As we age, or even in younger people with a lot of exposure to environmental or styling damage, protein loss can definitely affect the look and feel of the hair. Not only that, losing protein from your hair strands can make it more prone to breakage and split ends. This can make it hard to regrow the hair or grow out styles that you want to change up a bit.

Why is Protein Important to the Hair?

Protein is required by the hair to maintain structural integrity. It also helps the hair to maintain good flexibility, and provides an excellent surface to increase the appearance of shine and deep color. Styling with high heat tools, over-processing with chemical treatments like highlights, hair color, straightening and curling treatments, can really do a number on the protein levels of your hair. Related: Protecting Hair from Humidity& Why It's Important

Hair with significant protein loss can begin to look dull, be more fragile and break-prone, and appear to be duller in color. Those with protein loss may also find it difficult to maintain longer hairstyles since the hair tends to break faster and have a hard time growing at a normal pace.

Natural Protein Replenishers

Coconut Oil - Believe it or not, and we’ve partially covered this before, coconut oil is good for helping with protein loss. The stuff that comes in a big tub or jar that is solid at room temperature is what I’m talking about – the same stuff you can cook with. Incidentally this is the same type of oil we use in our two hair products, the conditioner and our sulfate free shampoo.

Coconut oil can help seal the cuticle and protect the hair from protein loss, but it also helps to act as a sort of “filler” for the hair. When hair becomes porous, coconut oil acts as an excellent filler for these micro-holes in each hair strand. What this translates to is a stronger strand, and the appearance of greater flexibility, higher shine and more overall integrity. Related: Help Remedy Porous Hair!

Keratin for Protein Replacement

Keratin is a type of protein that is fibrous in nature. It is one of the essential building materials in the nails and skin, which means it has to be pretty tough to maintain these surfaces and create a tough defense against breakage.

This also means that it makes an ideal candidate for protein replacement in the hair since it has a little bit of bulk to it and can help “fill” in the structurally weak areas of the hair strands. There are actually hair treatments based in keratin that promise to give you straighter or less frizzy hair.

However you should use caution if you’re thinking of one of those treatments. It sounds good and almost like it would be natural, but most of these treatments are based in harsh chemicals that break down the hair structure only to rebuild the structure by placing high heat on it to reshape it. They can also contain known toxic chemicals like formaldehyde.

There are some better options out there, you just have the ask the right questions. One tip off is if it produces a lot of fumes, or the person applying it needs to wear a mask, chances are it has some pretty harsh chemicals that might end up damaging the scalp and/or hair.

Silk Proteins

We actually use a type of silk protein in our conditioner, but it’s really more for the benefit of adding shine and incredible manageability, not so much the protein factor. Silk proteins can definitely help those with protein loss though, it just wasn’t the first thing in mind when we added this important ingredient to our formula.

Silk proteins are a great way to add shine, manageability, and yes a little bit of protein replenishment to the hair shaft in the meantime. It's one of the most important active ingredients in our Deep Hydration Conditioner (for all hair types).