Keratin Treatments and Hair Health

Keeping the hair healthy takes a huge commitment and attempts at several care routines. While some may contribute little to the hair, others may be too expensive to continue. This is usually discouraging, but the good news is there are other hair care treatments you can have that’ll improve your hair health and give it an impressive look without spending so much or wasting so much time.

Keratin treatment is one of those treatments. You can swear you’ve heard your family, friends, or stylist mention it a couple of times. That’s because it’s proven to be an effective solution, a go-to even, for so many people that have excessively curly or frizzy hair. There are different types of treatment, but are they all safe?

Allow us to answer your questions by discussing some important things you ought to know about keratin treatment and hair health. We’ll start by explaining what keratin is before going into how the treatment is done.

What is keratin, and What Function Does it Perform for the hair?

In simple terms, keratin is a tough protective protein found at the bottom of the hair. It is responsible for strengthening the hair to produce most of the fine features you see. It also protects the hair from the harsh effect of humidity that may cause more dryness and frizz to your hair.

If keratin is readily available in the hair, why is keratin treatment a thing? Why are people raving about it? And why is it the first thing most hairstylists talk about when there’s a slight change to the hair quality? The answers to these questions aren’t difficult. The reason why keratin treatment is a thing and why most hair stylists recommend it for the hair is that the body’s reserve gets depleted from time to time.

This depletion is caused by the harsh effect of the sun, chemical hair treatment, and other external pollution. So when you have a keratin treatment, you resupply the hair keratin it needs to perform its functions. This treatment sends protein to starved follicles and pores, which results in a remarkable improvement in hair quality.

Is Keratin Treatment Perfect for Hair?

Considering the method of application, the time frame, and the results, a keratin treatment is a perfect treatment to improve or restore hair health. No matter how tight your curls are, the solution it needs is just keratin treatment, with the results lasting as long as six months. However, the treatment is a chemical treatment that can endanger the hair.

What’s more, it also requires heat application to get the desired result. But the fact that people are doing it and reaping its benefits indicates that you can try it out, especially if you’re already used to heat styling. But if you’re not, it’s better to explore other treatment options rather than keratin treatment.

Even if you’re used to heating styling, you must avoid heating your hair for some time to maximize the benefits of this treatment. These, amongst many others, are things you should confirm with your hairstylist before starting the treatment.

You can also improve the effectiveness of the treatment by adding keratin-rich food to your diet. As you’re working on it externally, you’re also boosting chances of a remarkable result internally. Some of these food sources of keratin include:

• Chicken
• Red meat
• Eggs
• Oysters
• Salmon
• Yogurt
• Milk
• Almond
• Nuts
• Blueberry

How is Keratin Treatment Performed?

Keratin treatment is so easy that it’s something you can do yourself. But it’s better to use the services of a seasoned stylist because the result they’ll achieve is usually greater than what you will achieve. The first step is to wash your hair. While some stylists may towel-dry the hair, others won’t. This means keratin treatment can be applied to wet hair and can also be applied to dry hair.

After applying it, the keratin solution is spread evenly using a tooth comb. Then the solution is left to saturate every strand for 30 minutes to 1 hour fully. After this, the hair is straightened with a flat iron. The heat from the iron must be regulated starting at the lowest and increasing to the necessary high point, then back to the lowest.

After the treatment is completed, you must avoid washing the hair until after the 4th day. It would also help if you didn’t swim in a pool because chlorine can unsettle the keratin solution. Also, avoid saltwater, and if you’re pregnant, don’t bother having this treatment. Also, don’t tie the hair because it’ll cause the hair to bend, which will defeat the essence of straightening out the hair. In addition, the treatment should only be done once in two years to reduce the effects of the chemicals on the hair.

Side Effects of Keratin Treatment

Keratin treatment poses a significant level of risk, especially if the keratin product is made with formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is the component that straightens the hair, but it’s a dangerous cancer-causing substance when inhaled. In addition, it is the same gaseous substance that’s commonly added to the ingredients for glue.

It could lead to sore throat, scratchy eyes, bleeding nose, and many other reactions that stylists underreport. Keratin treatment could also lead to hair breakage. If the heat used during the process isn’t regulated, the hair could start breaking a few days later.

So if you have your keratin treatment, ensure you use formaldehyde-free treatment that contains glyoxylic acid. Unfortunately, glyoxylic acid is said to be less effective, so speak to your stylist on the best step to take because safety is paramount. All these also boils down to using a good stylist who will reduce the chances of any side effects after the treatment.

Conclusion

Keratin treatment improves hair health if done correctly. Hence, you need a good stylist whose work has been proven through reviews and referrals. Don’t leave this decision to guesswork if you truly want a good outcome and if you want to reduce the possibility of the side effects.