Hair Care

Here's Everything You Need to Know About Keratin Hair Straightening Treatment

Feb 7, 2019
Here's Everything You Need to Know About Keratin Hair Straightening Treatment

For many women, struggling with unruly and wild hair, the secret to smooth, shiny hair is a keratin treatment. De-frizzing process could tame your locks and help you get rid of your frizzy, dry, and rough hair.

 Read on to know more about this treatment that can give you the hair you've always dreamt of.

What Is Keratin?

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Keratin is a protein that makes up 90% of your hair. It is an essential structural protein that protects your hair from damage. The amino acids found in keratin create sulfur bridges that give your hair the much-needed strength and resilience. Deprive your hair of keratin, and you will notice your hair getting dry and frizzy. Due to external factors (like dirt and pollution) and internal factors (like an unhealthy lifestyle), the keratin in your hair gets depleted. This is when a keratin hair treatment is needed.

How Does A Keratin Treatment Work?

The hairstylist starts off by applying a keratin solution to your hair. The keratins seep into your hair follicles and are sealed in with a flat iron. These keratins are a combination of amino acids that contain hair strengthening properties. These amino acids are connected by bonds that determine your hair type - straight, curly, or wavy.

Imagine your hair structure as a ladder. Typically, straight hair contains bonds that are structured like a regular, straight ladder. But in curly hair, the bonds are spiral (like a staircase). In this treatment, the keratins break the bonds in curly hair and transform them permanently into straight hair.

How Is A Keratin Hair Treatment Done?

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A keratin hair treatment can take anywhere between 1 to 2 hours depending on your hair type, length, porosity, and thickness.
Before starting the treatment, the stylist shampoos your hair with a clarifying hair cleanser to remove any dirt and residues. Once your hair is clean and fresh, it is divided into sections. Then, the stylist applies the keratin solution to your hair and lets it sit for an hour. Finally, they seal your cuticles and lock the keratins into your hair with a flat iron. This is an artificial way of putting keratins back into your hair. This filling process retains the hair's resilience, resulting in shiny, silky, rejuvenated and healthy hair.

But that's not all! Keratin hair treatment offers many more benefits to give you the hair of your dreams. Check out the next section to find out what they are.

Benefits Of Keratin Hair Treatment

  • Benefits-Of-Keratin-Hair-Treatment.jpgShortens your blow-dry time by 50%
  • Shiny and frizz-free hair for days without washing it
  • Fixes damaged hair and maintains a volumized look
  • Helps style your hair with zero struggles
  • No side effects like skin irritation or hair fall
  • Frizz-free, glossy, and lustrous hair
  • Makes your hair smooth and manageable
  • Adds incredible shine to color-treated hair
  • Strengthens your hair

It sure looks like a keratin hair treatment can solve all your hair problems. But, before you get your hair treated, you need to follow a few guidelines for safe and effective results.

Pre-Treatment Guidelines

  • Do some research and go for a keratin treatment that is suitable for your hair type, texture, and length.
  • Deep condition your hair a week before the treatment. This will moisturize your locks and prevent the damage caused during the treatment.
  • Avoid using heavy shampoos or oils two days before the treatment.
  • Go for a pre-consultation appointment with your hairstylist to find out any more precautions that you need to take.

Now that you know all the pre-treatment guidelines, let's get into the nitty-gritty of keratin hair treatment. People often confuse it with Brazilian hair straightening, but there are a few key differences between the two that are discussed in the next section.

Brazilian Hair Straightening Vs. Keratin Treatment

Brazilian-Hair-Straightening-Vs.-Keratin-Treatment (1).jpgBrazilian hair straightening treatment is also known as Brazilian Blowout, Brazilian Keratin Treatment, BKT, and Keratin Cure. Although there's not much difference between keratin treatment and Brazilian hair straightening, keratin treatment is more long-lasting than the latter.

Brazilian hair straightening is a semi-permanent method that is done using almost the same ingredients and process of application as keratin treatment. Both the treatments use formaldehyde, so it's important to ask your hairstylist about its quality and brand before proceeding with the treatment.
The chemicals involved in Brazilian blowout do not take away the natural texture of your hair as much as keratin treatment. With Brazilian blowouts, the results are immediate as the chemical solution is rinsed out the same day. On the other hand, the waiting time for keratin treatments is 72 hours.

