Protein and Moisture Balance for hair.

The article below is a must read for everyone.  Everyone interested in healthy hair needs to have a basic understanding of protein and moisture balance.  In order for your hair to be healthy and for your curls and waves to live up to their potential, your hair must have the optimum amount of protein and moisture.  You want to keep protein and moisture balanced in your hair.  Too much or not enough of either will cause problems.  To understand this, read this article.  The article refers to African American hair, but applies to all hair.  After you read it, you may feel a person only needs to add more protein OR more moisture.  However, it is possible to be low on both protein AND moisture (I'm often low on both).

The Fine Art of Protein and Moisture Balancing for Black Hair Care.

When you begin to care for your hair, you have probably done some previous damage to your hair.  You have likely used hair dye, curling irons, flat irons, repeatedly brushed your hair, etc.  If you have damaged your hair, your hair will need protein.  Protein can help temporarily repair damaged hair (porous hair). The other thing protein can do is to shore up the inner structure of hair.  This helps hair support itself, and therefore gives you bouncy waves and curls. 

So does this mean you should run out and put some protein in your hair?  No.  Protein isn't friends with all types of hair.  If your hair is non porous, you do not need protein (unless you have fine hair).  In non porous hair the cuticle lies flat and does non need to be repaired.  If you have coarse hair, you do not need protein (unless also porous, then proceed with caution).  Coarse hair has enough protein in its cortex already.  Adding more protein to either of these hair types will give you hard, rough, brittle hair.

 This blog post shows pictures of hair with too much protein and hair with not enough protein.  The author of the blog has coarse, porous hair. 
Pittsburgh Curly- Protein vs. Moisture