keratin - my hair doesn't like protein

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Chrispy93

Active member
Joined
Aug 20, 2013
Messages
61
Reason
DX FIBRO
Diagnosis
00/2007
Country
US
State
Rhode Island
My hair seems to react badly to any hair products with any kind of protein.
Ever since, It feels like hay. I actually looked at a few strands under a microscope and could see the lower half was bumpy, thin spots, just not straight.
Of course I can't rule out stress but... I can directly relate it to each time I used a protein product.
Even if I cut off 2 inches, it still seems to stay the same.

Anyone else?
 
I am sensitive to the surfactants in shampoo. They dry my scalp and make my skin over sensitive (so that shaving is painful). SLS is the worst, but even the less aggressive substitutes affect me. I started washing my hair with baking soda and vinegar and got very good results.
 
ok DK, I use baking soda and vinegar to unclog drains, I'm woundering if this foams up on your head? Does it leave your hair soft?

I use a coconut based cleansing conditioner (not the one seen on tv) I love it. My scalp became very sensitive and I found this about a year ago. Not as cheap as DK's idea but it's less then I used to pay for shampoo and conditioner. I can't say the brand hear but you can message me if you want.
 
Lol, I don't use them at the same time! :)

I use about 1.5 Tbs baking soda dissolved in 2 cups of water first. Then I rinse with similarly diluted vinegar. I have a theory about what is happening chemically, but that's a bit off topic I think

My hair is very fine and straight, and shampoos tend to leave too much stuff behind. My hair winds up plastered to my skull.

So for me the baking soda and vinegar is win/win, less skin trouble and better results (in terms of how my hair feels and acts) than shampoo.
 
I heard baking soda and vinegar could leave your scalp very clean, tried, but didn't do much for me. But for my friend did wonders, or so he says. I think this wouldn't work for a person with a really long hair (like me). But for short haired men it must work really well, because my friend is swears by it... so much he told me about it. He told me I could use it as a shampoo!
 
The tricky thing is getting good coverage because it is so runny. I focus on working it into my roots and don't worry about the rest of my hair. You can feel when it's worked in - the baking soda solution feels slippery, then after you rinse it out it feels kind of sticky. Then the vinegar solution feels soft and clean when it is worked in (and rinsed out)
 
I haven't experimented with my own concoctions, but have focused over the years on extra moisturizing shampoos and conditioners. I thought the issue was that I color my hair, or that I am chronically dehydrated, but perhaps it's something to do with my overall chemistry. I know I tend to be acidic, and will sometimes correct it by drinking a baking soda/water mixture. I think I'll have to pick up some baking soda and try washing my hair with it. I never seem to have enough in the house, because not only do I drink it, but I also sprinkle it in the carpet to ward off fleas, and also clean with it. I haven't tried vinegar as a conditioner or rinse. I assume you're using white vinegar? I also use that for cleaning, cooking, mixing in with the laundry, etc., so those are two things I tend to run out of quickly.
 
I have used ACV before, but as I've got older my hair is much dryer and of corse colored/high lighted. Does anyone know how baking soda would affect color processed hair? This sounds like a great way to save money and not have that weird scalp feeling.
 
To rinse out the baking soda solution I've used both white distilled vinegar and Apple cider vinegar. I've also tried diluting the vinegar in tea instead of just water. They all work for me. I think it is important to follow the baking soda up with a slightly acidic rinse. I've tried a number of things that contain weak organic acids (tea, coffee, aloe vera juice and so forth) but I have not found anything that works better than diluted vinegar

I don't remember any problems when my hair was color treated. I haven't colored my hair for a while now, but I did when I first started washing my hair this way
 
Wow sounds like being in the Chemistry lab at school...i have an image of hair smelling foaming and spluttering with something akin to drain cleaner I can't shift lol !

I have to say the condition of my hair has also changed and seems drier with same problem of uneven bumps on hair shaft.

I read up on the web and seems it means the hair cuticles are roughened up rather than smoothed down.

