Protein is not just about your diet and physical health. Apart from giving you energy and making muscles, protein also helps regulate mental health. Even the haircare market has embraced protein-based treatments for strengthening your hair. However, experts warn that protein overload can cause grave damage to your tresses, making them brittle.

Doctors say a harder coating built on hair shafts from proteins makes them more brittle. Some also believe that proteins do not penetrate very far into your hair. And so, when people have problems with protein overload, it is mostly because of the product or formula itself.

What is likely to happen is that the products do not have a good balance of conditioning agents. So, without splitting hairs, what is the truth about protein overload?

Experts say proteins are mostly found in hair treatments like shampoos, conditioners, or masks that promise to repair or bond damaged hair. Keratin is one of the proteins that shows up in treatments apart from collagen and varying mixes of amino acids.

Since your hair is made of protein, keratin adds more in a topical treatment that helps repair any strands that are brittle or damaged. Apart from smoothening your strands, it also adds volume, which results in shinier and healthier hair. Some studies say limpness, flatness, and stringiness are generally a few signs of low protein in your coiffure.

Even though conditioners, masks, and other hair products with protein are meant to help with damaged hair, it is possible for the hair to get too much protein. Too much protein makes your hair turn dry and brittle. It also loses bounce and flexibility, causing breakage. It happens when there is no moisture in your hair and you add too much protein without balancing it with hydration. Protein overload is also a pertinent issue for those with low-porosity hair, which does not absorb moisture as easily.

It is a challenge to find the right products for your hair, according to experts. However, you must always consult with your stylist, who can advise you on what to do. Hair texture keeps changing depending on seasons, shifts in hormones, and many other factors. And so, if you opt for a protein-enhanced hair product, you need to be sure to balance it with a more hydrating one.

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