If you just got back from the hair salon or are scheduled for a keratin treatment coming up, you may have a few questions about what you can expect after getting your hair treated.
When you have keratin treated hair, there are certain precautions you should take to help ensure you get the most out of your money. If you follow some simple tips you can extend the life of your treatment and go even longer in between your hair appointments.
Here are some frequently asked questions about keratin treatment aftercare to help you maintain your silky smooth locks for longer.
How To Care For Keratin Treated Hair
How Long Does A Brazilian Keratin Treatment Last?
The average keratin treatment last approximately 12-14 weeks.
Of course this varies greatly depending on you hair maintenance as well as the type of hair you have.
If you don’t change any part of your normal hair care routine you may find that the keratin is stripped away from your strands within 2 weeks time. You will also find that the more you wash your hair during this time period the quicker your hair will return back to its normal state.
On the other hand, if you take the proper precautions and tips that I list below you could easily have straight, healthy hair for up 6-8 months.
When Can You Wash Your Hair After Getting The Treatment?
The most important thing you have to remember after a keratin hair treatment is to never wash your hair the first 72 hours after the treatment.
Not only should you not wash your hair during this time, but you shouldn’t allow it to get wet at all.
If you find that your hair is getting quite oily or dirty during these 3 days, you can use a good dry shampoo to help clean it up a bit. But, just remember to not get it wet with any type of hair product nor wash it at all for those first 3 days.
Once those 72 hours are up, you need to make sure that you use one of the best shampoos for keratin treated hair. The shampoo that you use should should have absolutely no harsh chemicals that will strip away the keratin from your hair.
Make sure that any shampoo or conditioner that you use is completely sulfate-free as well as sodium chloride-free.
Also, you want to wash your hair with as cool water as possible or at lest lukewarm water. Too hot of water can cause the keratin to start pulling off the strands and can also damage your strands. Even when you don’t have straightened hair it’s still a good idea to not wash your hair in hot water.
How To Take Care Of Your Hair the First 3 Days After A Brazilian Keratin Treatment
How you take care of your hair the first 3-4 days after the treatment will have a huge impact on how long your hair will remain silky smooth. If you don’t follow the proper guidelines during this time, you aren’t going to have very good results.
As mentioned above, never ever wash your hair until at least 72 hours after the procedure. Do not get it wet at all, so make sure you bring your umbrella with you and don’t go near a pool or beach.
The other things to keep in mind during those first 3-4 days include:
- Don’t use any hair clips, bands or ponytails in your hair
- Try not to tuck your hair behind your ears
- Avoid touching your hair as much as possible
- Only use dry shampoo if you really need to clean your hair
- Do not use any styling tools or heat near your hair such as a straightener or curling iron
- No workouts that will cause you to seat excessively
You should follow these guidelines for the first 72 hours to help you ensure that your hair really takes to the treatment and you have the straightest hair possible without any waves or bumps.
Important Sleeping Tips To Extend The Life Of Your Keratin Treatment
You may not know if but you can actually extend the life of your keratin straightening treatment by simply making a few changes to how you sleep.
The first tip is to use only a satin or silk pillowcase. These materials don’t create as much friction between the pillowcase and your hair as cotton material does. The less friction the less frizz and breakage you will have.
Secondly, never wear your hair in any type of ponytail or bun when sleeping. This can not only damage your hair but you’ll find that it will make your straightening treatment last a lot shorter than usual.
If you are the type of person that can’t stand your hair down while sleeping you can try to use a silk scarf to cover your hair at night and keep it off your face.
Lastly, if you want the most out of your straightening treatment, then try not to go to bed with your hair wet or damp.
Although it’s a good idea to air dry your hair after washing, you don’t want to sleep on the hair when it is still wet. Wet hair at night may not strip the keratin from your hair, but you will find that your hair won’t be as straight and smooth as it could be if you simply go to bed with dry hair.
What To Know About Using Styling Products After A Keratin Treatment
As mentioned above you should avoid any type of styling products that have chemicals that will break down the keratin in your hair.
The chemicals that you should steer clear of include sulfate, sodium chloride, and other parabens.
I recommend that you use a leave-in conditioner after washing your hair. A good leave-in conditioner will help to keep your hair from drying out as well as help tame your tresses as well. It can also help your hair to feel softer and even look shinier.
Just be sure to use a conditioner on that doesn’t have any of the no-no ingredients listed above.
If your hair is really dry or you feel like it doesn’t look as healthy as you would like you can use a deep conditioner or conditioning masque anywhere from once to twice a month. These deep conditioners help to really add in more moisture to your hair and provide vital nutrients and vitamins to keep your hair healthy.
Just don’t over do it as they are not made to be used on a daily basis. Start out using them once every 2-3 weeks to see how your hair responds.
If you blow-dry your hair often you can also use a heat protectant spray to help guard your hair from damage from the blow dryer. When blow drying your hair it’s a good idea to use a cooler setting as a keratin treatment actually makes your hair drying process a lot quicker. You don’t need the high heat after a keratin treatment and you actually want to avoid it so you don’t strip away the proteins from your hair.
You’ll find that after having the straightening treatment done you won’t need a lot of products to get the style you want. You can probably ditch most of the gels, mouses and hair sprays that you used before. The less stuff you put in your hair, the longer your treatment will last.
It’s also recommended that you wash your hair as little as possible as each washing breaks down the keratin. That means you may want to pick up a sulfate-free dry shampoo as an alternative to washing your hair every day. The dry shampoo will help your hair to still look clean and healthy even when you haven’t washed it for 2 or 3 days.
Can I Color My Hair Hair After A Keratin Treatment?
It is not recommended that you color your hair right after having a Brazilian keratin straightening treatment.
If you do color your hair, you should do it before the treatment (it can be done right before at the same salon appointment) or you should wait at least 2-3 weeks after you get your hair treated.
If you choose to color your hair right after the you’ll find that your color won’t be even due to the layer of proteins that is applied to the hair during the blowout treatment. It acts as a barrier so the hair dye may not take properly or may turn your hair spotty in certain areas.
The best time to actually color your hair is right before the keratin because it helps to seal in the color.
What Type of Hairstyles Can You Do With Keratin Straightened Hair ~ Can You Curl Your Hair?
One of the most common questions that I hear when it comes to straightening treatments is, can you curl your hair after a keratin treatment?
As mentioned before, you should never attempt to curl or style your hair the first 3 days after the treatment. But once those 72 hours are up, you have a lot more freedom when it comes to being able to style your keratin treated hair.
Yes, you can absolutely curl your hair after a keratin treatment.
This type of service doesn’t mean that you will have stick-straight hair but instead it helps to reduce the volume of the hair and restores it back to a healthy condition. This means most people find their hair straighter and with less frizz.
This also means that you may still have to run a straightening iron through your hair or you can curl it or add waves with a curling iron or wand.
With keratin treated hair you can basically do just about any type of hairstyle as long as you have waited the initial 72 hours after the treatment.
You’ll most likely find though that any style you choose won’t take you as long to accomplish from straightening to curling as it did before. One of the best benefits of keratin treatments is the fact that you won’t have to spend as much time styling your hair as you did before.
In Conclusion
The most important aftercare measures come within the first 3 days of having the application done to your hair. In those first 72 hours just be sure that you follow the advice of your hair stylist and don’t get your hair wet or put anything in your hair.
After your first shampoo you’ll find that you can simply have fun with your new, shiny and smooth hair and just take a few precautions to help make your keratin treatment last as long as possible.