natural methods on combating protein overload?

[Kitty-Zen]

Thank you both for the info! I have used honey by its self in the past (for a lot of things, even a wound cleanser) but never tried aloe before as a hair treatment. I think i will give the SMT a shot tonight

[Ophidian]

Also collagen and keratin, two proteins that tend to just be named directly without words like "protein" floating around to make it obvious. Gelatin too, I suppose, though I haven't seen it in products.

I haven't had tons of luck with aloe personally, but I find that adding a sugar syrup like honey (or cheap-o pancake syrup!) to conditioner and heating it up a little does good things. Sugar syrups in general are humectant, so you'll want to cover your hair while it's in, and rinse well afterward.

Good point about collagen and keratin. If you have continued issues with protein going forward Zen-Kitty, you may find that your hair responds better to some proteins than others. I do ok with small amounts of keratin and silk protein but soy has caused fast overload for me in the past.

I like honey a lot too and add it to all kinds of things when I want some extra moisture and softness, along with a few drops of oil. If coconut isn't working for you there are lots of other good options. Coconut oil doesn't contain protein either fyi, but it is supposed to help reduce protein loss from your hair.

Anyway, a good SMT with conditioner/honey (or syrup)/aloe or even just conditioner/honey sounds like a good place to start.

[Anje]

Good point about collagen and keratin. If you have continued issues with protein going forward Zen-Kitty, you may find that your hair responds better to some proteins than others. I do ok with small amounts of keratin and silk protein but soy has caused fast overload for me in the past.

Agreed. I find I can do occasional protein use, but not daily. The tiny bits of silk protein in Suave Tropical Coconut conditioner were what caused me such a nightmare with my hair, which I still feel is beyond odd. I'm also curious whether I'd have the same trouble with non-hennaed hair. As a past henna addict, I'm not sure whether I'll manage to grow my hair out without using it. (Lots of hennaheads seem to have especially protein-sensitive hair, and I don't know exactly why that is, only that there seems to be some correlation.)

[Amy-Lee]

Yes, Lectin is a protein found in aloe vera. If your hair is protein sensitive, it can cause dryness, brittle strands, split ends, and breakage. Just because someone had amazing results, doesn't mean you will have the same outcome. Always test on a couple of strands before applying to your whole head. If you have encountered negative side effects, you will need to moisturize your hair (olive and avocado oil works great) until your mane returns to its normal state. I've heard of people trying the LOC method for protein overload as well. Give it a try and see what works for you.