Are you in search of silky, sleek, ready-for-the-runway hair without an exhaustive daily routine? Keratin treatments may be just the solution you’re looking for in order to tame your hair. Whether you call them Brazilian keratin treatments or by one of the many brand names on the market today, a keratin treatment is ideal for the fashion-forward of any ethnicity. Keratin treatments can have especially dramatic results.
With the professional application of a treatment, hair becomes straighter, more resistant to tangles and the overall condition of your hair may even improve.
Unfortunately, there’s also quite a bit of misinformation and myth surrounding the keratin treatment for African American hair.
What are the Benefits for Black Hair?
If your hair is difficult to comb or has been subjected to harsh treatment in order to achieve straight, glossy tresses, a treatment can help to make a very real difference in the appearance and condition of your hair. The primary benefit, aside from shine and straightness, is the lack of harsh chemicals like calcium hydroxide and ammonia. Treatments can also be applied to hair which has been previously processed with color, bleach or highlights is a good candidate for keratin, which is not always the case with chemical relaxers.
Chemical relaxers and treatments run the risk of over-processing when they’re applied to hair which has previously been exposed to previous applications. Because the active ingredient of keratin treatments is a keratin protein very similar to those produced by your own hair naturally, keratin treatments for your hair can actually be much more gentle and less damaging.
What is Keratin?
Keratin is, in the simplest of terms, an amino acid. It helps to increase the strength and condition of your hair by reducing porosity, filling areas of damage due to over-processing and heat styling. Keratin treatments for black hair may contain less than 0.2% of chemical components like formaldehyde, a percentage that is considered safe by the Food and Drug Administration.
Many brands are formaldehyde-free, however, so be sure to consult with your stylist regarding the chemical makeup of their preferred treatment brand. When a treatment is applied to your hair it will help to naturally relax curls and smooth the cuticle. The result is sleek, silky hair, which is much easier to detangle.
What Else Should I Know?
Keratin treatments can have a significant affect on the straightness and appearance of your hair, but they do require a bit of upkeep in order to look their best. For the day of treatments and a few days afterwards, it’s not advised to get your hair wet, sweat heavily or apply other products to your hair. It’s also not advised to put your hair up, either with elastics or pins.
Unlike chemical relaxers, keratin treatments will also gradually wash out over time. To reduce wash-out and extend the life of your treatment, customers are advised to use sulfate-free shampoos, conditioners and products. Want specific product recommendations? Aubrey Organics has the perfect hair care products available.