Which woman wouldn't like to have beautiful and healthy hair? But the condition of the hair depends on many factors - diet, hormones, health problems, stress, weather conditions, etc. Proper care can be a real nightmare, especially in summer, because heat, salt water and chlorine have a catastrophic effect on the hair structure. The keratin treatment originally comes from Brazil and promises permanently smooth and shiny hair. What exactly is behind the miracle cure and who is the hair treatment suitable for? You can find the answers to these and many other questions in our article!
Keratin – what exactly is it?
Even though the term is very common these days, many people still don't know what exactly keratin is. It is a natural protein responsible for the formation of skin, nails and hair. It builds up the so-called fibrous layer and fills the area between the hair pulp and the cuticle. Each hair actually consists of 90% of these special protein molecules and the rest is made up of pigments, water and natural fats. Many external influences, such as coloring too often, brushing roughly, perming, blow-drying too hot or the sun's rays can weaken the keratins, resulting in brittle and dry hair.
Is a keratin treatment for hair worth it?
Many different hair problems such as split ends or frizz could occur as a result of keratin deficiency. When there is a lot of air pollution, cold or heat, or an unbalanced diet with a lack of nutrients, the result is usually brittle, dull and dry hair. In order to repair your mane and make it look shiny and smooth again, the keratins need to be replenished and that is exactly what a keratin treatment promises. The protein penetrates the outer cuticle layer, forms a protective film around the hair and smoothes its structure. Thanks to the treatment, your hair is much easier to style and the blow-drying time is reduced by 60%, which is a big plus, especially in the warm summer months! What's more, your hair should even be able to withstand moisture - so you no longer have to constantly check the weather forecast!
How does the keratin treatment work?
If you have already decided on keratin therapy, you should plan between 3 and 5 hours at the hairdresser.
- First, your hair is washed thoroughly several times to remove residues from care products such as silicones. A special keratin shampoo is used and the hair is then blow-dried.
- In the second step, the hairdresser applies the product to the hair strand by strand with a fine brush and combs it through with a special comb so that everything is evenly distributed. He then lets the product work for exactly 20 minutes.
- The third and final step takes the longest. Your hair is first straightened with a hairdryer and brush and carefully combed through - this activates the treatment solution.
- The hair is then straightened strand by strand using a special straightening iron. The right temperature is extremely important for successful treatment. A temperature that is too high is quite stressful for the hair and if it is too low, the effect is significantly weaker. Depending on the condition of your hair, a temperature between 210-230 degrees is recommended. However, an exception applies to thecolored or severely damaged hair– under no circumstances should it exceed 200 degrees.
- After straightening, take a 15-minute break and then wash your hair thoroughly with a keratin shampoo.
- Blow dry again and you're done! The result is immediately visible because your hair has the long-awaited shine!
Which hair types is the treatment suitable for?
The best news is that this treatment is suitable for all hair types. However, since the pH changes and is disturbed by the heat, the hair treatment is not recommended for people with thin hair and a dry or oily scalp. Although the treatment itself contains many care ingredients, the hair structure is damaged even more by the straightening iron and the high temperatures. Switch to keratin-based care products and use them for around 1 month - this will successfully prepare your mane for the treatment. The better the strands are cared for, the less damage there is.
For colored hair
The hair treatment closes the cuticle layer of the hair that was opened by bleaching and coloring and ensures that it looks healthy and shiny again. It often happens that the roots are still relatively healthy, but the lengths are already damaged due to frequent styling and coloring. Here too, the keratin treatment can be incorporated so that your hair structure becomes uniform again.
Is the treatment also worth it for curly hair?
Keratin therapy is also ideal for women with curly hair! Here you have two options to choose from - either just beautifully defined curls or slightly straighter hair - everything is possible. Either way, your hair will gain softness, lightness and shine and provide a WOW effect.
How long does the effect last and how much does keratin straightening cost?
How long the effect lasts depends on whetherhow to care for your hairand how often you wash them. The product washes out a little every time you wash your hair. It usually lasts between 3 and 6 months, provided you follow a few golden rules. Wash your hair a maximum of 2 times a week with shampoo (necessarily sulfate-free and preferably keratin-based). In order to enjoy the results for longer, it is recommended that you simply wash your mane with lukewarm water and then only use conditioner. If you want to continue to have supple and smooth hair after this period, you must repeat the hair treatment. Unfortunately, keratin therapy is not particularly cheap - depending on the length of your hair, you can expect to pay between 200 and 450 euros. There are also the costs of the special care products you should use.
The right care after the treatment
Undoubtedly, keratin treatment works wonders. However, just a visit to the hairdressing salon doesn't mean everything is done. Proper care at home is also very important for long-lasting results. Even if the hair treatment is really great, it is also very sensitive and if not cared for properly, the product can wash out very quickly. In the first 72 hours the keratin works and has to stay in the hair. For this reason, you should keep a few things in mind:
- In the first 3 days you are not allowed to wash your hair, do not get it wet and very important – do not tie it up! In other words – you have to make sure that your hair stays the same for this period as it did immediately after the treatment.
- In order to enjoy it for a long time, you must, as already mentioned, reduce the amount of hair you wash.
- It is recommended to keep adding a little keratin to your hair. There are many shampoos and deep hair masks on the market that are specifically designed for this purpose.
- Style your hair with a straightener once a week to reactivate the keratin through the heat.
- We advise you not to go swimming in the first week. Afterwards, before every bath, you should first slightly moisten your hair and treat it with conditioner and only rinse it out shortly before jumping into the water.
- At least two weeks must pass after the treatment before you can dye or tint your hair again.
Is keratin treatment harmful?
Even though keratin treatment has many benefits for damaged hair, the products fell into disrepute a few years ago. And of course this is completely justified, because formaldehyde or methylene glycol were found in large quantities in the keratin series from Brazil and the USA. These gases were released during smoothing and people inhaled them. Since formaldehyde is highly carcinogenic and irritating to the skin and eyes, it can be very harmful to your health. Fortunately, keratin products today do not contain these substances and do not harm your hair.
Difference between Keratin Treatment and Brazilian Blowout?
In contrast to keratin therapy, with the so-called Brazilian Blowout the product is washed out immediately and the whole procedure takes a maximum of 90 minutes. Another plus point is that after a Brazilian blowout you can immediately return to your usual styling routine, which is not the case with keratin. While the treatment is particularly popular in America, it is banned in many European countries due to exceeding formaldehyde guidelines.
Vegane Alternative
To obtain keratin, hooves, horns, hair and feathers from various animals are ground up and for this reason this hair treatment is not suitable for a vegan lifestyle. Luckily, there is an alternative you can resort to. What is meant is an organic smoothing with tannin. Tannins are plant-based tannins that stretch and smooth hair when exposed to heat. In nature they are found in the bark of oaks, birches and chestnuts or in the fruit shell of walnuts.
Can you do the treatment yourself at home?
For those of you for whom the treatment is not an option because of the price, there is also the option of doing it yourself at home. You can find many different keratin sets on the internet that contain everything you need. However, we have to warn you that it is not that easy and there is a danger when using the straightener due to the heat. Finding the right temperature for your hair structure can sometimes be a real challenge and this is exactly why many people have ruined their hair by overheating! Therefore, you need to be extremely careful and it is best to do everything with someone who knows a lot about hair straighteners.
