Hair

Protein Treatments

I've spoken about the importance of doing protein treatments in my YouTube videos and here, on my blog. Hair is mainly comprised of a very strong protein called keratin. It is therefore essential that we treat our hair with protein periodically so that we can put strength back into strands that have been weakened by heat and or constant styling. There's a portion of an article in the Dec/Jan issue of Sophisticate's Black Hair Styles and Care Guide Magazine that I'd like to share with you. In it, celebrity hairstylist Traci Washington talks about the importance of protein treatments, and how those who suffer from constant breaking and shedding can benefit from them. Here's what she had to say:

"A protein treatment, followed by a moisturizing treatment, is ideal for women who struggle with breakage or shedding. Details Washington, 'If you're someone who breaks all the time, you'll probably have to use protein twice a month. And to eliminate so much shedding, you should use the protein at least once a month.' Washington notes that heat-activated protein treatments should be left on long enough for the solution to penetrate. 'If you're not going to sit under the dryer, you need to leave it on for about an hour,' the celeb stylist says. 'If you have access to a dryer, you need 15 to 25 minutes depending on how severely you need it" ("Mane Moisture: Customized Conditioning For You," Page 113).

I've been using my Aphogee 2-minute Reconstructor regularly. Yet, I've been following the directions on the bottle which states that it should only be kept on the hair for two minutes, and then rinsed out. I only apply heat when doing moisturizing treatments, but according to Miss Washington, heat needs to be applied when doing protein treatments as well.