For anyone longing for straight, strong, and shiny hair, a keratin treatment can finally make that dream a reality. Keratin treatments work to instantly reduce frizz and give you a shine you’d otherwise see in hair commercials. But are they safe? This article explores the benefits and risks associated with keratin treatments, helping you make an informed decision about whether this popular salon service is right for you.
Keratin is a fibrous protein that makes up the main structure of your hair and nails. It's a natural component of your hair, essentially a building block. As you age, you lose keratin, which gets broken down or becomes damaged by environmental triggers, UV chemicals, and heat, causing the protein to change its natural shape.
A keratin treatment is a semi-permanent hair straightening method that aims to smooth and straighten frizzy or curly hair. It involves applying a keratin-based solution to the hair, which is then sealed in the hair shaft using heat. You might also hear it called a Brazilian keratin treatment or a Brazilian blowout.
During these treatments, a solution containing keratin is delivered to your hair strands to smooth and help against humidity, get rid of frizzy hair, and ward off additional damage and tangles. Keratin smooths cells that overlap to form hair strands, which means more manageable hair and less frizz. This results in hair that dries with little frizz and has a glossy, healthy look.
The process can vary at different salons, but typically, a hairstylist will start off by washing your hair twice with a clarifying shampoo. After that, a keratin treatment or solution is applied to your wet hair and combed through. The solution will sit on your hair anywhere between two and four hours, depending on the amount of hair you have and its texture. Finally, your hair stylist will dry your hair and then use a flat iron to seal the treatment into your hair. This step is key. The keratin treatment isn’t shampooed out. It coats your hair and it smooths everything out. And then the heat seals it, or cures it, to help restore that outer layer to a glossy, shiny, smooth texture.
Read also: Choosing between Brazilian Blowout and Keratin Treatment
Keratin treatments offer a variety of benefits for those seeking smoother, more manageable hair.
Exposure to sun, hair dye, and other chemical treatments can strip your hair of naturally occurring keratin, leaving behind porous areas that are more vulnerable to breakage and other damage. Keratin treatments work to “refill” these areas that have lost keratin. The result is a smoother hair shaft, which translates to silky, shinier hair. If you have dry or damaged hair, Keratin treatment can create a noticeable smoothness and luster. It’s similar to shine buildup after not washing your hair for a period of time, just without that greasy finish.
Depending on the products used, a keratin treatment can straighten curly or wavy hair. For anyone longing for straight, strong and shiny hair, Keratin treatment can finally make that dream into a reality.
That’s right - a keratin treatment doesn’t have to result in stick-straight hair. Certain formulations will simply reduce frizziness, providing softer, smoother curls or waves. Keratin treatments usually make curly hair easier to manage. It becomes less prone to knotting and tangling, and reduces frizz.
By replenishing lost keratin in your hair shaft, keratin treatments can make hair stronger and less prone to breakage. For some people, this might result in being able to grow hair longer, as the strands are less likely to break. Keratin can strengthen and fortify hair so it doesn’t easily break off. This can make hair seem to grow faster because the ends aren’t breaking off.
Read also: Understanding Keratin's Chemistry
In addition to strengthening hair, replenishing keratin through a keratin treatment can make hair appear thicker. Replenishing the keratin in your hair can cause it to look thicker.
If you care for a keratin treatment by not washing your hair too frequently (2 to 3 times a week is enough), your keratin treatment can last up to 6 months. A keratin treatment before and after may surprise you with how sleek and shiny your hair is. And those results can last about six months if you don’t wash your hair too frequently.
Keratin treatments make hair more manageable, especially if your hair is particularly frizzy. Keratin treatments help smooth hair cuticles, giving hair a shinier appearance. If you constantly heat style your hair, you’ll notice that a keratin treatment makes it dry more quickly. Some people estimate that keratin cuts their drying time by more than half.
Keratin treatments may make your hair less porous, meaning it absorbs more water but doesn’t retain it in the cuticle. That means you won’t need to expose your hair to damaging hairdryers for as long.
