Keratin treatments are semi-permanent straightening treatments for those who have unruly curls. They make the hair straight and frizz-free, making heads turn. The effects wear off over time, with each hair wash opening cuticles and removing some keratin coatings. Also, when the root regrowth of your natural hair becomes too long, the keratin treatment’s effects on the rest of the hair will fade away. This is why you might wonder how soon you can repeat a keratin treatment.
The strongest and longest-lasting keratin treatment can be performed every 4-5 months, depending on the texture of the hair, home care, and shampooing frequency. Furthermore, the more frequently you shampoo your keratin-treated hair, the faster the Keratin wears off.
Read also: Where Does Keratin Come From? 15 Foods
If you had a professional keratin treatment in a salon, you should wait at least 6 months before having it done again. However, Keratin will last longer if the hair is fine to medium and is shampooed less frequently. Another variable is the type of home care provided. Keratin will last longer if the recommended at-home products (no sodium or sulfites) are used.
Factors that determine how soon you can repeat your Keratin treatment
1. What Type Of Keratin And Where?
How often you repeat your keratin treatment depends on whether they have formaldehyde. Also, it will be determined by whether the treatment was done at home or by a professional.
For Keratin with formaldehyde, you should wait for 3 months before repeating but not before that. This is because formaldehyde has been reported to cause health issues in the hair. However, it is used for cases of very uncontrollable hair. If the keratin treatment was formaldehyde free, you can repeat it after 45 days.
For professional keratin treatments, you should repeat the treatment after six months and not before that. This is because professionals apply carefully and use concentrated products.
2. Hair Care Habits
If you wash your hair daily, you will have to repeat your keratin treatment regularly, probably after 30 days. However, if you wash your hair weekly, you can repeat your keratin treatment after 45 days.
If you take good care of your keratin treatment, you can stay longer without repeating it. Try to avoid repeating before 30 days.
You can take care of your keratin treatment by:
- Not washing frequently.
- Use sulfate-free products. For better results, use hair care products for your specific hair type.
- Blow-dry your hair at least twice a week.
3. Know Your Hair Type
You should know whether your hair is thick or fine because it will greatly affect the rate of frequency of keratin treatment.
You can repeat the treatment after 45 days if you have thin hair. Furthermore, if your hair is fine and damaged, you should add 15 more days( making them 60 days) before repeating it.
If your hair is thick (straight or curly), you can repeat the treatment regularly (after 30 days). Thick hair is stronger and tougher compared to fine hair.
Read also: Best Keratin Treatment for Curly Hair
4. The Purpose Of The Keratin Treatment
People apply keratin treatment for different reasons, the most common being to control hair volume and reduce frizz.
You might have applied the treatment but are yet to get the desired results. This can make you consider having a keratin treatment repeated.
Before doing a repeat, you should consider all the factors discussed above.
It is also advisable to consult a hair professional before making a final decision.
How To Enhance The Lifespan Of Your Keratin Treatment
1. Avoid Sulfates
Only use sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner on your hair. Using Hair Food Sulfate Free Shampoo can prolong the duration of your keratin treatment.
There are many mild hair care products on the market that you can use on your hair and give good results. These shampoos (e.g. the Moroccan Argan sulfate-free shampoo) produce less foam but contain healthy ingredients that won’t cause any harm to your hair.
2. Prevent Your Hair From Pollution And Avoid Using Low-Quality Styling Products
Although it is difficult to avoid everyday air pollution, it can affect your hair, making it weaker and frizzy. Excessive sun exposure can also cause dry hair and shorten the life of your keratin hair treatments.
Also, using low-quality coloring and bleaching products will result in fragile, dull hair.
3. Wait Before Washing Your Hair
After keratin treatments, you should wait for 48 hours before using your first shampoo, or 3 days if possible. This means you should only schedule your treatment when you are to attend a special event after the 48 hours are over. It can make you wash your hair before the recommended time, making it less effective. Read when you should do a first wash after a keratin treatment.
Furthermore, you should only apply a little force when washing your hair. Instead, use soft cotton to prevent breakage because your hair is weak at this point.
4. Moisturize Your Hair
Keeping your hair hydrated is a great way of maintaining your keratin treatment. When applying a hair mask, keep it away from your scalp. It is advisable to leave a 4-inch space. Leave the mask on for 20 minutes before rinsing to achieve silky hair. You can also use a leave-in conditioner because it strengthens my hair and leaves it smooth. Finally, adding proteins to your hair will help you get rid of that bad hair.
5. Avoid Too Much Heat Styling
Too much blow drying or flat ironing will not only cause heat damage to your hair but also shorten the duration of your keratin hair treatments.
Conclusion
Keratin treatments can smooth out hair, control frizz, and create a smoother surface, but too much Keratin can cause hair to feel brittle and dry. So, while you may desire straighter, smothered hair all the time, getting Keratin treatments too frequently can result in an undesirable dry texture to the hair. Instead, allow the Keratin to completely wear off the hair and treat it with moisturizing treatments between Keratin services.
Even if you have a thing for smooth and straight hair and want to keep it that way, you should consider an alternative treatment because Keratin is not a permanent hair smoothing treatment. Again, choose reputable salons or those you trust the most to achieve your expected results.
