Keratin Treatments for Hair
Women who have very curly hair may want other alternatives to straightening besides chemical relaxers and flat irons. A keratin treatment might be just the solution. This straightening process leaves frizzy hair smooth and more manageable, while also giving women versatility and styling options. Does this Spark an idea?
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Function
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A keratin treatment uses keratin, a protein similar to one of the components of human hair, to reduce frizz and straighten curly or wavy hair. Most women will retain some body and wave in their hair, so it won't be bone straight and flat. For women who use blow dryers and flat irons to straighten their hair, the time it takes to achieve a straight style is minimized with this treatment.
Considerations
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After a keratin treatment, women cannot apply any products or water to the hair for several days. They also cannot tuck their hair behind their ears, put it into a ponytail or pin it up during this time period. Doing so may create "kinks" in the hair. Hair will be stick straight immediately following a keratin treatment, but over time, the body and volume will return. Unlike relaxers and thermal reconditioning treatments, which leave hair completely straight, hair that has been treated with a keratin treatment will retain some of its body and can even be styled in loose waves as the process gradually wears away.
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Time Frame
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It will take a couple of hours for a stylist to apply a keratin treatment to the hair. This includes applying the keratin solution (similar to applying hair color), blow-drying the hair and then flat ironing with temperatures up to 450 degrees F. The high heat is required to seal in the treatment. A keratin treatment lasts about six weeks to three months. To make the treatment last as long as possible, use sulfate-free shampoos for each washing.
Benefits
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A keratin treatment reduces frizz in very curly hair and also allows women to wear their hair straight without time-consuming flat ironing every day. The treatment gradually wears off, instead of having to be grown out. As a result, there is no obvious line marking new curly hair growth versus treated hair.
Warning
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Pregnant women and women who are nursing should not receive a keratin treatment. This treatment should also not be used on children or around children. Keratin treatment contains formaldehyde, an ingredient that is known to cause cancer and can irritate lungs and eyes. Even some treatments which claim they are formaldehyde-free contain small levels of the chemical.
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