Keratin treatments

Keratin treatments for straight, smooth hair have reached major popularity . These Brazilian keratin treatments are truly “the newest trend in defrizzing and smoothing many textures of hair from curly to relaxed.

Those who have had keratin hair treatments call them a “miracle” and applaud them for making blow drying and straightening hair much easier for months at a time. But the buzz about the treatments isn’t all positive, mostly because many of the brands on the market contain or initially contained formaldehyde. But as Mauricio Ribeiro, creator of the Brazilian Blowout explains, “[The treatments] have evolved so much.” Saying that customers no longer complain about a strong chemical smell, but that “you need a chemical to make the process work.” Chemist Doug Schoon, president of School Scientific in Dana Point, Calif., agrees. 

To get “shiny, straight hair for months, formaldehyde or other aldehydes must be used,” he says. Adding that he “believes [clients] have no risk” of being harmed by the treatments. Bottom line, the choice is yours when it comes to deciding if these treatments are right for you. To make your decision easier, read on to get answers to commonly asked questions about keratin hair treatments and feedback from readers on some of the big-name treatments.

There are so many keratin hair treatments available now, so if we missed one that you love or one that you had a bad experience with, please tell us about it by commenting on this story. 

What is a keratin hair treatment?

Also known as Brazilian hair treatments, keratin hair treatments are a semi-permanent, hair-smoothing, curl-softening professional chemical treatment. They make hair straighter, shinier and even healthier. The treatments are usually made up of a chemical like formaldehyde (which creates the long-lasting smoothing effect), conditioners, and some keratin (a protein our hair is made of to add strength).

How does a keratin hair treatment differ from Japanese straightening?

The Japanese hair straightening treatment (a.k.a. thermal reconditioning) is permanent — it actually changes the internal structure of your hair, removes all curl to create pin-straight strands and may damage hair. On the flip side, keratin hair treatments only last three to six months (depending on the product used and your lifestyle), they only soften curl (though they will straighten waves), eliminate frizz and can make hair healthier over time.