Keratin can also reduce the look of split ends by temporarily bonding the hair back together.
Read also: Cost of Keratin Treatment in Boston
Despite the benefits, keratin treatments are not without potential risks and side effects.
Many (but not all) keratin treatments contain formaldehyde, which can be dangerous if inhaled. Formaldehyde is a colorless, strong-smelling gas that causes health problems when inhaled, sprayed into the eyes, or absorbed through the skin. It can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat, cause coughing and wheezing, and trigger a severe allergic reaction of the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. The Food and Drug Administration warns that formaldehyde and related compounds in keratin treatments may contribute to:
These side effects have been reported by both consumers who received keratin treatments and stylists who provided them. The effects tend to happen during or shortly after a keratin treatment using products containing formaldehyde. Even amounts as low as 0.1 parts per million of formaldehyde in the air can cause watery eyes, nausea, coughing, and wheezing, according to the American Cancer Society.
Formaldehyde is part of what makes keratin treatments so effective. As a result, it’s hard to find a product that’s 100 percent formaldehyde-free and works.
The American Cancer Society warns that formaldehyde is a known carcinogen. This means that it may cause cancer or help cancer to grow. Research from 2019 linked chemical straighteners and breast cancer risk. Females in the study who used straighteners every 5 to 8 weeks or more often had a 31% higher risk of breast cancer. Research from 2021 suggests a link between chemical straighteners and ovarian cancer. The researchers noted an increased risk of uterine cancer in females who used chemical straighteners more than four times a year. Additional research from 2022 links chemical straighteners and uterine cancer. The researchers noted an 80% higher adjusted risk of uterine cancer in females who used a chemical straightening product within the previous 12 months.
A 2021 case study reported that a 13-year-old female experienced severe kidney injury due to formaldehyde in a keratin treatment product marketed as formaldehyde-free.
Also, during the process hairstylists use a high-temperature flat iron to smooth over hair. Doing so can potentially damage hair follicles, thereby drastically increasing the likelihood breakage. Keratin treatments can cause split ends and other types of hair damage, which often leads to breakage and the appearance of thinning ends.
Some people have also reported that it caused headaches, dizziness, nausea, chest pains, vomiting, and rashes. However, they can also cause hair loss if you’re sensitive or allergic to the chemicals in your treatment. This is known as telogen effluvium, and it’s usually temporary.
Like all magic, this procedure comes at a hefty price. The average cost of one treatment ranges between $250-$450. Each treatment can range anywhere from $300-$800, plus tip. Since keratin treatments are expensive and require upkeep, costs can eventually pile up.
A keratin treatment is not a one-time application, but rather a smoothing treatment that requires upkeep to maintain it’s nourishing results. As the protein washes out of your hair, you can expect to return for a full treatment approximately every 4 months, and an express or touch up treatment every 4-6 weeks.
Washing your hair less and avoiding swimming might make it harder for some people to maintain it. The type of water on your hair matters: Swimming in chlorinated or salt water (basically a pool or an ocean) can shorten the life of your keratin treatment. You’ll also need to invest in shampoo and conditioner free of sodium chloride and sulfates, as these can strip the treatments.
You’ll have to wait 3 to 4 days post-keratin treatment to get your hair wet, so if you don’t like skipping wash days, this treatment may not be right for you. Some people report a musty smell even after washing.
A variety of formaldehyde-free keratin treatments have popped up in recent years, but these may also have labelling issues. Five of the brands that tested positive for formaldehyde in the 2012 study mentioned above, for example, were labeled as formaldehyde-free.
In some cases, the manufacturer might be listing formaldehyde by another name, such as:
In others, the product might contain preservatives that give off formaldehyde, like:
However, the chemicals used in keratin treatments could be dangerous. Traditionally, keratin treatments contain formaldehyde - a flammable, colourless chemical that can cause adverse side effects like nausea, nosebleeds, and skin irritation, especially if you’re exposed to formaldehyde fumes repeatedly over time.
