Keratin hair treatments have been around for quite some time and their reputation is that of being synonymous with a sleek, polished look. It’s no wonder that they’ve become so popular. But what are they really all about and should you jump on the trend?

 Replacing Your Hair’s Lost Protein

If you’ve ever wondered how celebrities like Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow get such lustrous and straight hair, the answer lies in keratin. Keratin treatments are essentially smoothing systems that make use of a liquid version of the protein called keratin, hence its name.

During treatment, this liquid gets penetrated into your hair after which hair is blow-dried and flat-ironed to keep hair straight and sleek. The whole process takes approximately an hour and a half to finish, depending on your hair length, and it’s a semi-permanent treatment. If you’ve ever felt frustrated that your salon hair gets washed out after a day, you’ll rejoice that keratin lasts for several weeks up to six months!

Fight the Frizz

People usually get keratin treatments if they want to eliminate their curly or wavy hair, preferring something straight and chic that won’t give up on them halfway into the day. If you hate how your hair frizzes at the slightest increase in humidity or drops of moisture in the air, totally ruining your hairstyle, keratin treatments are a good choice because they provide protection against frizz by sealing keratin into the hair cuticle.

This also makes your hair much more manageable. You’ll be able to use less heat-styling tools and products after having keratin done. This is because the keratin treatments enable you to start out with smoother hair even before you begin styling it. There’s less to do to make your hair look its best.

Boost Your Hair Color

If you regularly get your hair colored, the results can be improved by keratin hair treatments. Since keratin enhances the texture of hair, this makes your hair color look more amazing naturally. But here’s a good tip to bear in mind: when you book your keratin hair treatment, do so before your next hair dye appointment. The reason for this is that a session of keratin could zap a bit of your hair color if it’s been recently applied, making it look less saturated. So it’s much better to get your hair straightened out first and then have your hair colored at a later stage. The result of the dye will be brighter, more lustrous color after keratin has laid down its magic.

Get Stronger Hair

Maybe you don’t really use hair tools much and your hair is really easy to work with (lucky girl!). Even if this is the case, keratin treatments can still be beneficial to you. Our hair responds to the keratin protein because it’s made of protein itself. Sadly, as time goes by, our hair’s natural protein structures start to weaken.

This can be as a result of numerous factors, such as environmental ones (one of them being prolonged exposure to the sun) and not getting enough nutrients in our daily diet. That’s why bringing protein back into the hair helps it become stronger. Keratin treatments essentially give your hair a resilient armour from which it can grow healthier. This also has the bonus of preventing thinning hair or hair that breaks easily.

Seal in that Gorgeous Shine!

Having shinier hair is every woman’s goal, but sometimes lifestyle factors can get in the way of it. These include:

• using too many hair products which cause temporary build-up and result in hair that looks limp and lackluster.
• exposing your hair to the elements.
• not consuming specific hair-healthy vitamins. Nutrients such as Vitamin A and E are especially important to achieve shiny hair as they help the scalp produce its natural oils. They also improve blood circulation to the scalp so that it receives the nutrients and oxygen it requires for hair to grow and glow.

Although you obviously need to ensure your diet is healthy for both you and your hair, keratin treatments can contribute to helping you achieve more luminous hair. This is because the treatments flatten the hair cuticle. Hair has small scales that need to lie flat in the same direction, sort of like when placing tiles on a roof, in order to be frizz-free, smooth and shiny. When this happens, hair is able to reflect any light that shines on it easily. If these scales are upright or crooked, they cause hair to look dull because they can’t reflect the light adequately. Since keratin smoothes out the hair cuticle, it helps to create better shine.

Treat Your Tresses

Looking after your hair well after getting a keratin treatment is a must as it will help to prolong its gorgeous effects. First, make sure you don’t wash your hair for three or four days after the treatment. You need to give the keratin a chance to work and settle in your hair without disrupting it.

It’s also a good idea not to use any hair accessories during this time, such as clips or hairbands, as these can leave dents or kinks in your hair, getting in the way of the smooth and straight result the keratin is trying to achieve.

After those few days have passed, make sure you switch your hair shampoo and conditioner to products that don’t contain any sodium chloride or sulfate. These chemicals are bad for your hair, especially after you have had keratin treatments done. Sodium can actually dissolve keratin, while sulfates are too hard on hair during the cleansing process so they can also damage treated hair.

Being gentle with hair and using chemical-free products are small adjustments that go a long way to ensuring vibrant and polished locks for longer.

Whether you’ve been hiding under dull or frizzy hair, or just want to have hair that’s silkier and stronger, keratin hair treatments can be your ticket to more fabulous tresses that won’t let you down again.