The Truth About Keratin Treatments

Keratin is a naturally occurring protein that makes up your hair, skin and nails. Seemingly, a "keratin treatment" should reinforce the bonds in your hair and rebuild protein that may be damaged or compromised.

However, is that really the case?

In this article, we will uncover the truth behind keratin treatments and if they actually deliver the promise of "healthier, shinier hair".

What is a keratin treatment?

Offered by almost every hair salon in Australia (and potentially around the world), a keratin treatment is a chemical (yes, chemical) smoothing procedure that temporarily smooths your hair for up to six months. It can add a high gloss finish and leave your hair looking silkier and reduce frizz dramatically.

The actual process involves using a formaldehyde derivative or glyoxylic acid to break the natural bonds that make up the hair strand, and then re-bond them in a straighter position. Once the solution is applied and left to marinate, the hair is blowdried and flat-ironed to seal in the new bond position.

Wait, did you say formaldehyde?

Yep, you heard that right. For those who may be unaware, the US EPA says the health effects of the chemical are as follows, "Formaldehyde can cause irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, and throat. High levels of exposure may cause some types of cancers."

Keratin treatments themselves may be "formaldehyde-free" formulations, but release the gas once the ingredients that make up the treatment are mixed with water. These ingredients are the main causes of the release of formaldehyde:

• methylene glycol

• formalin

• methanal

• methanediol

While keratin treatments don't release a fatal amount of formaldehyde, it's important to know what your body is absorbing so you can make informed decisions about repeated treatments (or even single treatments). If you are considering getting a keratin treatment done, we urge you to speak with your hairdresser about the formulation of their offered keratin treatment (not all treatments are created the same, hence why some hairdressers charge more than others).

Let's talk results

As mentioned, keratin treatments are commonly used to straighten the hair for a semi-permanent amount of time. Nonetheless, it's common for different hair types to respond differently to keratin.

Due to the varying results, it's virtually impossible to know the outcome of the treatment, regardless of which salon you decide on. Some people find that their curls are dramatically reduced, whilst others find that their curls are pretty much unaffected.

What are some of the side effects?

It's common for people to report increased hair loss (which is usually just breakage due to the compromised bonds from the treatment process).

Some people are also allergic to some of the chemicals in keratin treatments. Of course, it's impossible to really know before you start the process, so it may be worth asking your hairdresser for a 'strand test' (i.e. doing the treatment on a small section of hair near the nape of your neck). This should indicate whether your body reacts aversely to the keratin formulation.

So, what are the benefits?

The benefits are pretty subjective, but if you're getting a keratin straightening treatment, you should know the 'benefits' are:

• Hair manageability

• Reduced frizz

• Increased shine

• Shorter time spent on the day-to-day straightening process

The increased shine part frustrates me a little. Straighter hair reflects light as a flat surface, whereas curly hair has different angles and shapes, which tends to trap light and give it a less shiny appearance. As humans (or animals in general), we tend to associate shine with "health" and "wealth". With hair, this is still the case. Please know that some curls will not produce the shine you may associate with health, but your hair is healthy! It took a long time for me to accept this, but once I did, I was able to properly understand what was contributing to actual hair health, and what was just adding a fake shine (i.e. a layer of silicone or oil) to emulate health.

The final verdict

Getting keratin done is a personal choice, and we are not here to tell you how to live your life. There is no right or wrong answer!

If you are not planning on keeping your curls natural at any point, or want a wavier/straighter "natural" texture, then a keratin treatment might be your best option. It is a huge timesaver and will most likely give you the intended results.

However, know the treatment comes with consequences.

It will leave a hole in your wallet, especially if you need to do touch-ups (your natural texture will always be your regrowth).

It could cause some breakage, resulting in thinner hair or perceived hair loss.

It contains some chemicals that are not FDA approved.

Most importantly, it changes (and in some cases, permanently damages) your God-given natural texture. We're here to preach self love and acceptance. Keratin treatments, as handy as they are, only contribute further to the impractical and narrow standards of how a woman should look. We wish every woman (including ourselves!) could easily embrace their natural features and hair, but we get it.

It's tough being content in a world full of content.