5 Hair Benefits of Silk Protein to Soften + Strengthen Damaged Hair

October 03, 2022 Allyson Evers

Silk has been used for centuries to create beautiful fabrics, but did you know that the proteins derived from silk produced by silkworms have some HUGE benefits for creating healthier, stronger hair?

Silk is known for being soft + lustrous, and when silk protein is applied to weak + damaged hair, the results are no different since silk is deemed to be one of the strongest fibers on the planet! Silk proteins have bond building properties that can repair bleach damaged hair, strengthen brittle hair, and so much more! Let's explore the benefits with our silk protein hair treatments!

How does bleaching damage your hair?

Bleaching your hair is one of the most damaging ways to style your hair. The chemicals in hair bleach, usually a mixture that includes hydrogen peroxide, opens up the cuticle of the hair shaft to expose the cell membrane complex and cortex. Once the cortex is exposed the melanin will oxidize. Melanin is the substance that gives hair it's color, and oxidizing it will lighten that color. The result of this process is damaged, dry, brittle hair because of the moisture that’s been removed as well as the cuticle that’s been broken.

Everyone’s hair is different but typically those with color treated hair or those who have undergone similar hair treatments are at a greater risk for hair breakage, and their hair has a need for added protein. Chemical treatments performed on the hair have been known to cause damage as they break up the protein bonds. However, there are also other reasons for a needed boost of protein including, genetics, hormones and diet. Whatever the case may be, it is very important to try and maintain a balance between protein and moisture within the hair because too much of one can also result in hair breakage.

This is only the beginning…

Yes, we all know that bleach damages your hair. But it isn’t the only way to crack the cuticle and expose your cortex and cell membrane complex. Blow drying, hot tools, sun exposure, wet brushing, and general hair maintenance are all sure fire ways to break your hair cuticle, resulting in dry, tangly, damaged hair shafts.

How do silk proteins repair and renew dry and brittle hair?

Hair is mostly made up of a protein known as keratin, and gives the hair strands their strength, protection and structure. While some proteins may actually weaken the hair, when applying a silk-protein enriched treatment from SAVE ME FROM, these silk proteins reinforce the strength and structure of weakened hair strands.

save me from hair product reviews hair damage results

Silk proteins for hair have been studied and shown to provide protection, strength, all while allowing the bleaching process to occur. Within the cortex of your hair shaft are several components: microfibrils, macrofibrils, and protofibrils, melanin, keratin, and disulfide, hydrogen, and saline bonds. When the hair shaft is treated with a silkworm protein formula, it coats the fibers which protect the keratin chains while simultaneously allowing the melanin to oxidize. This way, you can get to that color you want with the protection from unnecessary damage that you need.

Still not sure if you need silk protein in your hair care products? Read on!

Benefits of Silk Protein for Hair

1. It improves softness + hair texture

Like we said, when you damage the hair, the cuticle often breaks open either by crazing, bubbling, or splitting. Breaking the cuticle is the beginning of damaging your healthy hair! This not only leads to other types of damage, but it is the root cause of tangly hair. The cuticle is made up of plates that, when lifted up because of damage, will grab onto the plates of the other hair strands making it feel tangly and brittle. Silk protein has a low molecular weight which means it has a greater ability to infiltrate the hair strands, laying the cuticle down, making the texture soft, manageable, and smooth.

photos of smooth hair shafts vs broken hair shafts

2. Protects thickness

When the cuticle is broken open in the process of bleaching, or by other damaging processes, this also contributes to thinning your hair. In a study comparing GoBlond* application to damaged hair, the formula in our reboots containing the silkworm protein, to damaged hair without any treatment, thickness was better for the GoBlond application tresses by 12% [1].

3. Improves strength + hair elasticity

Once the cuticle is broken, the hair strand becomes weak and prone to breakage. It is particularly likely to break when it’s weakened and then combed, especially while wet. This breakage often looks and is mistaken as hair loss. So, when you apply silk proteins to the weakened hair, it rebuilds the bonds that keep it together. Silk protein has the ability to restore damaged hair with cysteine, one of the 4 amino acids needed to produce keratin. Using a Diastron MTT 686 and FDAS 770 to test Break Stress, dyed hair treated with GoBlond were shown to be 2.9X more resistant to breakage than untreated dyed. A popular bond building product was only 1.7X more resistant to breakage than the untreated dyed hair. These bond builder components of the silk protein are unique and absolutely necessary for maintaining healthy hair. As the silk protein penetrates the hair, it improves its elasticity protecting the hair against breakage while also forming a protective barrier on the hair. This barrier or shield, improves shine while also preventing the hair against moisture loss.

real results using save me from for healthier hair

4. Shinier hair

Dull hair is typically a result of damage such as too much sun exposure. UVA and UVB rays oxidize the melanin and cause your hair to lose shine and feel brittle. Silk proteins rebuilds the bonds that give hair shine and lay down broken cuticles to seal in the nutrients. Using a Samba Hair System to test luster and shine, dyed hair tress treated with GoBlond had an increase of shine by 97.74% (3.3X more than control) compared to a popular bond building product that increased shine only by 53.3%.

5. Better manageability

Once the silk protein is applied to your broken hair cuticles laying them down, your hair no longer catches on itself and feels smoother. Brittle hair is the reason why it’s difficult to manage since it is much less flexible. Manageable hair is one of the benchmarks for determining healthy hair.

And if the Results Didn’t Impress You, Here’s Another Reason Why You Should Love Silk Proteins

SAVE ME FROM’s silk protein hair treatments are sustainably harvested and do not cause death to the silkworm. Bombyx mori have an herbivore diet, eating basically fresh mulberry leaves. Following five weeks, the caterpillar is in its 5th stage, stops eating and starts spinning its cocoon. The silkworm spins silk around its body for three days until its cocoon is complete. The caterpillar turns into pupa and is kept alive to hatch into a moth in approximately 10-12 days. The silkworm cocoons are harvested for its fibroin (a glycoprotein that strengthens the hair and promotes fiber reconstruction), sericin (a strengthening protein also known as silk glue initiating immediate repair) and seroin (a protein promoting shine and conditioning) that selectively protects the macro and microfibrils in the hair.

SAVE ME FROM knows women aren’t going to stop coloring, bleaching, styling and playing with their hair. With our advanced hair science ingredients, we can maintain your hair’s health. We’ve included these silkworm proteins in each and every product alongside our tip to root Fenugen technology.

So, skip the salon treatment for damaged hair and have your own salon treatment at home! Don’t start your hair repair process with your hands tied behind your back! Let us help you figure out which products would be best for your lifestyle.