Keratin Treatments: Everything You Need To Know Before Getting One
Frizzy, difficult-to-manage hair can make styling feel like a daily battle, especially if you live in a humid climate. A keratin treatment can dramatically reduce frizz, increase shine, shorten styling time, improve color longevity, and make your hair easier to manage. However, they’re often misunderstood, and there are a few important things you should know before booking one.
In over 18 years in the industry, I have worked with a wide variety of hair types, textures, and chemical services, including keratin treatments. I’ve seen firsthand how these treatments can transform the manageability of the hair when the products are properly chosen and applied. So in this guide, I’ll break down how keratin treatments work, what results you can realistically expect, and what you should know before deciding if one is right for your hair.
What Does a Keratin Treatment Do to Your Hair?
Keratin is a protein naturally found in the hair, skin, and nails. And a keratin treatment is a professional smoothing service designed to improve the look, feel, and manageability of the hair. The treatment helps smooth the hair cuticle (outer layer), reduce frizz, increase shine, and make styling easier.
Depending on the condition of your hair, a keratin treatment can also make damaged hair feel softer, smoother, and healthier by temporarily improving its overall appearance.
While keratin treatments can create incredible results, there are a few misconceptions about what they actually do. One of the biggest is that they permanently repair the hair or straighten it. True keratin treatments do neither.
Are Keratin Treatments Good or Bad For Your Hair?
The short answer is that keratin treatments can be beneficial for most hair types, but they are not a “miracle repair treatment”. The results depend on your hair’s current condition, the formula being used, and how the service is performed.
The Good: Keratin Treatment Benefits
- Reduces frizz: Keratin smooths down the outer layer of the hair, which is responsible for frizz when it’s open.
- Adds shine: When the outer layer of the hair is smooth, it reflects light more evenly, making the hair appear shinier and healthier.
- Makes hair easier to manage: When the hair is smooth, it’s easier to manage and style. Tangles are often reduced, styling becomes more predictable, and many people find their hair is much easier to control on a daily basis.
- Reduces styling time: When you don’t need to fight frizz every morning, you can spend much less time blow-drying and styling your hair. Many people also find that they need fewer products and less heat styling.
- Helps hair resist humidity: Because the cuticle is sealed, the hair absorbs less moisture from the air.
- Can help hair hold onto color better: Since the cuticle is smoother and more sealed, it’s harder for color molecules to escape from the hair.
The Bad: When Keratin Treatments Can Cause Problems
True keratin treatments are not damaging. However, there are several factors that can potentially cause damage if not performed correctly.
- Protein overload: If done too frequently, protein builds up on the hair and can actually cause breakage. This is why it’s important not to do keratin treatments any sooner than 3-5 months.
- High heat is required to apply the treatment: The application involves blow-drying and flat-ironing the keratin into the hair. Typically, you need to pass the iron 7-12 times over each section to fully penetrate the hair strand. If this is done with the iron too hot for your hair type, the heat can be damaging to your hair.
- Too much product was applied: If too much product is applied during the application, it can cause buildup on the hair and make it feel stiff and weighed down.
- Some keratin treatments use formaldehyde: While many keratin treatments don’t contain any formaldehyde, some of them do. There are mixed opinions on whether this is damaging, but no one can argue that it’s not great to breathe in. When these treatments with formaldehyde are performed, you’ll need to have a fan going to keep it from burning your eyes or irritating your lungs. Because of this, I always use a formaldehyde-free keratin treatment.
- Wrong expectations: Since keratin treatments are often confused with straightening treatments, some people expect them to reduce their wave pattern and are dissatisfied with the results when they don’t. Be sure you know what to expect prior to choosing a specific keratin treatment brand and service.
- Not a true keratin treatment: I have seen hair become damaged from “straightening” chemical treatments that were not actually keratin treatments. Some of the more common ones are Japanese Straighening Treatments or realxers.
Do Keratin Treatments Contain Formaldehyde?
One of the biggest concerns people have about keratin treatments is whether they contain formaldehyde. The answer is: it depends on the brand and formula. Not all keratin treatments contain formaldehyde. And in fact, formaldehyde bans in hair products are becoming increasingly popular, and for good reason.
The brand that I’ve always used in the salon is Keratin Complex, and they do not contain formaldehyde. This is the main reason why I’ve always loved and used this brand. I’m sensitive to chemicals, so I don’t want to be breathing formaldehyde in all day in the salon. Additionally, I wouldn’t want to expose my clients to it either.
However, one of the biggest names when it comes to “keratin-like” treatments is Brazilian Blowout. Not only do these contain formaldehyde, but they aren’t a true keratin treatment. Because of this, they actually do reduce your wave pattern some, whereas a true keratin treatment will not.
Who Is a Good Candidate for a Keratin Treatment?
More often than not, keratin treatments can be an amazing addition to your hair maintenance routine. However while they aren’t bad for any hair type, there are certain hair types that will benefit more than others.
