawaii]

My local humidity is much lower than that for most of the year, and I doubt that is the cause. Have you looked at these short hairs closely? Are they actually breakage or do they have the white root bulb at the end? Sometimes shorter hairs shed, and most people have areas with shorter terminal lengths, nape is common for this.

Do a moisturizing treatment. Whether or not protein or dry air is causing breakage, a moisturizing treatment will help counterbalance both issues.

Another possible issue is mineral buildup. Chelate to address this.

[xoAshley]

My local humidity is much lower than that for most of the year, and I doubt that is the cause. Have you looked at these short hairs closely? Are they actually breakage or do they have the white root bulb at the end? Sometimes shorter hairs shed, and most people have areas with shorter terminal lengths, nape is common for this.

Do a moisturizing treatment. Whether or not protein or dry air is causing breakage, a moisturizing treatment will help counterbalance both issues.

Another possible issue is mineral buildup. Chelate to address this.

I have looked closely, I don't see a root bulb. Sometimes it just looks like a normal hair with nothing noticeable on either end, other times it has what looks like a very slightly damaged end.

I will definitely try a moisture treatment and perhaps chelating as well! Thank you.

[lapushka]

Do you perhaps still have heat damage on the bottom parts of your hair, from *years* before? That could explain it - perfectly. It takes years for that to grow out. Many years.

Try examining your hair for white dots (the hair forms a sharp angle there and will break off).

If not, do a moisturizing treatment.

It is wet that you need to assess whether the hair needs protein or moisture. If it is easily breakable between your fingers, then you need to take a break from that mask, and just use anything else, a plain old conditioner that you didn't experience this with before. If it is mushy and stretchable then you need protein, not in any other condition!

Protein is generally enough once to 2 times a month.

[xoAshley]

Do you perhaps still have heat damage on the bottom parts of your hair, from *years* before? That could explain it - perfectly. It takes years for that to grow out. Many years.

Try examining your hair for white dots (the hair forms a sharp angle there and will break off).

If not, do a moisturizing treatment.

It is wet that you need to assess whether the hair needs protein or moisture. If it is easily breakable between your fingers, then you need to take a break from that mask, and just use anything else, a plain old conditioner that you didn't experience this with before. If it is mushy and stretchable then you need protein, not in any other condition!

Protein is generally enough once to 2 times a month.

That is very possible LaPushka! I do have white dots scattered throughout. I think it just made me nervous that all of a sudden it just started happening all at once.

Based on what you are saying, I need to step away from the protein! I am going to cut out the mask completely and go back to my regular routine.

Thank you all for your helpful advice :)

[Ylva]

I don't see any protein in that mask. Unless the starch is one?

[lapushka]

That is very possible LaPushka! I do have white dots scattered throughout. I think it just made me nervous that all of a sudden it just started happening all at once.

Based on what you are saying, I need to step away from the protein! I am going to cut out the mask completely and go back to my regular routine.

Thank you all for your helpful advice :)

Then that is your answer right there. I would consider microtrimming!

[tekla]

I don't see any protein in that mask. Unless the starch is one?

Me neither, just a bunch of oils and moisturizing ingredients. In this case I think that starch is used as a thickening agent.

[xoAshley]

From a few other posts I've read, the following mean they are a protein:
"Hydrogenated" anything
"Glycol"

Those are the only two I can spot in that list.

[Ylva]

From a few other posts I've read, the following mean they are a protein:
"Hydrogenated" anything
"Glycol"

Those are the only two I can spot in that list.

The word you're looking for is hydrolyzed instead of hydrogenated. And I don't find any info stating that Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate would be a protein. I just found this statement: "[It is] strictly a [skin] conditioning agent that utilizes its fatty acid components to maintain and improve lubrication and skin cell resilience, combining with proteins to promote healthy skin". Not sure what "combining with proteins" means? Perhaps it works together with proteins, but isn't one itself? Sounds like it could be similar to coconut oil, which binds to protein and protects hair from protein loss, and it can cause hair to behave as if it suffered from protein overload.

[tekla]

I think Ylva is right. Hydrogenation is a process in which oils are made more stable and less prone to oxidize, hydrolyzed refers to breaking down protein structures to increase their penetration to hair. Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate is a combination of propylene glycol (an alcohol) and fatty acids.

