Protein Sprays for Damaged Hair: Too Much of a Good Thing?

by Madaline Donnelly


Getty Images
Getty Images


Protein-infused hair products are supposed to beef up and fortify weak and damaged hair, which is why I tend to apply the stuff like it's going out of style. Not a good idea, as a recent cut with New York City hairstylist Nunzio Saviano revealed.


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During my appointment, Saviano called my attention to a crop of split ends. "But I apply protein spray after every shower!" I protested. He nodded knowingly. "That can cause breakage," he replied.

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Twisted as that logic sounds, cosmetic chemist Ni'Kita Wilson agrees. "Keratin is a protein that strengthens damaged hair so it's less likely to break during styling, but you have to be careful because using too much can actually make hair hard and brittle," she says. Wilson recommends using a mask with keratin no more than once a week or, if you're using a spray with keratin, "give it a rest if your hair starts to feel stiff or stretchy."

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