Is your hair difficult to manage? If yes, you’ll have probably experimented with a number of different solutions, but have you tried a Brazilian Keratin treatment yet? Whether your hair is dry or damaged, too thick or too curly, Keratin hair treatments can help with your hair’s misdemeanors.

But what is a Brazilian Keratin treatment? And are they a reliable route towards frizz-free, easy to manage, smooth hair? This helpful guide covers everything from the basics of Keratin proteins to Brazilian Keratin treatments.

Let’s begin by looking at Keratin itself…

WHAT IS KERATIN?

Keratin is a compound of proteins and the essential structural components of the skin, hair and nails of both humans and animals. Formed from a combination of amino acids, including cysteine which is rich in hair-strengthening sulphur, the structure of the hair is a little like a ladder or stair case, with bonds of varying strengths as the steps.

Straight hair is structured much like a traditional ladder, whereas curly hair is like a spiral staircase. Strong hair is typically the result of stronger sulphur bonds. Breaking these bonds makes it possible to permanently transform the structure of hair from curly to straight and restore the spiral staircase as a ladder.

WHAT IS A BRAZILIAN KERATIN TREATMENT AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

It may seem counterintuitive to use a Keratin treatment when our hair is already made up of up to 95% Keratin, but these proteins are easily damaged and depleted day to day. This degradation is mainly caused by physical damage including using thermal styling tools and chemically treatments like perms and coloring. In fact, the structure can even be adversely affected by stress.

Most Keratin treatments include hydrolyzed Keratin proteins, which fuse with our hair’s natural Keratin when heated. Known as the ‘sealing process’, this happens when the hair is infused with a Keratin treatment, dried and flat-ironed.

Depleted Keratin can make hair look dull and frizzy in appearance, and can be extremely brittle and prone to split ends. Replacing the Keratin will help rebuild the cortex of the hair, giving it strength and a shiny appearance. The latest Brazilian Keratin treatments also include low pH amino acids, that help to straighten the hair as well as assist in rebuilding it to enviable strength which is, of course, great for anyone looking to grow their hair.

ARE BRAZILIAN KERATIN TREATMENTS GOOD FOR HAIR?

Initially, straightening treatments were made from chemicals like thioglycolate which breaks down the structure and can cause huge damage. These have become far less popular. Firstly, people color their hair more often, and color and chemical straightening is not a healthy match. Plus, the fashion for a more natural straightness and less lifeless has resulted in salons have moved away from these types of harmful treatments.

These earlier straightening treatments saturated the hair with a formaldehyde solution before drying and ironing, earning them a bad reputation. Formaldehyde is a highly toxic and corrosive chemical and is reported to be carcinogenic, potentially fatal to humans. There are very strict laws regarding the allowance of this ingredient in cosmetics and these early formulations were found to have between 10-50 times more than the legal limit. They also had many rules like not being able to shampoo for days and may people found they didn’t like the two to four days of greasy flat hair.

With superb technological advancements, safe and restorative Brazilian Keratin treatments have been developed and have transformed both clients’ hair and salons’ businesses. While formaldehyde is yet to be effectively banned from hair treatments in USA, it is illegal in UK, EU, Canada and most of the rest of the world. We believe health & safety laws are there for a reason and recommend avoiding formaldehyde treatments at all cost. Use only reputable brands and salons who are open and honest about the treatment they are using.

WHAT TYPE OF FLAT IRON SHOULD YOU USE ON YOUR TREATED HAIR?

Choosing the right flat iron is essential for getting the best results from your keratin treatment. The flat ironing part requires high heat. The high heat of the flat iron is necessary in sealing the keratin in your hair and to ensure superior shine and a silky-smooth look.

What to Look for?

When you use a hot hair iron to seal a keratin treatment onto the hair shaft your flat iron must be constructed with titanium plates and heats up to 450°F with easy to read display and controls, like our Hybrid Pro Titanium or our Premium Titanium flat irons. Being able to adjust flat iron temperatures is also important.

Why are Titanium Plates Important?

Titanium has an ability to reach up to the set high temperature in just a few seconds. It is inert and will not interact with any styling products. Titanium also retains heat better than ceramics and offers even heat distribution. The titanium plates will retain the consistent heat levels, once you start straightening. This will result in the perfect finish and will give your hair unbeatable shine.