[xoAshley]

Then that is your answer right there. I would consider microtrimming!

I would love to do that! But my issue is my dots are so scattered, some are very high up and I'd have to cut inches off to get to them. =( My only other option is S&D which I do, but it does take forever!

[xoAshley]

The word you're looking for is hydrolyzed instead of hydrogenated. And I don't find any info stating that Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate would be a protein. I just found this statement: "[It is] strictly a [skin] conditioning agent that utilizes its fatty acid components to maintain and improve lubrication and skin cell resilience, combining with proteins to promote healthy skin". Not sure what "combining with proteins" means? Perhaps it works together with proteins, but isn't one itself? Sounds like it could be similar to coconut oil, which binds to protein and protects hair from protein loss, and it can cause hair to behave as if it suffered from protein overload.

Ahh, okay!! Thank you for clearing that up for me!


I think Ylva is right. Hydrogenation is a process in which oils are made more stable and less prone to oxidize, hydrolyzed refers to breaking down protein structures to increase their penetration to hair. Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate is a combination of propylene glycol (an alcohol) and fatty acids.

Thank you both!

[tekla]

Glad to be of help! :)

[milosmomma]

Could it be the aloe? I have heard that humectants can pull moisture from your hair if there is not alot of moisture present in the air.

[lapushka]

I would love to do that! But my issue is my dots are so scattered, some are very high up and I'd have to cut inches off to get to them. =( My only other option is S&D which I do, but it does take forever!

Yes, I had that too. But be mindful of not doing it too much. Half of my hair was once riddled with them, and I had them from below BSL all the way to hip. So my mom once my hair had grown to hip (I grew those suckers out from shoulder) did a massive S&D and that resulted in my hemline being thinned out by half, so we just cut it back up to BSL.

One word of comfort, these white dots can hang on for quite a while, be gentle with combing & brushing and with treating your hair if you don't already, but be extra gentle! You don't need to cut them all off *right now*. They can grow with you for quite a while, of course some inevitably break off, but most can hang on for quite some time!

So take your time!

[Ligeia Noire]

Could it be the aloe? I have heard that humectants can pull moisture from your hair if there is not alot of moisture present in the air.

Yes! This! Humectants in dry climates are a big no no.

[neko_kawaii]

Yes! This! Humectants in dry climates are a big no no.

As a leave in for sure, but I’ve never had a problem with aloe in a treatment that is rinsed out while still damp. My local RH is generally between 4 and 16.

[Ligeia Noire]

I only use Aloe in smts and very rarely but yeah you might be right, if you rinse it well and do not use any humectants afterwards there is no reason to affect it, I think...

[xoAshley]

Thank you all, I'm going to cut out the mask for now, try a chelating shampoo ( I do have hard water, so that may help ) and then go back to my regular routine minus the mask, and we'll see what happens!

Thanks for your advice as well, Lapushka! I will definitely take it easy and S&D as needed, but not go too crazy :)

[lapushka]

Thank you all, I'm going to cut out the mask for now, try a chelating shampoo ( I do have hard water, so that may help ) and then go back to my regular routine minus the mask, and we'll see what happens!

Thanks for your advice as well, Lapushka! I will definitely take it easy and S&D as needed, but not go too crazy :)

You're welcome. I went through it, hopefully so someone else can take away from it; glad it helps you out!

[Dark40]

I think you might be going through a protein overload. I only use any type of conditioner that's loaded with protein in it once or twice a month. During the rest of the month is plain old moisturizing treatments. I would give myself a break from that mask, and go back to your regular moisturizing conditioner.

[frostedeyes]

Do a Moisturizing treatment—olive oil, coconut oil, and argon oil. If your hair is braking, it needs moisture.

[Ylva]

Do a Moisturizing treatment—olive oil, coconut oil, and argon oil. If your hair is braking, it needs moisture.

If a person is suffering from protein overload (not necessarily in this case, not referring to it), it might not be wise to go in with coconut oil, which binds to proteins in the hair and the effect it has can mimic protein overload. Also, there's this whole thing about oils not being inherently moisturising as moisture equals water, and oils contain none of that, but they play a part in how the hair feels generally "moisturised".