Should You Use Deep Conditioner After Protein Treatment?

Finding a good hair care routine that suits your hair and lifestyle (and most importantly, one which you can do consistently) is like finding a good skincare routine.

Almost impossible, and only through lots of trial and error. 

You have to consider a lot, like your hair type, your hair color, and your preferred hairstyle. But some basics work for pretty much everyone. Cleanse, condition, and moisturize.

Sometimes your hair deserves something a little more special, like a treatment here and there. So should you use a deep conditioner after protein treatment?

We’ll discuss that below!

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What are Protein Treatments?

One would ask why anyone would want a protein treatment in the first place. It’s true. Not everyone with dry hair needs protein treatments.

Then who does?

Our hair is made of protein, specifically keratin. Over time, due to lack of care and damage caused by styling (especially involving heat or hair colors), the keratin in our hair starts breaking down. This results in your hair looking unappealing, and you may experience a few of the signs mentioned above. 

This is where protein treatments come in. Protein treatments are hair products that are packed with a certain protein that gets easily absorbed into the hair. This protein works to repair and strengthen the broken-down keratin of your hair. 

Protein treatments are hair products that are packed with a certain protein that gets easily absorbed into the hair. This protein works to repair and strengthen the broken-down keratin of your hair. 

Products like Elizavecca's Protein Treatment  are a great example.

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Signs that You Need a Protein Treatment

Here are a few signs that might tell you it’s time for a protein treatment.

Highly Porous Hair

It’s not just your skin that has pores. Your hair has pores too. What “having porous hair” means is that there are tears or gaps in your hair. This is not ideal since your hair ends up becoming weaker and more vulnerable to harmful impurities in the environment.

Another consequence of having high porosity is easily tangled and frizzy hair.

You can do the hair porosity test to learn about your hair porosity.

Limp and Flat Hair 

Suppose your hair has fallen flat and lost its texture. Your hair becomes flat when it has been weighed down by a buildup of impurities like dirt, oil, leftover product, and other things.

Your Hair has Lost its Elasticity

This one is pretty straightforward. If your hair doesn’t curl up again to the way it was, you’ve lost the elasticity in your hair after you stretch it. This can result in breakage as your hair strands can break into two pieces.

Breakage and Shedding

If you’re losing too much hair, it’s a sign that the hair needs protein. Some strands can just snap in the middle if the hair is too dry and brittle. Hair fall is one of the biggest signs of neglected hair. 

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How do Protein Treatments Work?

A protein treatment repairs and protects your hair in several ways. If there are any gaps in your hair strand, protein treatments patch up these holes. Hydrolyzed proteins get attached to the hair, and the cuticle layer gets hardened. 

Finally, protein treatments protect in the form of a barrier around the hair shaft. This ensures that your hair is prevented from future damage, and you can enjoy the benefits of healthy hair for a longer time.

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What is a Deep Conditioner?

Deep conditioners are more effective than the usual conditioner you use in your normal hair care routine.

Often done in professional hair salons, a deep conditioning treatment uses a deep conditioner along with applied heat which lasts for about half an hour. This allows the conditioner to go even deeper into your locks. 

But you can also use deep conditioners at home. It’s common practice to use it once every week.

You just have to comb the product in your hair thoroughly and let it sit for the amount of time written in the instruction manual. Then, you just wash it off with cold water. 

Deep conditioners are more effective than the usual conditioner you use in your normal hair care routine.

Deep conditioners hydrate and soften damaged hair that results from bleaching, dying, coloring, and excessive use of heat for styling.

The elasticity of your hair can also be restored by deep conditioning. These products are also very useful to protect the hair from breakage and to help prevent frizz.

Now that we’ve covered two very beneficial and considerably effective hair treatments let’s see if we can layer them up.

Can you use a deep conditioner after a protein treatment? 

Is it necessary to do so? Is it harmful to do so? Let’s find out.

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Should You Use a Deep Conditioner After Protein Treatment

There is a big difference between a protein treatment and a deep conditioning hair treatment. Protein treatments help to repair hair that has been damaged by excessive heat styling, whereas deep conditioning serves to enhance the strength and flexibility of your hair. 

You have to use both protein treatments and deep conditioning treatments to get your dream hair. Finding the perfect balance between nourishment and moisture for your hair can be challenging. You can even layer the treatments one after another.

To keep your hair hydrated, you have to follow your protein treatment with a deep moisturizing conditioner, since protein treatments are often drying.

To keep your hair hydrated, you have to follow your protein treatment with a deep moisturizing conditioner, since protein treatments are often drying.

Hair loss expert Precious Rutlin says, “You can’t have one without the other.” about deep conditioners and protein treatments. “If you do not moisturize, you risk having damaged, brittle hair, which is what you’re attempting to prevent or fix.”

As a rule of thumb, make sure that your hair has moisturizing treatments twice the amount as protein treatments.

Hair can get over moisturized too. Rutlin has a solution for this as well. “To rebalance hair that is overly moisturized, try using conditioners that have protein or use a protein treatment,” says Rutlin.

You’re recommended to do this once or twice a month. Rutlin also says: “Be sure to take caution and don’t overuse this protein treatment, because it can cause your hair to dry out and become brittle.”

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Final Thoughts

Everyone has different hair goals and has different treatment needs. A variety of products and many trials and errors will be inevitable to find a haircare routine perfect for you.

If you can afford to go to a professional before experimenting, please do so. But if you’re wondering whether to deep condition after a protein treatment, the answer is usually yes! Your hair will thank you!