Keratin is a protein that is the basic building block of hair, nails, and skin. As per experts like BeckyB Keratin treatment work by infusing the hair strands with extra keratin to make them appear smoother, straighter, and less frizzy. They can make hair more manageable and easier to style.
Benefits of Keratin Treatment
Some key benefits of keratin treatments include:
Smoothes Hair Texture
It helps smooth the cuticle layer of the hair, reducing frizz and improving shine. This makes hair look straighter, smoother, and more polished.
Cuts Down Styling Time
By making hair straighter and less frizzy, keratin treatments can drastically cut down blow-drying and styling time. Some people can easily air-dry their hair smoothly after a keratin treatment.
Reduces Hair Damage from Styling
The added keratin reinforces and repairs damage from chemical processing and heat styling. Hair becomes stronger and more resistant to breakage. Less heat styling is needed after the treatment.
Long-Lasting Results
With periodic touch-up treatments, results can last 3-5 months of easy, low-maintenance hair. This saves a lot of time compared to repeated styling.
Considerations Before Keratin Treatment
While keratin treatments offer many benefits, they do involve putting chemical processing on your hair. Some things to consider beforehand include:
Hair Health and Texture
The starting condition of your hair impacts results. Significantly damaged or fragile hair may need reparative treatments first. Coarser curl patterns can require heavier chemical processing too, which may cause more damage.
Repeated Reapplication
While long-lasting compared to a blowout or flat ironing, keratin treatments still require reapplication every few months as the hair grows out. This repeated chemical processing can be damaging over time.
Post-Treatment Hair Care
Proper at-home care is vital for maintaining results and ensuring hair stays healthy after chemical treatments. Using heat protectants, not over-washing, and scheduling occasional deep conditioning can help preserve optimal hair conditioner post-keratin treatment.
Keratin Treatment Procedures
Professional keratin treatments generally follow a standard series of steps:
Hair Assessment and Product Selection: The stylist will examine hair health, texture, curl pattern, and client lifestyle to select the appropriate keratin product and procedure.
Cleansing: Hair is shampooed well to remove oils, products, and impurities that can interfere with product absorption.
Blow Drying: Hair is roughly dried, often with a paddle or vent brush to pull it smooth.
Sectioning Off: Stylist divides hair neatly into manageable sections to ensure even product application.
Applying Protein Treatment: Keratin product is brushed thoroughly from roots to ends, one section at a time, until all hair is coated. A flat iron helps the product penetrate the hair shaft.
Processing: Product sits for a set processing time based on hair type, texture, and desired results anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes.
Rinsing Out: Keratin product is thoroughly shampooed out once processing is complete. Conditioner is also used to restore moisture balance.
Drying and Styling: Hair is dried smooth, often with some subtle waves. Stylists will teach clients how to style their new smooth hair.
Conclusion
For those seeking smoother, straighter locks with less daily styling time, professional keratin hair treatments often provide noticeable improvements in frizz and manageability. When properly formulated and applied, keratin repairs existing damage from styling while making hair far easier to handle on the daily. Just be sure to maintain diligent post-treatment hair health and look for certified stylists using high-quality products to ensure safety and optimize results. Your individual texture and lifestyle determines if time and cost warrants periodic keratin treatments.