Keratin treatments are good for those with:
- Frizzy hair
- Thick/coarse hair
- Humid climates
- Hair that takes forever to style
- Color-treated hair
- People wanting smooth (not permanently straight) hair
Will a Keratin Treatment Ruin My Curls?
As I mentioned earlier, keratin itself does not straighten the hair. Services that straighten the hair are typically referred to as chemical relaxers. A relaxer will permanently straighten the wave pattern of the hair. Essentially, it is doing the same thing that a perm does, except permanently straightening instead of permanently curling.
These services are a lot more damaging than a keratin treatment. This is because the service is permanent and penetrates the cortex of the hair, adjusting the wave pattern. This is compared to coating the outer layer with keratin.
With a typical keratin treatment, you will not lose your curls. This is because it is not a straightening treatment, and this is a massive misconception about these services.
I’ve had some clients say that their curls became more defined after getting a keratin treatment because it emphasized their natural wave pattern by reducing frizz. While others have said that their curls were slightly looser (not straight). When the hair is frizz-free, this can equal a decrease in volume for some.
If the hair lost all of its wave pattern, then it was not a true keratin treatment that you received. It was likely a straightening treatment made with some sort of hair relaxer.
How Much Do Keratin Treatments Cost?
Honestly the biggest downside of a keratin treatment is the cost. Keratin treatments are one of the more expensive salon services because the products themselves are costly and the application process is time-intensive.
A small 4oz bottle is several hundred dollars for the salon (or you) to purchase. And these treatments typically take several hours to perform, depending on the length and thickness of the hair. On average, it takes roughly 3 hours to complete.
With the cost of product and time, you can expect to pay $150-800 for a treatment in the salon. This is based on your location, the brand of product used, and your stylist’s experience and hourly rate.
Best Formaldehyde-Free Keratin Treatment Products
I only recommend true keratin treatments to my clients and subscribers, particularly the brand that I know and trust. It doesn’t contain formaldehyde, nor will it remove your wave pattern.
Some keratin treatments can dull blonde hair, so if you are a blonde use a specific formula for blondes.
***Since I’m sharing the products that I love to use with you guys, this page includes affiliate links to these products. If you take action and purchase a product through clicking one of my links, I’ll make some commission money from it at no extra cost to you. This enables me to be able to continue giving you awesome hair tips, so thanks! ***
How Long Do Keratin Treatments Last?
Keratin treatments typically last anywhere from 3-5 months. This is dependent on how damaged your hair is to begin with. If your cuticle is severely damaged, the longevity of the keratin treatment will decrease.
The more you wash your hair, the less time your treatment will last. After each shampoo, you are removing small amounts of replenished keratin.
However, I recommend using keratin-based products to increase the longevity of your treatment:
- Aftercare Kit
- Color Care Keratin Shampoo & Conditioner
- Purple Keratin Shampoo & Conditioner (for blondes)
- Volumizing Keratin Shampoo & Conditioner
- Deep Conditioner
- Leave-In Spray
- Blow Dry Cream
Can You Wash Your Hair After a Keratin Treatment?
The amount of time you should wait after receiving a keratin treatment before washing your hair will vary from brand to brand. Some brands say that you can wash your hair immediately after, while others suggest waiting a minimum of 48 hours.
In fact, many brands not only want you to wait to wash your hair, but they suggest continuing to straighten it if it begins to wave or kink before that 48 hour window is up.
Always follow the instructions for the brand you’re using, no matter what advice you may have heard elsewhere.
Can You Color Your Hair After a Keratin Treatment?
Yes, but most brands actually suggest coloring your hair before getting your keratin treatment done, not after. Keratin treatments seal the cuticle, so if you color it immediately after, it may be more difficult for color to penetrate the cortex to alter the color.
Additionally, since keratin treatments seal the cuticle, they can seal your color into the hair, making it more fade resistant. This is one of the benefits of keratin treatments, so it’s best to color first then seal it with the kertain after. You can even do these services in the same day, and it’s often recommended for best results.
Conclusion
Keratin treatments are one of the best salon services for reducing frizz, increasing shine, and making hair much easier to manage. While they aren’t a permanent repair treatment or a way to permanently straighten the hair, they can dramatically improve the look and feel of your hair when the right formula is used and the service is performed correctly.
Like any chemical service, there are a few things to consider before getting a keratin treatment. Understanding the ingredients used (formaldehyde or formaldehyde-free), choosing an experienced stylist, and having realistic expectations will help you get the best results while minimizing the risk of complications.
After over 18 years in the industry, I’ve found that keratin treatments can be a game changer for clients who struggle with frizz, humidity, or hair that’s difficult to style. When applied correctly and spaced out appropriately, they can leave the hair smoother, shinier, and significantly easier to maintain.
If you’re considering a keratin treatment, I hope this guide has helped you understand how they work, what results to expect, and whether they’re the right choice for your hair.
If you have any further questions or comments on keratin treatments, leave them for me in the comments! And subscribe below if you want to make every day a good hair day.
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