Brazilian keratin hair treatment is a hair straightening technique, which involves treatment of hair with keratin solution, thereby giving the hair a silky, soft and smooth appearance. Let’s find out more about this particular hair treatment…
There are scores of hair treatments emerging on a regular basis, with each claiming to tame those unruly curls and transform them to silky smooth straight strands. One such hair treatment is the keratin hair treatment of which Brazilian keratin hair straightening treatment is the most popular. Brazilian keratin treatment originated in Brazil, but has surged in popularity all across the US, in the past few years.
Salons all over the States are providing this hair treatment, that touts about transforming frizzy, coarse hair to soft, smooth, silky hair, by restoring the lost sheen and health to one’s hair. Brazilian keratin hair treatment costs about $150 – $600 for a single treatment, depending on the length and thickness of one’s hair. This keratin hair treatment keeps the hair silky for about 3-5 months, depending on how often one washes the hair.
Brazilian Keratin Hair Treatment
Hair gets damaged and rough after chronic styling, hair straightening and coloring. The keratin quality of the hair begins to deteriorate. Keratin is a strong protein, forming 88% of the hair and is the substance that gives hair its texture. Frequent hair abuse conduces to depletion of keratin protein levels in the hair, giving them the rough, dry and damaged appearance. The treatment aims at restoring those lost keratin levels to the hair and bringing back the shine to the hair. Brazilian keratin hair straightening treatment works on all kinds of hair textures; colored hair, chemically treated hair, extremely frizzy hair, etc.
Treatment Procedure
Keratin is derived from pure wool harvested, from New Zealand sheep and is actually nothing but liquid hair, which when applied to the hair, penetrates into the hair cortex and improves hair quality right from inside. Let’s have a look at how this keratin smoothing treatment is done.
Step 1: Shampooing the Hair
The hair stylist will first shampoo your hair with hair clarifying shampoo and will then rinse it off after two minutes. This is done so that the hair becomes porous and receptive to the keratin, that will be applied later on. The wet hair will then be towel dried.
Step 2: Keratin Application and Drying
Onto the damp hair, keratin is applied to the hair with a tint brush. The hair is then combed to ensure keratin has been evenly distributed to the hair. Then using the blow dryer (high heat setting), the hair is dried thoroughly. Once the hair is 100% dry, it is ready for the next step.
Step 3: Sealing using Flat Iron
It’s time to seal the keratin into the hair. For normal hair a flat iron heated to about 450 degrees Fahrenheit, is used to infuse the keratin into the hair follicles. Running the flat iron on different hair sections and working on them 8-10 times, will seal the keratin into the hair follicles and will also bring about a silky smooth look. The hair treatment is complete and at the end of the treatment, the hair will be silky smooth and shiny!
This whole procedure takes only 90 minutes – 2 ½ hours depending on the length of one’s hair. But, is this hair treatment really the fastest and most effective way of straightening the hair? Is it safe?
Side Effects
While the reviews are all fantastic and that the effect is simply mesmerizing, there do exist a few dangers of this hair treatment technique. The Brazilian keratin hair straightening treatment contains small amounts of formaldehyde, which is what conduces to the hair straightening effect. The keratin only changes the hair structure and it’s the formaldehyde that changes the hair texture.
However, formaldehyde is a carcinogen and formaldehyde exposure while carrying out the treatment can prove deleterious to both the stylist applying it and the client getting the treatment done. Moreover, the treatment is also seen to cause eye and lung irritation.
As these side effects were slowly gaining the attention of many and causing the masses to become wary of it, a keratin hair treatment company has come up with another keratin hair treatment formula devoid of formaldehyde to prevent people from shunning away from this treatment. Their product ‘Brazilian Blowout’ apparently is free of all aldehyde and is safer than the older formula.
Brazilian keratin hair treatment is only a temporary hair straightening technique, which eventually fades out naturally. Within 3-5 months the waves and curls will come back to their earlier form. Although the dangers of the new formula have not been investigated upon, it is safer to avoid this treatment. Silky smooth hair is not worth risking your health. An ounce of precaution is better than a pound of cure!
