What Is Keratin Treatment – Benefits, Cost & Side Effects

Almost all of us would have heard about keratin treatment to get smooth and shiny hair. Many beauty parlours offer keratin treatments in India but it is good to know about the pros and cons of the treatment fully before getting the treatment done. Many of us think keratin treatment is a natural treatment that does not have any side effects but on the contrary it is a chemical based treatment that should be done with care and attention. We should also follow the instructions given for after care carefully if we don’t want to experience any side effects.

What Is Keratin?

Keratin is a protein that is commonly found in our skin, hair and nails. Keratin is a protective protein and it protects the epithelial cells from damage. Though the treatment is named keratin, it has nothing to do with keratin based natural ingredients. On the contrary, formaldehyde based ingredients are used to smoothen and straighten the hair.

How is Keratin Treatment Done?

First the hair is washed thoroughly to get rid of any oils and product residue. Once the hair is shampooed, the hair is broken up into sections and keratin product is applied from root to ends while combing through to ensure even distribution. Then the hair is blow dried and once the hair is completely dry, it is finally flat ironed.

Types of Keratin Treatment

1. Brazilian Keratin Treatment:

This treatment is best for people with very curly hair. It eliminates frizz and helps smoothen our hair. Brazilian treatment takes about an hour to do and it lasts anywhere between 3 to 6 months.

2. Soft Keratin Treatment:

This treatment is ideal for people with fine to medium texture hair. This treatment eliminates frizz gently and it lasts for about two months. While choosing the keratin treatment, always discuss your needs and your hair type before getting the treatment done.

3. Japzilian Keratin Treatment:

This is a combination of Japanese and Brazilian treatment. The treatment lasts longer than even Brazilian treatment and it takes up 3 to 4 hours to finish the treatment.

4. Keratin Express:

Like the name mentions, keratin express is a short term treatment. It is lasts for a less time compared to other keratin treatments, it generally lasts up to 6 weeks. Generally keratin express is done by people with straight hair that becomes slightly frizzy due to humidity.

Chemicals Used In Keratin Treatments:

Usually formaldehyde is the base ingredient. But there are keratin treatments that promises that they are free of formaldehyde but we should remember that they contain chemicals like methylene glycol, formalin, methylene oxide, oxymethelene, etc that releases formaldehyde when mixed with water. So technically formaldehyde is the base ingredient in the treatments that promises that they are formaldehyde free too.

Keratin Treatment Benefits:

If you are a person who uses heat regularly to straighten hair, using keratin treatment once every 6 months will help reduce the damage caused due to using heat on the hair everyday. Another benefit of keratin treatment is a smooth frizz free look that is hard to achieve with setting sprays

Keratin Treatment Side Effects:

Formaldehyde is a colourless strong smelling gas that causes respiratory problems when inhaled or when absorbed through the skin. When we inhale formaldehyde, our skin, eyes and respiratory tract can be affected. Frequent exposure of formaldehyde in excessive amounts can also cause cancer. Doing formaldehyde based treatments once in a while will not cause any problems but frequent usage increases health risk. With formaldehyde based treatments, the client who is getting the treatment done and the person who is doing the treatment are at risk.

How To Prevent Side Effects?

To prevent side effects, keratin treatments should never be done often. The salon where the treatment is done should be well ventilated and they should follow all the safety procedures so make sure to do the treatment in well reputed beauty salons.

The formaldehyde levels used in the treatment should also be monitored regularly and should never exceed the recommended amount. Workers who do the treatment should be provided protective equipment’s which includes gloves, masks and aprons. They should also be trained regularly regarding handling chemicals safely.

Aftercare For Keratin Treatment:

Most beauty salons recommend not washing our hair for 72 hours after the treatment. Swimming in chlorine water is also not recommended at least for the first month after doing the treatment. Heavy oiling is also not recommended after doing the treatment. Sulfate free shampoos and conditioners are recommended after the treatment and it is best to use them instead of the regular shampoos.

Who Should Not Do Keratin Treatment?

Pregnant women and people with respiratory problems should not do keratin treatment. If you have coloured your hair, you will experience some fading while doing the treatment. Keratin treatment is also not recommended for people with fine thin hair as it can cause hair breakage. It is also not recommended for processed hair so if you have done any chemical treatments to your hair, it is best to get the treatment done after consulting an expert about it.

How Long Does a Keratin Treatment Last?

Keratin treatment should last anywhere between 3 to 6 months. The time it lasts greatly depends on our aftercare, if we use sulfate free shampoos and conditioners it should last well for months.

Keratin Treatment Cost In India:

In India, we can either get it done in reputed beauty salons or we can buy it online and use it ourselves at home. In most beauty parlours in India, the cost starts from 3000 rupees and goes up to even 7000 Rupees. Before getting the treatment done, research well about the parlour and then get it done. This will prevent lot of side effects.

The price range of keratin treatments that we get online varies between 1500 to 6000 rupees. When you are planning on doing it at home, make sure to follow the instructions given in the packet. Also choose the treatment after reading the reviews, if you are planning on buying it online.