What You Need to Know About Keratin Hair Treatments

Keratin Hair Treatment vs. Brazilian Blowout: Why BB Wins!

The differences between a keratin hair treatment and a Brazilian blowout are vast though they may seem intricate. Learn why the Brazilian blowout wins.

If you've been trying to manage your frizzy hair, you've probably heard about how keratin hair treatment can help.

Keratin treatments cover the follicles with a layer of protein to reduce frizz while adding softness and shine.

But for all of the positive press, it might not be the miracle cure it's made out to be.

Here are a few reasons to second guess your keratin treatment.

Mind the Ingredients

Quick question: what's the active ingredient in a keratin treatment?

If you said "keratin, duh," you'd be wrong.

Keratin might get top billing, but it's just the name on the box. Most of the actual straightening is done by sodium hydroxide and ammonium thioglycolate. 

But those are hardly the only hard-to-pronounce chemicals in the treatment. There is also formalin, methylene glycol, methanol, and methanediol.

While these chemicals might be relatively safe on their own, when combined with water and heated, they form something a bit more sinister: formaldehyde. 

Frizz or Breakage?

People get keratin treatments to make their hair look shiny and smooth. 

But that isn't always what happens. 

While these chemicals may straighten your hair, they do so by drying your hair out.

This leaves your hair brittle, which can lead to breakage and split ends. 

Additionally, dry hair may be straight, but instead of a glorious sheen, it looks flat and dull. Kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?

The Genuine Article?

You wouldn't pay brand-name price for a generic handbag, would you? And yet many hair salons are charging brand-name prices for knockoff keratin treatments. 

Or, they might be watering down their product to cut down on costs. But be assured that they aren't giving you a discount.

On top of that, many keratin treatment brands have gone out of business for offering poor products. But then they simply rebrand as another company and keep selling the same treatment. 

Who Has the Time?

It can sometimes feel like you're spending countless hours trying to keep your curly hair under control. If you're rangling your curls with a straight iron every day, it's easy to see why a long-term solution would be attractive.

A keratin treatment can take as long as four hours to complete, depending on the length and thickness of your hair. 

In the best case scenario, the results will only last for around three months, at which point you will have to return to the salon.

However, experts only recommend three keratin treatments per year, or else your hair will be damaged. The math there doesn't support healthy hair.

Alternatives to Keratin Hair Treatments

While keratin treatments are certainly popular, they are hardly the best option for a long term straightening treatment.

If you're looking for a better solution, why not consider a Brazilian blowout?

Unlike a keratin treatment, which merely sits on the surface of the hair, a Brazilian blowout permeates the follicle, reducing frizz at the source—without the formaldehyde.

A Brazilian blowout takes about half as long as a keratin treatment, and can easily last three months. Some people have even been able to get six months out of a single treatment.

Book Your Brazilian Blowout Today

If you're trying to decide between a keratin hair treatment and a Brazilian blowout, the choice is simple. 

A Brazilian blowout takes less time, lasts longer, and has less risk of damaging your hair.

So what are you waiting for? Contact us today to book your appointment!