If the hair is dry or protein lacking, it can snap the hair...so can overproteined and overconditioned.
If in doubt, try adding moisture first.
Overconditioned: Weak, soft and mushy from no protein structure to support the hair. Can look like cotton candy. Could break in some hair types
--Add protein
Underproteined: Limp and curl-less, stretches a little then breaks or just breaks quickly. No structure to support the hair.
--Add protein
Underconditioned: Dry-snaps no moisture in hair, too rigid so it breaks.
--add moisture
Overproteined-Hair is straw-like, rough and brittle. Too rigid. Lacks elasticity and can break.
--add moisture
Two tests:
Take a few strands of shed hair and hold one set of ends in the fingertips of one hand. Then lightly tug and release the other ends with your other fingers.
- Does your hair stretch and stay there (i.e. it doesn’t shrink back like a spring)? Then you probably need protein.
- Does your normally curly hair appear limp and curl-less? Then you probably need protein.
- Does your hair snap/break immediately or quickly? Then you probably need moisture.
- Does your hair stretch, then spring back? Sounds like you have the perfect balance of protein and moisture!
Wet Assessment Hair Breakage Break Down
If your hair:
(When Wet or Dry) Stretches slightly and returns to its original length without breaking, you are balanced! Stick with maintaining!
(When Wet or Dry) Stretches a little more than normal then breaks, you need more protein in your regimen.
(When Wet or Dry)Stretches, stretches, stretches with no significant breakage yet, add a bit more protein to your regimen.
(Wet)- Feels weak, gummy, mushy, or limp, you need to add more protein to your regimen.
(Wet or Dry) Experiences very little to no stretching, and simply snaps or breaks, you need to increase the moisture in your regimen.
(Dry) Feels rough, tough, hard, dry, tangly, brittle, or any combination of those, you need more moisture in your regimen.
Unsure? Err on the side of caution and give your hair more moisture.
Hair with too much protein will break easier, both wet and dry, because it lacks elasticity. Elasticity is what allows us to style, stretch, and manipulate our hair without breakage. Hair that breaks with very little tension or stretching is a sign of an overabundance of protein, and a deficiency of moisture. Any type of stretching or tension will break it because the protein goes in and adds structure to the hair. Too much structure makes the hair rigid, and decreases its elasticity. The result? Brittle, breakage-prone hair.
If this describes your hair at any time listen up! To correct this imbalance, you will need to go into a simple deep conditioning and moisturizing regimen. Protein induced breakage conditions can take several weeks to correct repair, and this form of breakage requires much more intensive conditioning and treatment than moisture induced breakage does. It is by far one of the most aggressive and common forms of breakage. It is much easier to overload your hair with protein and cause breakage, than to overload your hair with moisture and cause breakage. That is why if you are not sure what is causing your hair breakage, you should always try giving it moisture first. Depending on your level of breakage, this regimen may need to be followed for consecutive washes.
Clarify your hair with a stripping shampoo to remove excess product buildup. Then, deep condition your hair for 30-45 minutes once, preferably twice a week with heat with a thick, creamy moisturizing deep conditioner. Apply a water-based moisturizer to your hair, concentrating on the ends daily. Watch out for excess protein in common products like leave in conditioners, moisturizers, gels, and leave in conditioners.
Over-conditioning”
Hair that is shifted too far on the moisture side will be “super-elastic” and stretch more because it lacks a sound protein structure. Many people describe the feel of over-conditioned and over-moisturized hair as “mush-like” or “overly soft,” especially when wet. This kind of hair has a weak, limp, spongy feel to it. Protein deficient hair will tend to pull and stretch along with the comb and then break. It will always stretch first then break because of the low structural protein stores, and overabundance of moisture. Does this describe your hair? Listen up!
To solve this problem, you will need some kind of protein to give the hair structure again. Moisture Induced hair breakage is typically corrected in one protein deep conditioning session. The mildest forms can be corrected by simply moisturizing the hair twice a day with a protein-based water based moisturizer. For mild breakage, Aphogee 2 minute keratin reconstructor works very well. For moderate to heavy breakage, apply a moderate protein conditioner like Organic Root Stimulator Hair Mayo to the hair for about 20-30 minutes, then rinse. For serious or long standing forms of moisture induced breakage opt for a heavier protein treatment like Aphogee Treatment for Damaged Hair.
Even if your hair is stretching without breakage you should use a light protein product to correct this. When your hair stretches, the strand “thins” and becomes weaker across the cross section. It may not break right then at that very point in time, but stretched out of and beyond its shape, it is compromised and will eventually break at some other point. Your hair should be springing back to position. If it’s stretching and stretching without breaking it may be your hair’s way of telling you, “Hey, I need a little structure (protein) here! I’m getting waaaay too elastic, but not yet enough to break– so do something now!” This is where a preventive maintenance protein application would come in. You don’t have to wait for breakage to act. Your hair is telling you now! Start light, and work from there. You may not need a heavy protein treatment just yet.
Use more protein if your hair is porous or damage:
Bleached or highlighted hair
Chemically relaxed or permanent waved hair
Brushed too much
Chronically dry hair
Heat damaged hair
The cuticle scales on high porosity are open or damaged and it needs the gaps filled in with protein.
Some low porosities already have enough protein because the strand is healthier, and the cuticle scales aren't as open or damaged. Low porosity should use caution when adding protein and always add moisture first unless they are low porosity naturally but damaged down to higher porosity from relaxers/chemicals/bleach/dyes or if they're heat styling frequently. If you have low porosity and coarse hair, use extreme caution because your hair strand is already very protein heavy due to the thicker structure of the hair.
http://www.blackhairscience.com/hair-breakage-101-protein-and-moisture/
http://www.curlynikki.com/2012/06/can-i-over-condition.html
http://www.verticalsinhair.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=66
http://pedaheh.blogspot.com/2012/10/how-to-diagnose-hair.html
http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/more-about-protein.html?m=1
