DANGERS OF DEEP CONDITIONING TOO LONG

I’ve shared before that having natural hair has been one of the hardest tasks I’ve taken on as an adult.  After years, I’ve finally found a way to keep my hair super soft and the key has been the type of deep conditioner I use.   Deep conditioner is a major key for moisture!

Using a good deep conditioner makes your hair easier to detangle, it makes your hair feel lighter and it makes it super soft.  Currently I’m loving the Isoplus Anti-Breakage Deep Repair Conditioner (I’m almost out… so Isoplus if you’re reading this, holla at your girl!).

One thing I see a ton of naturalistas do with their hair during their wash day routine is leave their conditioner in for hours at a time and even overnight.  Its assumed that deep conditioning for long periods of time allows the hair to become softer and that may be true, but it can seriously damage your hair.

Breakage
Typically hair cannot absorb conditioner for more than 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, the remaining conditioner just sits on the surface of the hair.  When this happens, the hair becomes too soft and is easier to break during the detangling period.

Cuticle Layers
When deep conditioning for too long, the hair expands and makes the cuticle layers easier to break.  Damage to the cuticle layers of the hair can make the hair more porous.

Protein Cortex
Deep conditioning for long periods of time can cause damage to the protein bonds in the hair to become weak.

Curl Pattern
Even your curl pattern can be affected by deep conditioning for too long.   The curl pattern can become looser as elasticity is lost.   Moisturizing for an extended amount of time keeps the hair stretched which can lead to the loss of elasticity.

Deep conditioning is definitely a great way to care for your hair, but try not to leave it on for too long to prevent damaging your crown of glory.   Our hair is one of the most sensitive parts of our bodies and we have to handle it with care.