Keratin is a naturally occurring protein in our bodies that makes up a large amount of our skin, hair, and nails. Keratin can be hard, like our nails or animals claws, or it can be soft and malleable like hair. Although the keratin cells are dead by the time they are visible on your body, it is still essential that they are cared for.
Keratin is vital for the health of the delicate tissues it covers. Taking care of the keratin proteins and regulating their growth while they are still active in your body promotes healthy hair, skin, and nails. Adequate nutrition high in vitamin A and vitamin D supports healthy growth of keratin inside your body which results in a more robust growth of skin, hair, and nails.
The keratin protein makes up about 95% of our hair, so healthy keratin production is essential to beautiful, shiny hair. Over time the keratin that makes up your hair may become damaged and broken down by environmental factors, products, and styling routines. Once keratin is visible outside the body, it can no longer be repaired by diet and nutrition, so other routes of protection and repair are necessary.
Hair damage is caused by a number of factors, but no matter the cause most hair damage results in the same outcome; breakage. Each hair strand has three layers. The medulla is a honeycomb keratin structure with air spaces inside that make up the center of each hair strand.
The cortex gives flexibility and stretching strength to hair and contains melanin granules, which give hair its color. The cortex is made from tiny fibers of keratin running parallel to each other along the length of the hair shaft. The cuticle is made from 6 to 11 layers of overlapping semi-transparent keratin scales. Someone with thick, coarse hair will have more overlapping layers of cuticles than someone with fine hair. When hair gets damaged these scales start to peel back, exposing the cortex and allowing it to dry out. This peeling can cause split ends, breakage and frizz. Dry hair is a common problem because it has so many causes. Heat from styling or the environment, over coloring your hair without proper caution, lightening your color, and even some products can also dry out your hair.
How To Avoid Hair Damage
Avoiding damage to your hair is not always 100% possible, many everyday habits can take its toll, but taking precautions can help. Always be sure you are using quality hair products from your shampoo to your hairspray. Quality, reputable hair product manufacturers do not sell products to many distributors that are not licensed stylist, so be sure you are getting your products from an authorized distributor. Also, be sure to choose products designed for your hair type and styling needs. A heat protectant and a serum should be a daily essential in your hair routine as they will help protect your hair from environmental factors as well as styling.
Repair Damaged Hair
Repairing damaged hair can be a real challenge without proper knowledge of the hair’s makeup and factors that caused the damage. Many people spend lots of time and money on products that claim to hydrate their hair, just to find that these products do not provide a long term viable solution. The only real solution to repairing hair that has been damaged at a molecular level is to replenish the keratin protein itself as well as utilizing bond rebuilding technology.
Bond rebuilders utilize a specifically engineered co-polymer combined with a high-purity targeted delivery system. This scientifically advanced system reattaches and builds the bonds that make up the cellular membrane complex, helping prevent the loss of cuticle and cortex cells responsible for supporting the inner structure of the hair. This breakthrough technology dramatically reduces breakage and help to rebuild compromised hair. Once the bonds have also been replaced in the hair structure they will never wash out. Those new bonds will be in your hair until you either cut off your hair or break it back down again. Bond rebuilders are the only solution that actually repairs hair. Just doing a deep conditioner will help with the overall feel of the hair but will not repair the hair.
There are many deep conditioning treatments available on the market today that can rehydrate your hair, but we have seen that best results come when they are paired with Keratin treatments that help lock the moisture into the hair. Keratin treatments work by replenishing the hair’s keratin proteins to smooth the natural occurring scales back down into position and filling the gaps of lost keratin where the cuticle is exposed. This is why they are called “Smoothing Treatments”, they smooth your hair back into place on a molecular level.