I use a natural shampoo with no sls and apparently rinsing in cool water...not rubbing vigorously with a towel all helps keep the cuticle smooth plus a conditioner without silicones that cause build up.

Sometimes i rub olive oil or coconut oil into the ends and leave a few hours before shampooing and leave hair to dry naturally if you can...depends on hair type and if you like a style that needs lots of blow drying.

Mine is quite wavy and if i wind it around a fat brush as it dries naturally i get even more bounce.
 
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Interesting replies.

Maybe should have started this topic in a hair forum. But I wondered is there is a protein fibromyalgia connection?

I have rinsed with the mother apple cider diluted with water. (maybe twice year) It works wonders, like a clarification. But the smell seems to last a day. I only wash my hair once a week. When I do, I leave the conditioner in, twist it up and leave it to rinse at the end of the shower. That is not helping any more. Like some of you, I often put coconut oil on the ends. It temporally helps some.

Ever since that first keratin treatment, my hair is a mess. It could be a stress issue originating from the root. And could just be coincidence.

Talk about chemistry; I actually taped a few strands on white paper and viewed with a microscope. I could see the inconsistency in the strands. Bumpy, fat and skinny areas. Uneven texture.

My hair is middle of my back long. I get high and low light foil treatments about 4 times a year. I never blow dry. Except when I go to the salon, she does. I do straighten with a flat iron but not every day. During the summer months I rarely straightened since it's usually humid and I always put it up. Now I have to straighten it to manage a monster snarl. I almost cut my hair by half I was so upset.

Any hoo... Seems we may have similar issues. But the protein thing remains a mystery. I looked for a hair expert who might have a theory. But no luck.
It's probable caused by stress anyway. I think stress is the root (ha, root) of all evil.
 
I agree about the stress being root of all evil...my hair changed the year i got fibro and stopped growing as long....then later the condition changed too and needs much more effort to look ok......shame isn't it that even our crowning glory suffers.

The bumpy fat and skinny areas ive got too...i can run my fingers along a hair and feel it and pulled out a few strands just few weeks ago to see if i could see what was going on.

I think i read its to do with hairs porosity and damage but not sure....mine isn't coloured so not sure whats caused it.....maybe aging and hormones on top of fibro for me.
 
Hi there, hair stylist & salon owner here.
I have not done any scientific studies on this, mainly because I'm lazy lol, but also because I thought it was just me. I would hesitate I treat color processed hair with baking soda and vinegar even though they are natural ingredients. I will look into this further though. There are many more organic shampoos out there, and I would look for something with tea tree oil in a that is great for restoring the Ph I your scalp.
Many people do Not know this but while we always think we need products with when our hair feels brittle or damaged- that is not always the case and in many circumstances the overuse of products with protein in can actually do more damage than good. In reality what you may need is moisture. The 2 are not the same. Many times when we go on medications it absolutely affects the hair follicle in the condition of our hair. As a colorist I am always making certain to ask my guess if there have been any medication changes because it can do crazy things when you add color chemicals to the hair.
Personally I have found my hair also to be more delicate then in the past. I can no longer use even the gentlest lightener for highlights as i almost always end up with breakage.
If you color your hair I would suggest getting it done professionally box color has metallic dyes is extremely drying and damaging to the hair as opposed to professional color. If you were one color kind of girl I would suggest your stylist to only touch up your roots and then give you a demi glaze over the rest because that will help to seal down the cuticleand add a lot of shine. Do not, I repeat, do not allow your stylist to put permanent color all over from Roots to ends if you are sticking with the same color. Permanent color is just that, permanent. There is no need for them to use the harsh chemicals over your mids and ends if there is already that permanent color in there. That is damaging. any fading in your color should be able to be rectified with a demi-permanent glaze much healthier for your hair.
You can also ask your stylist What treatments they offer. We offer something called olaplex In Our Salon. many times we will use that on previously lightened or damage hair. it is a bond reconstructor. It is not just a moisture mask but is designed to rebuild the bonds in the hair shaft that break down to where you see brittle, damaged hair.
I also advise against purchasing professional hair care products through local stores like CVS or Wal-Mart and Target. I can only speak for my company but we are a Paul Mitchell Salon we only supposed to be sold in salons. Any products that are found on the shelves of other stores are generally tampered with and or Miss marked and are not authentic. I would not use any products that were not authentic and you could verify the ingredients to help maintain better control over what you are putting on your scalp and what you may be irritated by. If I could find a picture I would post it here another stylist I know bought a product at TJ Maxx that should have been a Chi Hairspray and when she started peeling at the label on the bottle and it came off there was a whole other label underneath that was off brand. There has actually been news coverage on Dateline or CNN or something like that that was a whole show basically about the Paul Mitchell products and how in these fake products that you find in other stores have been tampered with and in some cases there have actually been bacteria found and chemical differences shown in Petri dishes under the microscope.
Anyway I went off on a little tangent but essentially it is important to know what you're putting on your head and to make sure that you are sharing with your stylist the medical stuff going on that could affect the Integrity of your hair especially when it comes to applying hair color
 