Not all treatments contain formaldehyde these days, due to its known risks. But they do contain other ingredients that release dangerous compounds when the treatment is applied. Some of these compounds are known carcinogens. This loophole means you could still be exposing your hair and scalp to dangerous compounds whenever you have keratin for hair treatment.
Ingredients that can release toxic compounds when exposed to heat or water include:
These so-called formaldehyde-free formulas may release less formaldehyde than other keratin treatments, but they can still expose you to dangerous levels of toxic chemicals.
If you’re considering a keratin treatment, research various brands first and take a look at the ingredients in each. You can also ask a stylist who specializes in keratin treatments. They’ll often provide a consultation to help you find the safest option for you.
Keratin treatments aren’t recommended for individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding. It’s also best to avoid keratin treatments if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. And if you have sensitive skin or allergic contact dermatitis, you want to proceed with caution. If you are a hairdresser who wants to protect your workers from the health risks of formaldehyde, don’t offer keratin treatments at your salon.
If you decide to get a keratin treatment, be sure to tell your stylist about what you’re looking to get out of the treatment. They can adjust the products and process to help you achieve what you’re looking for. Strongly consider going with treatments that do not contain formaldehyde and other harsh chemicals-even if the results aren't quite as good-and definitely limit your exposure as much as possible.
Be sure to book your keratin treatment with a seasoned professional at a reputable salon to ensure a proper application, helping decrease the chance of these side effects occurring.
The FDA recommends reviewing the ingredients list and communicating with your stylist about the salon’s safety practices to limit formaldehyde exposure.
Some pro tips? You want to wait a few days before your first shampoo after your keratin treatment and then try to cut down on the number of times you shampoo. And use sodium chloride-free hair products, which are free of harsh chemicals that can harm your hair.
If you’re concerned about the risk of formaldehyde exposure, there are other ways to achieve similar effects to those you’d get from a keratin treatment. Heat styling with a blow-dryer or flat iron can temporarily smooth your hair.
You can also try to keep your health strong and healthy by keeping it moisturized (especially if you use heat-styling tools). Try to wash your hair as little as possible, as shampoo can remove natural hair oils. You can also try switching to the “no poo” method. You can also apply products containing natural moisturizers, like:
If you decide to go ahead with a keratin treatment, it’s important to know it could affect your hair type. Here are the results you might expect from keratin for different hair types.
Thin hair often benefits the least from keratin treatments, especially if you already have relatively straight hair. That said, some people with thin hair like the effect of keratin treatments. Thin hair can still be curly or frizz-prone, both of which can be improved with keratin formulas. However, it won’t add volume, so if you’re looking for more hair texture, keratin probably isn’t the best choice.
Keratin treatments are becoming increasingly popular for those with Afro and curly hair types as an alternative to hair relaxers. Keratin treatments usually make curly hair easier to manage. It becomes less prone to knotting and tangling, and reduces frizz. However, the effects of keratin treatments are semi-permanent. So if you want to flip between your natural curls and straighter hair, keratin may not be the best option.
You can use keratin treatments on dyed hair but should do so cautiously. Keratin treatments can also change the tone of your hair, so make sure you’re aware of this possibility before applying keratin treatments to your dyed or bleached hair. It’s also important to take note of which formulas have been used on your hair in the past, so you can inform future stylists.
There are multiple types of keratin for hair:
Also known as Brazilian Blowouts, in-salon keratin treatments are one of the most popular ways to apply keratin for hair. They use keratin, chemicals, heat, and compression to reset the hair structure. However, depending on which formula is used, they can expose you (and your stylist) to harmful chemicals.
Keratin is mixed with argan oil or other healthy hair oils to smooth your hair and reduce frizz at home. The oils also moisturise your hair, adding to its shine.
A hair mask is an intensive hair treatment designed to moisturise and treat damaged hair. They’re usually applied to wet hair and left in for at least five minutes to allow your hair to absorb the keratin and other ingredients.
It’s not just in-salon treatments that can contain harmful ingredients. Certain home formulas also use the ingredients listed above, which can release toxic chemicals when heat is applied at home.
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