You have just left the hair salon after the keratin hair treatment and, of course, you want to prolong the amazing result! Many ladies ask the following question: when should I wash my hair after the keratin hair treatment? Don’t worry - find all answers in this article!

Keratin is a complex natural protein, responsible for the condition of hair, teeth, and nails. Locks saturated with keratin, are strong, elastic, and shiny. The lack of keratin can be provoked by malfunctions in the body, the influence of bad ecology, hard water, improper care, poor nutrition or unhealthy lifestyle in general. Without such an important structural component as keratin, the hair becomes thin, weakened, and lifeless.

There are such types of hair as porous and dry. Flat irons, as well as regular styling with a hair dryer, are super dangerous for such locks. The procedure of hair saturation with keratin in this case is a must.

Keratin straightening is one of the most popular procedures in the haircare industry, which allows hair to become shiny, sleek, smooth, and frizz-free. Besides, keratin fills the voids that appear due to the aggressive external factors. Among them are the following:

• coloring;
• perm;
• frequent styling;
• use of a hair dryer, flat iron, stylers;
• frequent use of hair sprays, mousses, foams, gels;
• adverse effects of strong ultraviolet radiation;
• contact with water of poor quality and high concentration of chlorine.

Keratin is a protein, which makes up hair structure. With age, we naturally and inevitably lose much keratin. Taking into account hormonal changes, it’s worth regularly replenishing keratin to avoid its complete deficiency. 

Prepping Your Hair For First Wash After Keratin 

Regardless of whether you have visited the salon or performed the procedure yourself, the first 72 hours, that is, 3 days, are decisive in how long the result from keratin hair straightening will last. The thing is that keratin layer needs this amount of time in order to harden and settle down onto your hair. If you wash your locks right after the treatment, you will just wash away the fresh protective layer and spoil the whole treatment. That’s why hair wash after keratin treatment shouldn’t be performed earlier then 3 days after the procedure. 

The interval of 72 hours must be maintained for the following purposes:

• solidification of the keratin composition on your locks;
• deep penetration into the hair structure;
• prevention of creases, curls, etc.

As soon as three days have passed, you can wash your hair after keratin treatment. However, there are some important features here, which we will talk about in the next paragraph.

How To Wash Your Hair After Keratin Treatment: Important Tips

Keratin treatment: when to wash your hair? That’s the most acute question. After 72 hours, the hair can be washed. It’s very important to get yourself a good special shampoo which contains no sulfates, petroleum products or sea salt. These components are able to reduce the effect of a procedure to zero in just a few applications

Sulfate—free shampoo is a shampoo that doesn’t contain sulfates or any other aggressive ingredients. Sulfates are surfactants, they have strong cleansing properties and help to create foam. In sulfate-free shampoos, the main ingredients are usually substances that are produced from coconut oil and glucose. Gentle composition of a sulphate-free shampoo helps you to maintain the amazing effect of keratin much longer, as the protective coating won’t be damaged by sulfates. 

Sulfate-free shampoo has many advantages: 

 - doesn’t destroy the hydrolipidic layer of the scalp as well as keratin layer on the hair 

 - maintains water balance

 - doesn’t damage the hair structure

 - doesn’t contribute to hair splitting, since the cuticle is not injured during washing.

 - doesn’t wash away coloring pigments from the hair, which makes them perfect for those who like hair dyeing 

 - some sulfate-free shampoos can neutralize yellowness or make the color obtained brighter

 2. Don’t wash your locks with hot water during your first wash after keratin treatment. You need 38-42°C water in order for keratin layer not to melt down.

 3. Keratin straightening is aimed at completely smoothing the locks and changing their structure, so when it becomes possible to wash your hair, it’s important to apply shampoo only to the root zone. The ends of the hair will be cleaned with flowing soapy water.

  4. Use a dime-size amount of shampoo during the first wash after keratin treatment. Remember that shampooing is needed for cleaning your scalp, not the entire hair length. After careful massaging, the foam should be washed off with a large amount of water.

  5. Washing your hair after keratin treatment presupposes the use of a conditioner. As a rule, they are all sulfate—free, but it’s  better to study the composition before buying. The conditioner should facilitate the hair combing. It’s recommended to use professional products.

  6. After keratin treatment, it’s recommended to make protein hair masks twice a week. You can buy such a mask in the store (it would be especially great if you find a product  with keratin in the composition). A product of the same brand as your keratin composition is preferable to any other.

 7. Get yourself a microfiber towel. It will gently absorb the excess of water without breaking your locks. The material is very smooth and doesn’t cause static. Washing your hair after keratin treatment is important but even such little thing as towel fabric is of same importance.  

 8. Don’t use a wet brush for detangling (at least for the first 2 weeks). The thing is that it can cause more friction and even tangle your locks. 

 9. It’s not necessary to dry your hair with a hair dryer, you can let your hair dry naturally. If you need your hair to become dry faster, then use a hairdryer only together with a heat-protective spray. However, remember not to use a blow-dryer the first 2 weeks after the treatment, as hot air can melt keratin coating as well. 

How Often Can I Wash My Hair After Keratin Treatment? 

Even if you are used to washing your hair every evening or morning before the keratin procedure, you will have to give up this habit, because you risk removing all the accumulated keratin molecules from the hair structure as quickly as possible. So, it’s better to reduce the number of hair washes to 1-2 times a week.

However, we know that each lady has different hair type: some scalps produce much sebum, some not. If you have greasy hair, it’s hard to wash it just once a week without feeling oiliness. Even if you use sulfate-free shampoo, keratin slowly washes off your locks. However, there’s a way out of this situation…

Dry Shampoo After Keratin Treatment: The Best Way to Clean Your Hair

Dry shampoo can be a great helper in any case when there is no way to wash your hair properly. In case of keratin straightening, dry shampoo can become a real magic wand if your hair is getting oily fast. The key component of such shampoos are extracts of various cereals. All of them are able to absorb hair oil and the excess sebum that may appear on the surface of the scalp. You won't need water when using dry shampoo, which means that there’s no chance to damage keratin coating. Dry shampoo is a very convenient way to quickly make your locks look fresh without water. 

At the moment, various types of dry shampoos are available in stores – white, colorless and colored (for different types and colors of hair).

Here are some of the best dry shampoos on the market:

 - Batiste Original

 - Kapous Professional Fast Help

 - Syoss Volume Lift для for thin and weak hair 

 - L’Oreal Paris Magic Shampoo Sweet Fusion

 - Lee Stafford Coсo Loсo Coconut

Washing Your Hair After Keratin Treatment: Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What do I have to do if my hair gets wet after keratin treatment?

A: Just gently blot the strands with a towel and then dry them with a hairdryer using a hair comb.

Q: How soon can I wash my hair after the procedure?

A: Not earlier then in 3 days

Q: Why does my hair smell after getting wet? Will it go away?

A: That’s fine, the smell will disappear after 2-3 hair washes.

Q: How can I keep keratin treatment effect as long as possible?

A: Wash your hair once or twice a week with anti-residue shampoo, don’t overuse heat devices, protect your locks from sun and chlorinated water.