I just wrote a super long post that all got deleted LOL. I am a hairstylist and salon owner. While I have never done any actual scientific research on the topic of how fibro affects your hair, I have noticed it in my own.
I don't know if I would use baking soda and vinegar color treated hair as it could compromise the color, but I can give you a little bit of information that might help. Sometime what we think is a need for protein can backfire when we use protein-based products too often. If your hair is not damaged by lightener you really should not need additional protein. What you may need is more moisture. Too much protein not good for your hair. So perhaps try something that is more moisture based. Shampoo are really designed for scalp care and should be used there first and foremost and then gently work through the mids and ends. Conditioner should be used on the mids and ends and just worked up to the scalp with a small amount. Avoid washing your hair more than two to three times a week if possible and using a shampoo that has tea tree oil in it is helpful that is a great ingredient for restoring the pH balance in both your scalp and hair strands which may help with any flaking and irritation.
Always let your stylist to know of medications or medication changes and any medical conditions because these things definitely affect the Integrity of your hair follicle can alter any chemical services such as color or Keratin treatments. Ask about What treatments your stylist can do for your hair also. In Our Salon we use olaplex when we do highlights as that is a great Bond reconstructor that will help repair the hair strands that are being damaged when using lightener.
Do not, I repeat do not used box color if you can avoid it as it contains metallic dyes and is extremely drying and damaging to your hair regardless of what their commercials might tell you. If you get your hair colored one shade regularly your stylist should only be doing root touch-ups with permanent color permanent color is just that, permanent. 4 gray coverage permanent color is necessary if you do a root touch up with a permanent color you should ask for a demi-permanent glaze over the remainder of your hair that will add shine and seal the cuticle down. Doing permanent color over your hair over and over again will cause damage and breakage.
Avoid using professional products that you see in stores like Target or Walmart and CVS many times these products have been tampered with or are not real. This is been documented to be true. There was actually a news report on Dateline or some show like that where they used Paul Mitchell products which is what our Salon carries, and showed bacteria in the fake products under the microscope. I suggest going to your local salon for these purchases because you know they are coming straight from the company not through any kind of Middleman and that they are authentic. When you are dealing with hair that is damaged or having issues, you want to make sure that the ingredients you're putting on your head or actually the ingredients shown on the packaging. Another stylist that I know had a picture she posted on Facebook showing a product she purchased at tjmaxx that should have been a Chi product but when she started messing with the label and peeled it off it showed an off brand labeling underneath.
Hopefully that helped some of you. I will look into some of the research posted on this topic as soon as I can to help.
 
Thanks for the info c.haines1178
As a matter of fact, the bottles I am using right now were purchased from TJMax or Marshalls. I trust the companies but.. most of the bottles do not have a seal and could easily be tampered with. Take out the good product, replace with cheaper. I suppose it might be wise to toss everything I have and get new stuff. Might be costly but were talking about hair here.
I agree 100% about moisture. I read somewhere, it's good to use a humidifier in the bedroom as you sleep while your body, skin, and hair are trying to replenish.
 
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