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The early Noughties was a good time to be growing up with an untameable halo of frizzy hair. While my mother’s generation had to wrestle with all manner of ineffective contraptions, I had access to a growing number of hair tools, as well as serums and smoothers. Sure, my old hair straighteners don’t look great when compared to today’s generation of sleek wands, but the cramps and singed fingers felt like a small price to pay for poker straight hair at the time.
The real game-changer, though, happened the night before I started my first “real” job as an editorial assistant at an entertainment company. Having decided I needed a more efficient route to fabulous hair, I booked in for a keratin smoothing treatment at a salon. The seven-hour procedure was mind-numbing, but the pay-off was hair that swished, bounced, and infused 18-year-old me with some much-needed confidence.
Fast forward more than a decade, and I was still treating my hair to salon keratin treatments whenever my frizz stepped out of line. When I worried about the toll on my hair, I simply increased the time between treatments to give my hair a break. This cycle continued until I moved cities last year, and was forced to hit pause altogether on keratin in the absence of my go-to hairstylist.
Soon, I noticed fewer strands of hair on my pillow each morning, as well as in the shower. I started to wonder whether stopping the treatments had given me healthier hair that was less prone to breakage. I asked a haircare expert to weigh in.
How can keratin treatments impact your hair?
Dr Kiran Sethi, medical director of Isya Aesthetics, recommends delving into the science behind the process in order to fully understand the impact of keratin treatments on your hair. “Keratin smoothing treatments work by breaking the disulfide bonds in the hair–bonds that are responsible for your hair’s natural structure and texture. By breaking these bonds, the treatment aims to reattach them in a smoother, straighter configuration. However, the reformed bonds are inherently weaker than the original ones, leading to increased susceptibility to breakage and hairfall. This fundamental alteration in the hair’s structure can have both immediate and long-term effects on its health,” she explains.
How can I reverse the damage caused by keratin treatments?
Don’t expect an immediate and dramatic change in your hair when you stop keratin treatments after doing them for a long time, says Dr Sethi. But the pay-off for going cold turkey–a gradual reduction in breakage over time–is still worth the effort. “It takes about a year for the hair to recover after discontinuing keratin treatments. During this time, the original, healthier bonds have the opportunity to regain strength, leading to reduced breakage,” she says.
For those looking to aid the recovery process, she recommends focusing on internal nourishment as well as external care. “Internally, increasing protein intake through a balanced diet is crucial.” As for topical treatments, she recommends “regular oiling and serums for reducing frizz and damage. It is also important to opt for sun protection for the hair to protect the scalp from damage by UV rays. Proper haircare practices, such as using mild shampoos and avoiding additional chemical treatments during this recovery, are essential,” she concludes.
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