Everyone wants their hair in perfect condition, and there are various ways to achieve this. One of the most coveted ones is to apply keratin on it in an attempt to make it smooth as possible. Yes, you can do it with hot tools and styling creams, but we all know that these are not ways that always give ideal results. Keratin treatments are what most women go for. It’s quite common despite its heavy nickname – the Brazilian blowout. This is a great way to improve your hair, and we are all for it. It’s just a small matter of preparation.
There are certain conditions to be met, and we’re here to warn you about them. In this article, you’re going to learn about keratin facts you should know before applying to your hair. Let’s start!
It’s a Chemical Process
While most of us know this chemical as keratin, it’s not always keratin being used to treat your hair. In most cases, you won’t be able to achieve the wanted results by using only it. Most people in the job line of fixing people’s hair are going to mix various chemicals in order to satisfy their customers. The hair transformation is usually dealt with multiple formaldehyde solutions. We must say that this is a branch of cosmetics which is continuously improving and expanding. Because of this, you’ll find many hair saloons using methylene glycol and formalin. You don’t have to worry about the names of these chemicals, all you need to do is to put your head in the hands of professionals, and they’re going to do the rest.
How It’s Done
Before undergoing this process, you need to know one thing – it takes time to get the job done. It’s how things usually are regarding hair. If you are, as we mentioned, in a highly-rated and professional place, you’ll have your hair cleaned before applying keratin. It needs to be in top condition before the process. The next step is applying the solutions used for this treatment on all of your hair. The goal is to have it penetrate your strands. Depending on the type and amount of your hair, they’ll use various solutions. Once applied, your head and hair are going to be concealed with a blow-dryer and a flat iron. Some salons use other tools.
Once this is done, the central even for your hair starts. The goal is not to break and rebuild your hair as it is with some other treatments. The bonds are not going to be healthier. Instead, the chemicals on your head are going to align your strands and force them to be straighter. The process is made more robust and pushed towards the results by applying heat.
The End Product
This is not a process that should have been taken lightly. Everyone who underwent ti, and got the job done right, could have been satisfied with the results. The end product is a significant improvement to your hair. Once you wash your hair, you’ll immediately notice that it is now straighter, smoother, and without frizz. For those who have curls, we have a piece of disappointing news. This process does not make your hair straight. In the best-case scenario, it would loosen your curls, but that’s pretty much that.
Furthermore, the results you are going to get are not permanent. Your hair will continue to grow, and in time it will go to being the way it was before. If we’re realistic, you’ll be able to enjoy your new hair for a couple of months. The low end stands at two months, but you shouldn’t expect a number beyond the five-month mark.
There Are Risk Involved
If we go back to the beginning of this article, you’ll see that we mentioned various chemicals involved. If not used properly, you could have consequences. Many people experience these downsides of keratin usage. You shouldn’t be exposed to formaldehyde for too long as it is considered a carcinogen. In the worst case scenario, you can have serious problems, including cancer, while the light symptoms are nosebleeds, eye itch, cough, and sore throat.
This is why many saloons go for treatments that do not include formaldehyde. While this is good news, they sometimes used it without even knowing. Many solutions that they use, such as formalin, methanal, or methylene glycol, release formaldehyde in gas form when they’re exposed to heat or water. Because of downsides as these, you shouldn’t undergo this treatment too often. Twice a year should suffice.
Furthermore, when picking a salon where you’ll undergo this treatment, choose one with adequate ventilation to avoid breathing in formaldehyde. If you are pregnant or recently gave birth, please void keratin treatments in general. Besides, the people who can’t be helped with this treatment are those whose hair is already damaged because of the usage of a flat iron, which can further damage it.
Once You’re Done…
Once the keratin process is finished is the time when the actual works begin. The treatments afterward are those that truly matter. Your hair mustn’t be washed straight away. The practice is that you wash it twelve hours later. In some cases, it takes even longer because of the chemicals being used. The hair was also essential. Under any conditions, you must not use sulfate-based products. Also, the amount of hair washing needs to be reduced. To have the treatment last longer, you need to wash your hair less frequently.
The hair will frizz faster if you wash it often and use products rich in sodium chloride. If you plan to travel and spend time on the coast near a sea or an ocean, skip this treatment, it won’t have any use. In fact, any type of water, including pools, should be avoided.
Here we have covered some of the principal things you need to know about keratin treatments. If you are eager to educate yourself further, you are free to find out more here.
