If you’ve clocked countless hours sweating in the bathroom while straightening your hair or struggling with your blow-dryer, it may be time to consider a keratin treatment. This professional treatment is a popular in-salon option for taming unruly hair, smoothing waves and curls, and reducing frizz. Perhaps most importantly, keratin treatments eliminate the need to wield hot tools every day. A well-executed (i.e., by an expert) treatment can keep your hair looking smooth and manageable for months.
With that said, getting a keratin hair treatment comes with a few more considerations than using a flat iron. There are quite a few benefits, but it also requires specific aftercare to maintain the look. To determine whether or not a keratin treatment is right for your hair, it’s important to understand the process and what it actually does to your strands. Ahead, find our beginner’s guide to keratin hair treatments, chock-full of answers to all your most pressing hair-smoothing questions.
What Is a Keratin Treatment?
By the most basic definition, a keratin treatment is a chemical service in which a solution applied to your hair smooths the surface of each strand. As a result, you’ll be left with a much looser (or entirely straight) texture, as well as minimal frizz and maximal shine.
However, a number of different treatments, from chemical straightening services to less intense smoothing treatments, can be referred to as keratin hair treatments. Some actually alter the bonds in your hair, while others simply coat the hair cuticle and fill in gaps where your natural keratin is damaged or depleted. If you’re not sure which type of service the salon nearest you offers, your stylist or a representative of the business can explain exactly what will happen to your mane.
What are the benefits of a keratin hair treatment?
While keratin treatment results can vary, these are the benefits most often associated with this type of treatment:
- Reduces frizz
- Adds shine
- Strengthens hair
- Reduces drying time
- Long-lasting results
- Softens hair texture
- Smooths curly or wavy hair
- Increases manageability
- Decreases styling time
- Protects against humidity
How Long Does a Keratin Treatment Last?
A keratin treatment typically lasts between three to six months, depending on various factors like hair type, the specific treatment used, and your aftercare routine. Unlike permanent chemical relaxers, keratin treatments are semi-permanent, with results gradually fading as you wash your hair over time. This means how often you shampoo can directly affect longevity—fewer washes usually mean longer-lasting results.
Good hair day by @minkimcolorist.
Who Should Try a Keratin Treatment?
A keratin treatment is ideal for anyone looking to reduce frizz, smooth unruly hair, and add shine without relying on daily heat styling. If you struggle with frizzy, curly, or wavy hair that’s difficult to style, a keratin treatment can significantly ease your routine by making hair more manageable and silky. It can be especially beneficial for those who spend a lot of time fighting humidity or want to cut down on drying and styling time.
However, keratin treatments aren’t suitable for everybody. Those with color-treated hair, in particular, may want to exercise caution before committing to a keratin treatment. If you’ve spent months achieving the perfect blonde or vibrant shade, be sure to consult with your stylist before getting a keratin treatment to ensure it won’t affect your color. In general, whether you have colored strands or not, a consultation with a licensed stylist is key to understanding how this treatment will interact with your hair type and align with your personal preferences.
If you aren't ready for a keratin treatment but still want to add keratin to your haircare routine, try the L’Oréal Professionnel Liss Unlimited Line. This range, which consists of a shampoo, hair mask, and blow-dry oil, is formulated with prokeratin (a mix of amino acids made up of oils and keratin). Together, the products create an anti-frizz routine that helps strengthen the hair and leave it looking smooth and shiny.
How Can You Prep Your Hair for a Keratin Treatment?
You’ve decided to get a keratin treatment—what’s next? Here, find a few tips to get ready for your appointment.
Consider a trim
If you’re due for a trim or ready to lose a few inches, we recommend doing so before your keratin treatment. Getting a cut afterward tends to be a waste of product and time. There’s no point in doing the treatment on a bunch of hair you’ll only want to cut off after. Even if you want to maintain your length, a quick dusting can help ensure your end result looks fresh and healthy.
Plan for a lengthy appointment
Keratin hair treatments take quite a bit of time—there’s no way around it. So, it’s best to prepare. Clear your calendar, eat beforehand, wear comfy clothes, and consider taking a walk pre-appointment (since you won’t have much opportunity to move around once you get started).
Wash your hair but skip treatments and stylers
You can prep for your treatment by giving your hair a good shampoo. You don’t want oils or buildup to get in the way of the treatment. While your stylist will wash your hair at the start of the appointment, it’s still best not to show up with a dirty mane.
