Proteins for hair: Benefits and Treatments

Proteins for hair: benefits and treatments

With time, our hair inevitably begins to lose its shine, hardness, and volume. This is due to a protein deficit, a problem that often appears as a result of the effects of the environment and the treatments we undergo.

If you are looking for shiny and strong hair, it is not enough to hydrate your hair, as you have to offer it the nutrients it needs to look healthy and abundant again. Next, we explain everything you need to know about proteins for hair: benefits, treatments, and how to know what type of proteins you need. We explain the secret to radiant hair … are you ready?

Benefits of proteins for hair

Proteins are the best source to grow hair fast. Proteins form the structure of the hair and give it a shiny, elastic, resistant, and voluminous appearance. But as we subject our hair to climatic changes or makeover treatments, proteins are lost and with them the health of the hair.

There are many benefits of protein for hair, as we will see below, however, depending on your hair type you will see some specific qualities reinforced or others. These are some of the benefits of protein hair treatments:

• Provides more strength to the strand
• Hydrates hair in-depth, providing more shine
• Helps minimize hair loss problems
• They provide more resistance and elasticity to the hair
• Rehabilitate the scalp
• They provide more softness and malleability to your hair

Although indeed, proteins are often used more for curly hair, all types of hair can be benefited by the properties of these treatments.

If you have curly or afro hair, your curls will look much more defined, shiny, and manly. If, on the other hand, you have straight or wavy hair, your hair will look much softer, more resistant, and free of frizz. But … how do I know if my hair needs protein?

Read Also: How DIY Hair Masks Can Improve the Growth Of Your Hair

How to know if my hair needs protein

However, most people need to start adding protein to their hair, as hydration is no longer enough and they feel identified with one of the following points:

Constant aesthetic treatments: dry hair and damaged by treatments such as bleaching, dyeing, straightening, etc.

Hair that is not very elastic and brittle: strands that break easily from the middle, never from the roots.

Weak and undefined hair: This is easier to see on curly hair, as the curls lose definition and look very fine. If your hair looks lacking in movement, heavy and/or has a thick and sticky texture, it is lacking in protein.

Very porous hair: if you don’t know how to make sure of this, we recommend filling a small container with water and dropping a strand of your hair. If it does not float, it means that its structure is full of holes and needs to be rehabilitated.

Elasticity test

One option that will directly answer your question of whether you require a protein hair treatment is this. Wash your hair with shampoo but do not apply conditioners or other products. With your hair still damp, take a couple of strands and stretch them out. Keep in mind the following points:

If the strands break quickly and without too much effort, you have an excess of protein, so ideally you should dedicate yourself to hydrating your hair and removing protein treatments from your routine.

If the strands stretch like chewing gum before breaking, or they stretch and become languid, without returning to their original shape, you need a good supply of protein.

If you stretch your hair and it returns to its original shape, it means that your hair is balanced. In this case, you should continue to hydrate your hair and apply protein treatments from time to time so as not to end up with a deficit of these.

Protein treatment for hair

It should be noted that in the market you can get protein treatments at very affordable prices. However, you must bear in mind that for severely damaged hair it will not be enough to use a keratin shampoo or a conditioner with powerful naturally active ingredients, although these two products can help.

If your hair needs protein because it is brittle and has lost shine and elasticity, you will have to get specific protein treatments. These treatments, which come in small containers or ampoules for topical applications, easily available in beauty and beauty centers, contain proteins to strengthen weakened fibers and repair the cuticle.

These products often contain hydrolyzed collagen, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, vegetal insulin, and different vitamins to penetrate the scalp, hydrate the cuticle, and regenerate hair.

Protein hair masks

But what about homemade protein hair treatments? If you want to revitalize your hair in a 100% natural way, we offer you these options:

Avocado mask

The avocado hair mask is one of the most popular, as its antioxidant properties and incredible natural oils help hydrate, rehabilitate, and strengthen hair in record time. You will only need 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 very ripe avocado, and 1 egg:

• Peel and mash the avocado in a bowl.
• Add the egg and mix well before adding the two tablespoons of oil. Stir to create a paste.
• Dampen your hair a little and apply the paste from the roots to the ends.
• Let the preparation act for 40 minutes and then remove it with plenty of water.
• Finally, wash your hair with the shampoo you use regularly.

Egg mask

If you are looking for homemade protein hair masks that help strengthen your hair and also give it shine and hydration, nothing better than an egg-based treatment. You can apply it once a week to see exceptional results, so prepare 2 egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of olive oil:

• Mix both ingredients well in a bowl until you create a homogeneous dough.
• Before applying the treatment, keep in mind that your hair must be clean and detangled.
• Smear your hair with the mixture, from the roots to the ends.
• Leave it on for 15 minutes and then rinse your hair with plenty of warm or cold water.

Beer mask

Did you know that beer contains fabulous dry hair proteins? Brewer’s yeast has vitamins B1, B2, B6, folic acid, biotin, and proteins to naturally repair hair. Just remember that this treatment is applied to clean hair once a week and that you will need half a cup of beer, an egg, and a tablespoon of sunflower oil. Let’s go there!

• Let the beer rest for half an hour in a container.
• Next, add the egg and the oil and stir the ingredients until you get a homogeneous mixture.
• Apply the mask all over your hair and leave it on for 15 minutes.
• Finally, rinse with plenty of warm or cold water.

Coconut oil mask

While it is true that anyone can benefit from the incredible properties of coconut oil, this natural hair protein option works amazingly on curly or afro manes. And it is that this ingredient is rich in proteins, vitamins E and K, magnesium, iron, and potassium, essential elements for good hair health:

• Mix two tablespoons of coconut oil (or 3, depending on your amount of hair) and a teaspoon of honey.
• After showering and washing your hair, use your hands to apply the coconut oil all over your hair.
• Make circular massages on the scalp so that it absorbs the product well.
• For a greater effect as a conditioner, we recommend you wrap your hair in a towel or cover it with a shower cap.
• Let the coconut oil act for an hour and, when finished, wash your hair with plenty of water.
• We recommend you stop using coconut oil as soon as you see clear improvements or space its use more over the days, as this will prevent your hair from getting greasy easily.

Rice water for hair

It is one of the most popular home remedies for revitalizing hair, especially curly manes. And it is that rice water contains inositol, an ideal ingredient to strengthen hair, restore elasticity, and provide more shine.

• Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and when it starts to bubble, pour in the rice (about a cup) that you like best.
• Let it cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, then strain the rice and store the water in a bowl to cool.
• Once cool, we recommend applying a little rice water on the scalp and massaging. Allow 15 minutes to pass and wash your hair with your regular shampoo.
• Remove the excess water from your hair with a towel and apply all the rice water. Do it in sections to go little by little and not spill the water over it once.
• Let stand 15 more minutes and rinse with plenty of water.