Can protein damage hair?

[katfemme89]

I've heard back and forth on this forum about how some people swear by protein, and apparently some other people have hair that doesn't "like" protein.

How can this be? Doesn't all hair have basically the same chemical structure? How can some hair react well to protein and some react badly? I've always noticed that protein tends to make my hair "stick" together. What's with this? Can someone link me to something that explains all this???

[Rufflebutt]

Well, if protein tends to dry your hair out that could potentially lead to damage.

But I'm not sure why either. Some people's hair reacts negatively to it while other people's hair reacts positively. But everyone's hair is made slightly different. Yes, we have the same building blocks but it's still different.

For example, most people on here swear by conditioner. There are still people in this forum whose hair simply doesn't respond well to conditioners.

[ravenreed]

I think it has to do not only with hair texture, but also things like water hardness, and overall condition of the hair. Chemically treated hair often is lacking protein So it will probably react very well to a little protein. However, protein is one of those things that it is easy to go overboard on. It is a definite not a case of "if a little is good, a lot must be better." My hair absolutely hates it and I avoid it.

[pink.sara]

I don't know of a specific article to advise on this but yes all hair has the same basic chemical components. However so does any other part of a human like skin, bones, teeth etc, and yet in every person they are different.

The main thing with hair is obviously once it has left the follicle it is dead so anything that happens from that point on will affect it's needs and condition, even down to sebum levels, ambient temperature or humidity etc.

Also hair that is grown will not always be uniform, there will be uneven cuticles, periods of faster or healthier growth that will result in different needs, differently shaped follicles that result in kinky hairs on a straight head or vice versa. Just like anything human, hair is flawed and extremely variable!

To be specific to much protein can dry out any hair eventually and make it brittle, even hair like mine that has been bleached and requires protein. The best rule is to balance protein treatments with moisture, and assess if you need proteinbased on if hair is chemically damaged or feels gummy when wet. Or stretches beyond half it's length and deforms before snapping when pulled.