Is Keratin Treatment Good for Hair Loss? The Risk vs. Reward

Keratin‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ treatments have been known to be frizz smoothers and to add shine, thus the treatment builds the volume of the hair and makes it look healthier instantly. Generally, a keratin treatment is not good for hair loss and can even increase the amount of shedding and breakage in fragile hair.

On top of that, keratin treatments seal the hair shaft with a layer of protein from their ingredients and then use heat (flat ironing) to seal it in. The whole process dramatically changes the hair structure of the part that is already out of the scalp Impulses, but it basically does nothing to the root cause of hair loss (which is usually hormonal, genetic, or nutritional).

Why Keratin Treatments Can Be Detrimental to Thinning Hair

For hair already prone to falling out, the keratin process introduces several factors that can accelerate shedding or breakage:

1. Weight and Stress on the Root

With heavy formulas, keratin treatments usually add a lot of weight to each single hair strand without any exception.

Increased Stress

It is generally a bad idea to put a lot of weight on having weak, or telogen (shedding phase) hairs, however, in this case, it is even worse. This extra weight that comes with these kinds of hairs puts a lot of stress on their roots in the hair follicle which is already delicate.

Premature Shedding

The aforementioned stress on the hair follicle can sometimes be that much so that the hairs in this condition are forced to detach themselves from the follicle thus, leading to the common consequence of increased temporary shedding after the treatment.

2. Chemical and Heat Damage

The process relies on strong chemicals (often including formaldehyde-releasing agents) and intense, prolonged heat.

• Breakage Risk

The reason for using high heat when sealing the keratin on the hair with a flat iron, usually at a temperature of 450F or higher, is the quick breaking off of the hair with the weakest part, which in this case is the already weak and/or chemically damaged hairs. Thus, this part makes the whole hair brittle chemically. The broken fragments that therefore appear in this hair make it look like a severe hair loss happens.

• Follicle Irritation

The chemicals used in the application can sometimes irritate the scalp, leading to inflammation that can contribute to temporary hair fall.

Better Options for Thinning Hair

If your goal is to manage frizz and hair loss, you should prioritize scalp health treatments over hair smoothing treatments:

Conclusion 

While keratin treatments make existing hair look great, they do not treat or prevent hair loss. If you are struggling with shedding, focus on a dermatologist-recommended treatment plan for your scalp and roots before considering heavy chemical smoothing treatments like keratin.