What is a Keratin Treatment ?
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.
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.
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
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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.
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Repair Damaged Hair
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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.
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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.
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.
Choosing a Keratin Treatment
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There are 100’s of different types of keratin treatments on the market today, but not all treatments are created equal. Several factors must be considered when choosing a keratin treatment, so it is essential that you seek advice from a stylist that specializes in Keratin treatments.
The number one factor a stylist should consider when helping you choose a smoothing treatment is your hair type. Every Keratin treatment formula will react differently based on your hair type. So understanding your hair type, listening to your hair goals and having extensive experience with a wide range of treatments is essential. If you have a tight curl and you are looking to achieve straighter hair with less styling time, your stylist needs to understand what type of Keratin Treatment can reach that level of smoothing. |
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Another critical factor to be taken into account is your hair history. Were you bleach blonde last summer but now a dark brown? Knowing these details helps experienced stylist understand the cause and extent of the damage to your hair. Understanding how different treatments, products, and color affect your hair type tells an experienced stylist a lot about what they need to do to achieve healthy, strong hair. Before getting a Keratin Treatment be sure to find a stylist that is highly experienced in these treatments and understands the complexity of repairing your hair.
Keratin Products
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Many products are popping up all over the market that claim to be Keratin based. Although we have seen some pretty amazing products that can help improve the look and feel of your hair, we want to advise our readers to use caution when purchasing drug store brands that promise salon quality results. Most of these products contain no keratin or any other ingredients that affect the protein in your hair. They also have no scientific evidence backing the claims made on their bottles and do not deliver the results they promise. Do not fall for misleading labels that contain phrases like “keratin repair” or “pro-keratin.” See our blog post here about buying products for home hair care.
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A One Of A Kind Experience
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The Smoothbar is the first salon of its kind to specialize exclusively in smoothing treatments. From the ground up the salon was designed to offer the San Diego area top of the line smoothing treatment experiences. The Smoothbar takes precautions with their staff and their clients to ensure an excellent and comfortable experience. Each salon is equipped with a one of a kind ventilation system that extracts fumes from the salon for a comfortable experience during the treatment process. Boasting a modern design with 5-star luxuries The Smoothbar strives for every client to feel welcome and pampered.
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In addition to offering one of the most modern and stylish salons in southern California, The Smoothbar also takes pride in hiring only the best stylists around. All stylists working for The Smoothbar are highly experienced and have gone through intensive training and testing to ensure they are delivering consistent and quality results every time. Every stylist is trained in the 11 services offered and holds extensive knowledge on how each treatment affects every hair type.
Make an appointment with The Smoothbar today to see how beautiful your hair can be with a Keratin Treatment.
Make an appointment with The Smoothbar today to see how beautiful your hair can be with a Keratin Treatment.
* Smoothing Treatments like Keratin Treatments do not straighten hair. Although they do lessen the styling time, it may require multiple treatments consecutively to achieve a more relaxed curl pattern depending on your hair type.