Keratin treatments are a semi-permanent way of achieving sleeker, straighter hair. But what is keratin and why is it important for your hair’s health? Read on to find out!
What is keratin?
Keratin is a protein that occurs naturally in the body. It’s in your internal organs, your glands, your skin, your nails and your hair. It is called a protective protein because of its durability compared to other cells, which tend to tear more easily than keratin.
Keratin is also found in animals – in their wool, horns and feathers, amongst other things – and this is what is used to make keratin hair treatments.
What are keratin treatments?
Research by All Things Hair found that 52% of people have used keratin on their hair. But what does a keratin treatment actually do? And does it really deliver smoother hair that’s easier to manage?
Your hair strands are made up of a series of overlapping cells. In simple terms, the keratin is absorbed by the hair cuticle, working to smooth down these cells and thus make the hair look and feel sleeker.
What are the benefits of keratin treatments?
If you’ve got frizzy, unruly tresses, it’s likely that keratin could be the answer you’ve been seeking. As a smoothing treatment that also makes the hair feel straighter, keratin can help to tame curls and deal with the dreaded frizz. What’s exciting about its potential is how long it can last – up to six months!
Keratin is also known for adding gloss and shine to the hair, so can provide an overall, long-lasting boost to the appearance of your locks.
Furthermore, keratin can make your hair seem to grow faster. It doesn’t actually – your rate of hair growth is the same, regardless of whether or not you’ve had a keratin treatment. However, as keratin strengthens the hair and makes it less prone to breakage, the ends don’t break off so easily. This creates the sense that the hair is growing faster.
Of course, the condition of your hair in the first place will impact how effective a keratin treatment can be, as will the natural thickness of your hair. This is why it’s important to seek personalized professional advice before you decide which kind of keratin treatment to opt for.
Can you apply keratin treatments at home?
Yes, absolutely. There are various options on the market if you want to do a keratin treatment at home. They’re not the cheapest of treatments but their long-lasting results mean that they can be considered as providing good value for money.
What is the process for applying a keratin treatment?
Whether you apply a keratin treatment at home of head to the salon to have one, the process is much the same.
First, wash and dry the hair in the way you usually would. Then it’s time to apply the treatment. This is done a section at a time. You apply the keratin and then comb it through, ensuring an even coating across your hair.
Once it’s covering your hair, you need to wait while the keratin treatment gets to work. This takes around an hour and a half, so take a good book if you’re heading to the salon! For home treatments, it’s obviously essential to read the instructions and apply the treatment for the time specified, as this differs from brand to brand.
After the keratin has sat on your tresses for the specified amount of time, it’s time to seal it in with heat. That means using either a flat iron or a blow-dryer to seal the keratin into the hair.
Finally, you need to give the keratin 72 hours to be fully effective. That means three days of no hair washing or even getting your hair wet in the rain.
And that’s not all – you also need to keep your hair straight for three days. You can’t even tuck it behind your ears!
How do you care for your hair after having a keratin treatment?
Keratin treatments should, with appropriate care, deliver results that last for around two and a half months. Some have even been known to last for six months.
How long you reap the benefits of your keratin treatment for will depend on how much effort you make. It’s not just about those first 72 hours after the treatment (though that period is key to the overall success of the keratin treatment), but about your longer-term approach.
One tip shared by many of those who have had keratin treatments is to use a sodium and sulfate-free shampoo. Sulfates can strip the proteins from the hair, essentially doing almost the opposite of what you were trying to achieve with the keratin treatment in the first place. The result? Frizz. In fact, sulfate-free shampoos are recommended for hair that’s undergone any kind of chemical treatment – not just a keratin one.
Sodium, meanwhile, affects the hair by opening up the cuticle and then drawing keratin proteins (and moisture) out. Again, precisely what you’re trying not to achieve.
Both sulfates and sodium chloride are regularly used in shampoos, so don’t make any assumptions. Shop around to ensure that you have a shampoo that’s free of both sulfates and sodium in order to preserve the benefits of your keratin treatment for as long as possible.
You’ll also need to be careful if you love spending time in the beach or the pool, as both saltwater and chlorine can shorten the length of time during which you experience the benefits of the keratin treatment.
Are there any downsides to using keratin on your hair?
Every chemical treatment has its risks and keratin is no exception. Many keratin treatments, for example, contain formaldehyde. This is a dangerous chemical if inhaled. You can avoid it by opting for a glyoxylic acid-based keratin treatment, but these aren’t quite as effective as those that use formaldehyde.
As with all things hair, consult a professional if you have any concerns or doubts.
