If you notice your hair has become stringy, limp, or sticky, you could be lacking protein.
Protein Deficiency
It is possible for your hair to lack protein. When this happens, your hair will feel brittle and more susceptible to breakage. Anabel Kingsley, Brand President and Consulting Trichologist at Philip Kingsley says, “Lack of protein can result in hair loss and the growth of weak and brittle strands.”
Healthy hair will fall slightly. If your hair is limp and flops down it likely needs more protein. If that strand is stiff and does not bounce like healthy hair does, you either have extreme damage or too much protein in your hair.
All hair needs both protein and moisture to stay healthy and strong. In fact, protein and moisture can't work well without the other. You need a strong protein structure in order for water molecules to bind with your strands and to keep the water locked inside.
Hair that is stringy, flat, or limp is a definite sign that your hair needs a protein treatment. Normally, hair should be pretty durable and full, so when it starts to droop, take notice. By adding protein back into the hair, you can revitalize your strands and get them to a healthier state.
Fortunately, the effects of malnutrition on your hair are reversible as long as you regain nutritional stability for 6 months or more. Once the deficiencies are corrected, your hair will grow back — although it may take some time.
Just like your body, your hair requires protein to stay healthy. However, if these amino acids are compromised – by things like heat styling, colouring or other damage to the hair, the protein can become altered, leading to brittle, dry, fragile and frizzy hair.
While some OLAPLEX products contain some protein, the amounts are minimal and not enough to be considered a protein treatment. Therefore, OLAPLEX is not a protein treatment. OLAPLEX works at a molecular level to rebuild the hair internally.
Known as protein overload, having too much protein in your hair may cause it to appear dull, dry, and brittle. Keratin, the main protein in your hair, can be added to your hair to strengthen your strands.
Your hair feels straw-like and stiff. Your hair is unusually dry, lifeless, and brittle. No longer has natural shine/luster that it used to have. More tangles and strands that look “angry'
Simply put, if your hair breaks easily, has an unusually dry/brittle texture, and you have experienced heavy shedding - then you know something is up. On the other end of the spectrum, if your hair is stringy, limp or has an unwelcome droop to it, you could be in need of a protein treatment.
If you suffer from hair loss as a result of protein deficiency, the best option for treatment is to adjust your diet so that you receive the right amount of protein each day. Typically the lost hair will grow again by improving your diet and upping your protein intake to normal levels.
As a general rule, it is safe to use a protein treatment weekly for the first month to restore hair's strength and elasticity. Use once or twice a month thereafter. Overuse of protein treatments can actually dry hair out. Always follow the directions on the package or consult your stylist.
Protein malnutrition, such as in kwashiorkor and marasmus, can result in hair changes that include hair thinning and hair loss [64].
For most women who are experiencing hair loss, a good protein goal is 1-gram protein per 1 pound of body weight. For example, if you're a 150lb woman, that means aiming for 150 grams of protein per day.
If your total protein levels were low, it may mean you have one of the following conditions: Liver disease. Kidney disease. Malnutrition, a condition in which your body does not get the calories, vitamins, and/or minerals needed for good health.
Guava. Guava is one of the most protein-rich fruits around. You'll get a whopping 4.2 grams of the stuff in every cup. This tropical fruit is also high in vitamin C and fiber.
Tyler agrees: "Too much protein on top of the hair can prevent water and other products from fully hydrating strands, causing hair to become dry and brittle," he says. "If your hair is dry, brittle and strawlike but this isn't helped by hair treatments and moisturising products, it's likely caused by protein buildup."
Even if you completely stop using Olaplex, the disulfide link that Olaplex offered is permanent. The condition of the hair there after, depends on how the client treats their hair.