Whats up with these SMOOTHING AND KERATIN TREATMENTS?

Every where you look now you see all of these different types of permanent and semi permanent hair smoothing/ straightening systems or thermal hair straightening. WARNING, there are a lot of these treatments out on the market professional grade and consumer grade that have harmful chemicals in them such as formaldehyde, aldehydes, and other chemicals that are not good for you as a whole not only your hair. Formaldehyde is a chemical used in embalming fluids, that is a carcinogenic. Such products are Keratin Complex and Brazilian Blow out, these two are the most popular in the salon as well as on the news and in the media for their formaldehyde content.

Now not all of the smoothing treatments are harmful to you and your hair, I use one that is completely 100% vegan myself that I love. In this case you will need to seek out a knowledgeable stylist that will do or has done the research on the products ingredients, and most of all don't be afraid to ask questions, like what is the main active ingredient? and does it give off an odor? and do I have to keep getting the treatment? and so on. Only half of the treatment is the actual product the other half is the skill and understanding of your stylist, a lot of damage can be done with the flat iron alone.

I will go in to the basic procedure of most of the smoothing treatments. It normally takes 3-5 hours and cost between $200-$600 for the semi permanent, and for some permanent treatments can increase in time and price. All procedure should begin with a consultation where the stylist analyzes you hair and scalp. Most treatments begin with some sort of clarifying shampoo to remove all of the impurities, products, and silicones from the hair, then the active solution is applied (some treatments on wet hair and some on dry), once the solution is dried into the hair in a smoothing motion then it is technically flat ironed to seal the product into the hair. When I say technically flat ironed I mean it has to not only be flat ironed straight but sealed and polished with the flat iron, which takes several passes slow and fast ( this is where the skill and expertise of your stylist comes in). Some treatments require the client to go home and shampoo in 12-48 hrs with the required shampoo, and others have an extra step of rinsing and conditioning the hair then styling.

The end results promise to be frizz free, easier to manage, offer quicker drying time and less responsive to humidity without losing your body which should last 2-4 months for the semi permanent formulas. This can be a great treatment for many people and it also can be a really bad experience in the long run if proper care and research isn't in the equation.

Hope this helped many, please leave your comments and questions.