Our hair is the crown that we wear every day. There is nothing quite like a great hair day. When I first heard about this natural hair treatment called "keratin smoothing" promising to make unruly frizzy hair manageable while also strengthening hair and reducing hair breakage I was sceptical, curious and thrilled all at the same time.
Keratin is a type of naturally occurring protein that makes up your hair, skin, and nails. Keratin smoothing is the process of sealing the hair cuticles with a coat of this protein to eliminate frizz and add softness and shine.
The process itself is time consuming. The hair treatment must be applied on freshly washed hair. The treatment is left on the hair for roughly 30 minutes. It will then need to be sealed into your hair. The stylist will do this by straightening your hair with a flat iron or blow drying it. The treatment is then washed off with shampoo followed by conditioning. Washed hair will then be straightened once again.
Treated hair cannot be washed or wetted for 3 to 5 days following the treatment. Treated hair cannot be pulled back in a pony tail during this time either. Since the keratin is malleable initially, putting hair up in a ponytail or bun can leave behind dents.
Keratin smoothing is a semi permanent treatment that can last up to 6 months. Results may vary depending on the individuals hair. Keratin works by smoothing down the cells that overlap to form your hair strands. The layers of cells, called the hair cuticle absorb the keratin, resulting in hair that looks healthy and glossy.
Keratin smoothing is a natural alternative to chemical hair straightening and rebonding treatments. The protein itself does not damage hair. However the smoothing process involves applying heat to seal protein into the hair. This may cause some heat damage.
Initially when Keratin Smoothing was introduced to the market the treatment included an ingredient called formaldehyde. Although this ingredient enhanced the effects of keratin, it was not FDA approved. Now the market has a number of formaldehyde free keratin treatment options.
The only down side to the Keratin Smoothing treatment is the price. A treatment on average costs as much as $500. Although the results are expected to last 6 months depending on the hair it could be shorter. As with any hair treatment regrowth is quite the problem.
This treatment can be done at home for a quarter of that price but do not expect salon quality results. Personally I opted for this method. I used an over the counter keratin smoothing treatment called Kativa. Although the process was time consuming instructions were simple enough to follow. The effect was visible after 2nd and 3rd use. My hair is healthier, stronger and a lot more manageable. I no longer need to use a hair straightner. The only time I use my hair straightener is to seal the keratin into my hair during the treatment.
Also a point to note, Keratin Smoothing treatment is different to shampoos and conditioners that contain keratin. These shampoos and conditioners alone will not provide similar results.
The final take away is formaldehyde free Keratin Smoothing Treatment delivers on its promise to make unruly frizzy hair manageable. The only down side to the treatment is the price tag.
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