Understanding Hair Texture, Porosity, & Protein for the Best Hair Extensions Experience.
We’ve all heard that protein and hair extensions don’t mix.
We tell our clients to avoid it. It’s not always easy though. Some clients may need protein in their natural hair and, sometimes, people who don’t need it, find it hiding in their products. We’ve all had that one client reach out with dry, brittle extensions a few weeks after they’re installed. Protein can cause that damage.
If you ever wanted to understand how and why protein damages hair extensions, this page is for you.
What Is Protein?
What Does Protein Do For Hair?
Proteins in hair products aim to repair and strengthen the hair shaft. When your hair is damaged, the protein fills in the gaps along the hair shaft, helping to rebuild and fortify your chemically treated, heat-damaged, and environmental damaged hair.
Not All Proteins Are The Same.
Each type of protein has a unique molecular weight and size. Smaller proteins penetrate the hair shaft and repair damage from within, while larger proteins coat the hair and provide surface-level protection.
Prescribing the Right Protein.
Knowing your client’s hair type and needs can help you choose the right protein treatment. For better or for worse, the thickness and porosity of the hair plays a significant role in how it responds to different types of protein.
Hair Texture
- Coarse Hair -
Coarse hair benefits from heavier proteins like wheat protein, which help to fortify the hair and reduce frizz.
- Fine Hair -
Thin or fine hair is easily weighed down by heavy proteins. Lightweight proteins like silk or amino acids are more suitable as they penetrate the hair shaft without making it feel heavy.
Hair Porosity
Hair porosity refers to your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. It’s a critical factor in determining the types of hair care products that will work best for you, especially when it comes to protein treatments. There are three main types of hair porosity: low, normal, and high.
- Low Porosity Hair -
Low porosity hair has tightly closed cuticles, making it difficult for moisture and products to penetrate. This type of hair tends to repel water and can feel resistant to treatments.
Best Proteins for Low Porosity Hair:
Hydrolyzed Silk Protein: Lightweight and easily absorbed, providing moisture without weighing the hair down.
Amino Acids: Small molecules that can penetrate the hair shaft, offering strength and elasticity.
- Normal Porosity Hair -
Normal porosity hair allows moisture to be absorbed and retained with relative ease. The cuticles are slightly raised, which balances absorption and retention.
Best Proteins for Normal Porosity Hair:
Soy Protein: Strengthens and smoothes the hair, maintaining its health and resilience.
Wheat Protein: Offers balanced moisture and strength, perfect for maintaining healthy hair.
- High Porosity Hair -
High porosity hair has raised cuticles, which can lead to quick moisture absorption but also rapid moisture loss. This type of hair often feels dry, frizzy and prone to breakage.
Best Proteins for High Porosity Hair:
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein: Helps to fill in the gaps in the hair shaft, reducing porosity and enhancing moisture retention.
Hydrolyzed Oat Protein: Adds strength and elasticity, helping to reduce breakage and improve texture.
How Do I Use Texture & Porosity to Help a Client Select the Right Protein?
If you’re helping a client with natural hair that needs strength and repair, the type of protein prescribed should be matched to the client’s natural hair texture and porosity at that moment.
Protein Prescriptions are Temporary.
As the hair improves, the protein type gets adjusted to address the hair’s needs at that new moment. A client who successfully goes from high porosity to normal porosity should not continue to use the same type of protein that addresses high porosity hair. That protein that filled in the gaps no longer has a gap to fill. It begins to form a coating on the hair which eventually prevents moisture from entering the shaft. This causes the hair to feel dry, stiff, and brittle.
Why Is Protein Not Compatible With Extensions?
Hair extensions start out as fine texture with low porosity. This can vary along the hair shaft with more thickness toward the root and more porosity near the ends.
This type of hair does not need protein.
It’s especially helpful to know that new extensions are the most prone to protein build-up because they will not absorb the protein. Even the smaller-molecule proteins will sit on the surface of the hair and begin to form a brittle shell that blocks moisture from entering the hair shaft.
Hair extensions need moisture on a daily basis. By preventing that moisture, the extensions dry out from the inside and begin to look dull. Continued use of protein on extensions will eventually cause spilt ends, breakage, and dullness.
Stylists will often say, “my client uses the best product” and those great salon-quality products are the best… for what they’re specifically designed to do. Whether they’re fighting frizz, looking for strength, or adding shine, these products can improve your client’s natural hair. Unfortunately, they can also be incompatible with the support that hair extensions need.
We recommend using only products specifically designed to support and enhance hair extensions. Always avoid protein on extensions to avoid damage.
Other Considerations For Protein Treatment of Natural Hair:
*This section specifically addresses natural hair and does not apply to hair extensions.
- Protein Needs Moisture -
Protein treatments can make hair strong, but without a balance of moisture, your hair can become stiff and prone to breakage. Following up with a moisture-rich conditioner helps to restore elasticity and smoothness, creating a balanced and healthy hair environment.
- Avoid High pH Products -
Hair products with a high pH can raise the hair cuticle, causing damage and reducing the effectiveness of the protein treatment. Ensuring your products have a balanced pH to your hair can help maintain hair health and optimize the benefits of protein treatments.
- Clarify Before Protein -
Build-up from styling products, oils, and environmental pollutants can prevent protein treatments from penetrating the hair shaft. Using a clarifying shampoo before applying a protein treatment ensures your hair is free from build-up and ready to absorb the treatment effectively.
Hidden Protein
Many products have proteins that they don't mention in their marketing.
This looks like a hydrating shampoo that could be great with extensions.
Here's how they describe it:
"Creamy, luxurious shampoo that deeply hydrates normal to thick dry, color-treated hair.
For strands that seek a sensorial splash of intense moisture and supple softness. Our ultra-nourishing formulas shield against damage, seal in vibrant color and smooth even the thirstiest tresses from root to tip.
A citrus summer breeze: Immerse yourself in the essence of sensorial summertime escape, highlighted by a harmonious blend of patchouli, lavendar, and bergamot for a purely refreshing experience.
Hydrate line deeply moisturizes and saturates every hair type so you’ll go from Palm Desert-dry to nourished and thriving."
Sounds great so far but let's look at the ingredients just to be sure...
This product may be great for a client's natural hair based on their needs. We're not saying this is a bad brand, bad product, or that is isn't "salon-quality".
We would just never use it with extensions. The protein could end up damaging the extensions and the silicones (not highlighted) in this product are also known to build-up and cause dryness in the extensions.
This information does not apply to all brands and types of extensions. Use of this information is "at your risk."