For good clarifying action, try the Pureology Pure Volume Shampoo. Not only will it get your strands and scalp clean, but it’s also sulfate-free, which means you’ll be able to continue using it after your treatment (stay tuned for more on why sulfate-free products are a must for keratin-treated hair).
After you wash your hair, resist the urge to apply other products. Again, they may make your keratin treatment less effective.
What To Expect During an In-Salon Keratin Treatment
If you’re like us, you like to know what to expect at the salon before you go. While salon services tend to vary from one salon to another (and from stylist to stylist), the process for a keratin treatment is pretty standardized. Your stylist will coat your hair in keratin solution, then seal it in with heat. Of course, there’s a bit more to it than that. In fact, the whole endeavor can take up to four hours—the longer and thicker your hair, the longer it typically takes. Ahead, we’re breaking down each step in getting a keratin hair treatment.
1. Initial consultation
Your stylist will assess your hair type, condition, and goals to choose the right keratin formula for you.
2. Hair washing
As we mentioned, starting with clean hair is a must. Even if you’ve washed your own hair already, your stylist will give your hair a deep clean with a clarifying shampoo. You might even get a relaxing scalp massage out of it!
3. Keratin solution application
Next comes the actual keratin solution. Your stylist will diligently apply it section by section until your entire head is coated. This step can take a good amount of time, as it’s key to coat every single strand, and there are no shortcuts.
4. Processing time
Just as your hair color has to sit and process, the same goes for a keratin solution. Exactly how long your hair needs to process can vary, but you can expect to wait somewhere between 20 and 60 minutes.
5. Blow-drying
Once the solution has set, your stylist will blow dry your hair. Again, they’ll take their time and dry each section.
6. Flat ironing
Last but not least comes the flat ironing. In order to get that super sleek look, your stylist will go over small sections of hair until they’ve straightened every piece. This step requires a flat iron that can reach high temperatures—somewhere around 420-450°F is generally considered ideal for sealing in a keratin treatment.
7. Post-treatment instructions
Once your treatment is over, before your stylist sends you on your way, they’ll share advice on how to care for your hair. These instructions can make all the difference in how your keratin hair treatment lasts, so pay attention! If you want to study up in advance, we’ll explain the common rules for keratin-treated hair below.
Good hair day by @hairbysinemadelen.
How Should You Care for Hair After a Keratin Treatment?
1. Don’t wash your hair (at first)
If you leave the salon and immediately wash your hair (or get caught in a rainstorm), chances are your new look won’t last. Avoid washing your hair and stay out of the water for three days after your appointment.
Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean you need to go around with greasy-looking locks until you’re allowed to wash again. Typically, it’s considered okay to use dry shampoo on keratin-treated hair, but double-check with your stylist. Once you have the A-OK, give your roots a few spritzes of Redken Deep Clean Dry Shampoo to refresh your hair.
2. Avoid creasing your hair
For those first few days after a keratin hair treatment, doing anything that can leave dents or creases in your hair is a major no-no. You don’t want to disrupt your smooth strands, which means no tight hair ties, headbands, or clips for about three days.
3. Use a sulfate-free haircare system
If you’re used to sudsing up with any old shampoo, that will have to stop. Using any products with sulfates (which many shampoos contain) post-treatment can compromise your results. You’ll want to switch to a system with a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner, like Kérastase’s Bain Fluidealiste Shampoo and Fondant Fluidealiste Conditioner. Both are formulated with the brand’s Morpho-Kératine™ Complex and help transform frizzy hair into soft, healthy-looking strands.
4. Limit heat styling
To maximize the lifetime of your keratin treatment, keep heat styling to a minimum. When you do heat style your hair, always use a heat protectant and keep your hot tool on a low heat setting.
Pro tip: While you don’t want to use unnecessarily high heat on your strands, you also shouldn’t use such a low setting that you need to go over the same sections of hair repeatedly—that’s a recipe for damage. Use hot tools on the lowest setting that doesn’t require multiple passes.
5. Protect your hair against chlorine and saltwater
Both chlorine and saltwater can take a toll on hair, and this can be especially true for keratin-treated locks. You don’t have to avoid the water entirely (except for those first three days), but we’d recommend securing your hair atop your head and refraining from going completely underwater.
Next Up: Do You Need a Hair Protein Treatment?
Interested in scheduling your own keratin treatment? Use our salon locator to book an appointment with a stylist near you.
Header photo credit: L’Oréal
