If you suffer from frizzy hair, keratin treatments might be the ‘one-and-only’ solution. These treatments are renowned for straightening hair, enhancing its shine, and providing therapeutic benefits.
Keratin is a critical protein that makes up a significant portion of hair, skin, and nails. Even though it comprises 97 percent of our hair, everyday aggressors such as pollution, chemical processing, and heat styling can deplete keratin from hair, causing breakage and damage.
Here, in the science behind keratin treatments, we demystify the processes by which they help restore lost proteins, impart a solid structure to strands at a cellular level, and restore a silky shine to hair.
By understanding how these processes work, you’ll better decide whether a keratin treatment is the best solution for you.
Understanding Hair’s Natural Composition
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Keratin | A fibrous protein that makes up 97% of hair, providing strength and structure. |
| Medulla | The innermost layer, often soft and fragile. |
| Cortex | The middle layer, providing strength, color, and texture. |
| Cuticle | The outer protective layer, often damaged by environmental factors. |
Hair is one of the most essential elements of aesthetic and personal identity. It is mainly made from keratin, a fibrous protein like that found in the skin and nails. Hair has a layered structure with a soft medulla, a rigid cortex, and a thin protective cuticle.
Environmental pollutants, heat, and chemical treatments naturally damage and frizz the outermost layer, the cuticle. Keratin treatment’s primary function is to replace hair’s natural protein and rebuild its integrity.
The Basics of Keratin Treatments
Keratin treatments are a chemical process that restores your hair’s natural beauty by infusing keratin into your hair fibers. This seals the cuticle with a protein coating, giving you frizz-free, soft, and silky-smooth-looking hair.
How Keratin Treatments Work
The procedure involves cleansing the hair with a clarifying shampoo to lift the cuticles. The hair is then towel-dried, and some keratin solution is combed with a brush and sprayed with a fine nozzle to ensure the hair is saturated thoroughly.
The final and most vital step is blow-drying the hair and running a straightener over it to fuse the keratin into the hair cuticle. The heat activation is necessary for the keratin to adhere to your hair fibers and make the cuticles lie flat, rejuvenating the hair.
Did you know that keratin is not only found in your hair but also in your skin and nails? This versatile protein plays a crucial role in protecting and strengthening these body parts, making keratin treatments an excellent choice for enhancing hair health and appearance.
The entire procedure can take up to three hours, depending on the length and thickness of the hair, but the results are immediate and dramatic.
Key Ingredients of Keratin Treatments and Their Benefits
- Keratin: Regenerates lost proteins, restoring the hair’s natural structure, preventing breakage, and making it easier to style.
- Shea butter: Intensely hydrates hair and penetrates deep into the shaft to help rehabilitate and improve hair’s softness and manageability, which enhances styling.
- Cupuacu Butter: Adds elasticity to avoid breakage, hydration, and long-lasting smoothness that survives humidity.
- Glyoxylic Acid: A cross-linking agent that helps seal the keratin into the hair, smoothing the cuticle and reducing frizz for better hair shine.
- Argan oil: Packed with antioxidants and Vitamin E, it adds shine and protects against UV rays and pollution.
Safety and Health Considerations
Safety is always an issue with keratin treatments because they use chemicals, including formaldehyde, in their older formulas; safer versions that produce the same results without the toxic side effects are available. For more details on our safety standards and to see customer reviews, find Kosa Salon SF on Google Maps.
Clients must ask what’s in it and request formaldehyde-free alternatives where possible. As a consumer, you must also do a patch test 48 hours ahead to ensure you aren’t allergic to the chemicals.
Aftercare and Maintenance
Post-treatment care is essential to keep the sleek, shiny results. Sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner are recommended because they are less harsh on keratin-treated hair and won’t strip away the keratin layer.
Regular conditioning treatments will also help maintain the hair’s moisture level and prevent it from drying out. Using heat and salt water to style the hair less often will help the treatment last longer.
| Caution⚠️ |
| Avoid Chlorine: Exposure to chlorine can break down the keratin coating on your hair. Always wear a swim cap or thoroughly rinse your hair with clean water before and after swimming in chlorinated pools. |
Common Myths and Misconceptions
Keratin treatments are not permanent like chemical relaxers, nor do they restructure the hair bonds like relaxers. Still, they temporarily fill the porous parts of the hair with protein and coat the hair shaft, making it smoother. Over time, the coating washes out, restoring the hair to its natural state, which usually takes two to six months, depending on the hair and care regimen.
Frequent Asked Questions
How Long Do They Last?
Keratin treatments last 2 to 6 months, depending on hair texture, post-treatment care, and the environment. To preserve the therapy for the longest time, follow your stylist’s aftercare instructions.
Can I Color My Hair After a Treatment?
Yes, you can dye your hair after getting the keratin treatment. However, it’s recommended that you wait at least two weeks. That way, the keratin has time to set into your hair before you put it through another chemical process.
Wrapping Up: Is a Keratin Treatment Right for You?
Whether a keratin treatment suits your hair is more complex than simply learning how it works. It’s a decision that must be made based on an assessment of your hair type, the way you style your hair, and the rest of your haircare routine. Keratin treatments can give your hair a dramatic makeover, resulting in sleeker, frizz-free hair that is easier to manage and style.
However, they are not a miracle cure for all your hair problems, and the outcomes will differ depending on your hair type and the specific treatment. Talk to a hairdresser for specific advice regarding your hair type before trying any of these treatments. Then, you can be sure that your pick helps enhance your look and supports your hair’s health.
A keratin treatment might be the perfect addition to your hair care routine if you want to halve your daily styling time and achieve shiny, smooth hair.
Curious about who will be handling your hair care? Meet our expert stylists and learn about their specialties.
