Keratin hair straightening is a magic wand for owners of unruly, curly, and dry hair. In this article, let’s figure out what kind of treatment it is, how it can be performed at home, and how long the result after the treatment performed by you will last
What is a Keratin Treatment?
Keratin treatment is a restorative procedure aimed at hair straightening and strengthening. Keratin is the natural base of our hair: it’s a protein that contains amino acids necessary for the health of curls. Keratin fills the voids of damaged hair, making it smooth and elastic again.
Keratin works in all possible ways, thus, the result of this treatment is just amazing. The hair looks neat, soft, straight, and shiny. It’s no secret that hair often gets tangled during washing. Keratin hair straightening makes combing noticeably easier and prevents hair from getting tangled during the day. Besides, manufacturers often supplement their products with different additional components (such as vitamins and natural extracts). Some of them nourish the hair, making it thick, others give shine and softness, removing dryness and brittleness. Vitamins E, A, aloe, cocoa, shea, macadamia are common ingredients of keratin hair treatment
What’s more, there are no contraindications for such hair straightening. The most important thing is to use high-quality products and strictly follow the instructions. Besides, consult your doctor before the treatment in case if you’re pregnant.
The effect of keratin hair treatment lasts up to 6 months! Of course, if you follow simple post-treatment rules. Don’t worry, we’ll talk about them a little bit later. Now let’s move on to the treatment itself!
How to use Keratin Treatment At Home
- Shampoo your hair. Wash your hair with a special anti-residue shampoo, leave it on your hair for 5 minutes and wash off then. If you have really thick hair, it’s better to repeat this step.
- Massage the Keratin In. Blow-dry your hair leaving it a little bit wet and then divide into 4-8 sections. Start applying smoothing treatment avoiding hair roots. Apply the product from top to bottom using wide-toothed brush. Be sure not to oversaturate your hair or else it will look greasy
- Wait for 30 minutes. After you applied the treatment, blow-dry your hair with cold air stream until your hair is 100% dry.
- Divide your hair into 4-8 sections again. Now it’s time to flat-iron your strands (8-10 times each). Remember that hair ends should be flat-ironed 4-6 times. Here's the right flat iron temperature: bleached/damaged hair 350 — 410 °F, normal/thick hair 390° — 440 °F.
- Rinse your hair with warm water, apply nourishing hair mask and leave in for 5-10 minutes. Rinse your hair again.
- Blow-dry your hair. Here it is
- Wait for 2 days before washing your hair again with shampoo and conditioner. It’s very important for keratin to fully settle into your hair.
Tips to Keep Your Hair Perfect For Months
The better you care for your hair after the treatment, the longer your locks will stay healthy. This is especially true for the first 72 post-treatment hours. Here are the main rules:
- avoid moisture: don’t wash your hair, visit the swimming pool or swim in open water. It’s also important to sleep in a well-ventilated room and avoid sweating
- avoid exposure to high temperatures: don’t use hair stylers, flat irons, or hair dryers for the first 3 days;
- avoid mechanical effects: it’s necessary to leave your hair loose and don’t do even simplest hairstyles: it’s better not to tuck your curls behind the ears to prevent creases.
- avoid chemical effects: even natural hairstyling products can prevent the keratin result from lasting for a long time.
After three days, you can return to your usual lifestyle. However, if you follow these rules, the result will last much longer:
- timely repeat the procedure. Consistency is the key for amazing hair! Don’t forget to timely repeat the treatment every 4-6 months
- don’t use products containing sodium sulfate and sodium chloride. Use only mild sulfate-free shampoos;
- wash your hair with warm water with gentle massaging movements;
- regularly use nourishing hair masks.
