How Does Keratin Treatment Work?

Demystifying Keratin: What Exactly Is This Mystery Hair Smoother?

When it comes to taming unruly, frizzy hair, keratin treatments are often touted as the miracle treatment. But, what is keratin how does a keratin treatment work?

Many salons today are offering their version of a keratin treatment that is designed to help clients with frizzy, curly hair achieve the beautiful smooth styles that are popular today. But, few can actually explain how a keratin treatment works to create the hair you've always wished you were born with. Here is what a few top-notch stylists had to say about keratin treatments and how they work.

What is keratin?

Simply put, keratin is a protein fiber that is naturally found in both hair and nails of all warm blooded species. While on its own, keratin cannot straighten the hair, it can be used with other ingredients and heat to bond with your hair create smoother hair. It is the main ingredient found in most at-home hair straightening products.

If our hair already contains it, why do we need more?

The hair shaft is made up of up to 95% keratin. However, keratin is the first thing the hair shaft loses when it is subjected to environmental stresses such as heat styling appliances, bleaching, and other stressors. A lack of keratin will make the hair shaft vulnerable to splitting, dulling and more, which results in frizzy, unhealthy hair. Using keratin infused products allows keratin to be reintroduced to the hair shaft where it can provide protection from environmental stressors as well as fortify the internal structure of the shaft to create more elasticity.

How exactly do keratin treatments work?

Most keratin treatments use products that combine hydrolyzed keratins and other ingredients that are designed to break down the bonds that exist between the existing keratin molecules in the hair shaft. Using heat helps to fuse the keratin treatment's hydrolyzed keratin to the natural keratin in the hair shaft and seal the shaft and create new, more relaxed bonds, creating straighter, smoother hair.

What hair types benefit the most from keratin product and treatments?

Those who have naturally curly or frizzy hair simply don't have as much natural keratin as those with naturally straight hair. In addition, those who have subjected their hair to a variety of chemical processes have stripped their hair of the natural keratin they were born with. This makes them prime candidates for keratin treatment. Adding external keratin to the hair will restore the hair, creating a stronger, smoother and healthier hair shaft.

How much do they cost and how long can they last? Is it all worth really it?

The goal of a keratin treatment is to rebuild each hair shaft, strand by strand. The hydrolyzed keratin finds the pores in each hair shaft, fills them in and locks in shine and hydration. Color will last longer and hair will be easier to dry and easier to manage. Most salons will charge anywhere from $100-$350 per treatment, depending on the type of treatment chosen and the condition of the hair being treated.