A keratin treatment deeply conditions and straightens your hair by altering the bonds in your hair permanently. Brazilian blowout majorly focuses on eliminating frizz and straightening your curls, with effects that last up to 3 months.
But, Brazilan hair straightening is not on the only variant of keratin treatment available. There are tons of different types of keratin treatments that you can choose from. Check them out!

What Are The Different Types Of Keratin Treatment?

1. Cezanne

Cezanne.jpgThis is a mild form of keratin treatment as it does not chemically alter the structure of your hair. It does not use as much formaldehyde as a keratin treatment and smoothens your locks without breaking the disulfide bonds in your hair cuticles. It is ideal for wavy, curly, and frizzy hair that requires smoothening. This treatment is perfect for color-treated hair, especially blonde hair. It lasts for 5 to 6 months.

Process

The stylist divides your hair into sections before coating it with the solution. Your hair is then wrapped with a plastic cover and left for 40 minutes. Your hair is then rinsed, blow dried, and flat ironed to seal the cuticles. This solution can be left on for a day or two before rinsing.

Result

Gives you incredibly shiny and frizz-free hair.

2. Trissola Solo

Trissola-Solo.jpgTrissola Solo treatments soften your hair without altering its natural structure permanently. This formula is free of formaldehyde. It mainly focuses on imparting shine to dry and lackluster hair. It is easy to apply and is great for thick and curly hair. Anyone who wants soft and shiny waves or sleek hair can opt for this treatment. It lasts for 3-4 months depending on your hair type.

Process

The stylist coats your hair with the solution in sections and wraps it with a plastic cover. The solution is washed off after 45 minutes. Your hair is then blow dried and flat ironed.

Result

Calms down wavy hair and gives you shiny and frizz-free hair.

3. Goldwell Kerasilk

Goldwell-Kerasilk.jpgThis treatment is time-consuming, but its results are absolutely stunning. It eliminates frizz completely and soothes dry and damaged hair. This non-toxic hair treatment is ideal for all hair types, especially thick, coarse, and frizz-prone wavy hair. It gives you smooth and manageable hair for up to 5 months.

Process

After shampooing your locks, the smoothing solution is applied to it in small sections. After 15 minutes, your hair is blow dried and flat ironed. Your hair is then shampooed, blow dried, and straightened one more time. The whole process takes about 3 hours to finish.

Result

Turns voluminous and thick curls into manageable and sleek hair.

Keratin treatment is an easy way to get smooth and manageable straight hair quickly. However, you need to take some precautions after the treatment to get long-lasting results. Check them out in the next section.

Post-Treatment Guidelines

Earlier, you had to prevent your hair from getting wet for three days after a keratin treatment. But with the new range of products, you only need to wait 30 minutes. However, some brands require post-regimen care to allow the treatment to settle in. Here are a bunch of safety guidelines you need to follow post your keratin treatment to ensure best results:

  1. Do not wash your hair for at least three days after the treatment.
  2. Invest in a good dry shampoo to avoid wetting your hair.
  3. Don't tie your hair or tuck it behind your ears for 48 hours as it can create unsightly dents in your straight hair.
  4. Avoid using heat styling products as they can disturb the disulfide bonds in your newly treated hair.
  5. Use a sulfate-free shampoo. This will increase the longevity of the treatment.

Now comes the most important question - how much does a keratin hair treatment cost? Read on to find out!

Cost Of Keratin Treatment

The cost of a keratin treatment depends on the salon and the products used for the treatment. The price range is usually between $200 to $800. You also get at-home keratin kits that cost around $60. A number of factors like the length of your hair, the longevity of the treatment, and the brand can affect the price.

So, the question remains - does keratin treatment cause any side effects? Find out in the next section.

Side Effects of Keratin Treatment

Are there any possible risks associated with keratin treatment? It is pretty debatable. Some say the results are risk-worthy while others avoid re-doing the process due to its high-chemical content. However, there are a couple of side effects that you need to look out for.

  1. The excessive amount of heat produced by the flat iron can damage your hair cuticles.
  2. If you have colored hair, there are chances of discoloration taking place over time.
  3. Some keratin treatments claim to be formaldehyde-free, which may not always be true. Therefore, seek an expert's opinion to find out how much formaldehyde is safe for your hair type.