By Dr. Phoenyx of DrPhoenyx.com

Like the saying goes: You can have too much of a good thing.

OK, so you’ve crossed over to natural hair and everyone’s talking about how important it is to moisturize your hair on a regular basis. I mean, you don’t want hair that tangles and breaks easily, do you? Of course not! But there’s a catch when it comes to moisture:

While moisture is great for hair, it is also possible to OVER-moisturize your hair to the point that it’ll be just as weak and prone to breakage as hair that’s dry.

Sounds odd doesn’t it? But it’s true.

We all know that dry hair is something to avoid. And we also know how dry hair usually looks and feels like- usually dull, straw-like and easily breaks when pulled or combed. But what about over-moisturized hair? What does that look like? And what does it feel like? Well, over-moisturized hair tends to look limp, oily and my even have a “mushy” feel when rubbed between your fingers. Over-moisturized hair is also very elastic and stretchable. And at its extreme, over-moisturized hair is basically Soul Glo or Jheri Curl-like. Still don’t know what I’m getting at? Well here’s a visual…

God I love that movie!

Anyhoo, both dry and over-moisturized are weak and prone to breakage. Hair is a fiber- a fiber that’s made of long strings of protein that are “braided’ together- kind of like cable wire. Hair’s funny in a way because it is quite strong and resilient, but still very delicate at the same time. And basically, if you want to have healthy hair that doesn’t break easily, you’ll need to find a balance where you’re moisturizing it just enough to help it maintain elasticity. Elasticity is a word that describes hair’s ability to stretch and recoil. Ultimately, when it comes to keeping hair strong and healthy, protein-moisture balance becomes key.

So how do you find a balance? And how do you keep from moisturizing hair too much?

Here are a few tips:

• Avoid daily wash-n-go’s, especially if you’re not regularly giving your hair protein, i.e. protein treatments
• Cut back on lengthy deep conditioning treatments. Most conditioners don’t need to be held in hair for longer than 15 minutes, and depending on what type of conditioner it is, keeping one in hair longer than that, could actually weaken your hair
• Regularly balance moisturize with protein by using products with hydrolyzed proteins (i.e. hydrolyzed wheat protein, hydrolyzed quinoa protein) and/or amino acids. These all help to strengthen hair and counteract the effects of over-moisturizing

Remember, hair needs moisture, but it’s all about balance. Having over-moisturized hair is just as bad as overly dry hair. So when moisturizing your hair, make sure to do it regularly and sensibly. As great as moisture is for hair, it is possible to overdue a good thing.

How often do you moisturize your hair? What are your favorite hair moisturizers?

Dr. Phoenyx Austin is a physician, author and media personality. Dr. Phoenyx’s new book, If You Love It, It Will Grow: A Guide to Growing Long Afro-Textured Hair is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes. Special autographed book copies can be ordered directly from her blog, DrPhoenyx.com. You can also find Dr. Phoenyx on Facebook and Twitter.

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