Whether you're looking for a professional treatment that will make your hair smooth, shiny, and manageable or just want a more polished look, keratin treatments can be a great option for your hair. However, it's important to note that each person has different needs and results may vary from person to person. Here are some questions to ask yourself before deciding whether this treatment is right for you:

Your hair is frizzy and unmanageable and you want a salon solution

If your hair is frizzy, unmanageable and difficult to style, it's likely due to the cuticle being lifted. The cuticle is the outer layer of each individual hair strand; when this layer lifts up it exposes tiny scales that make your hair look fuzzy and rough. When you shampoo or blow dry your hair (or brush it), these scales are exposed causing them to stick together and form knots on top of each other--making them even more noticeable!

Salon keratin treatments coat these scales with a protein that prevents them from lifting so they stay smooth instead of sticking out in all directions like little spikes. Many salons also offer formaldehyde free treatments. They may not yield as straight a result, but you might find them safer for you and less aggressive for your hair, especially if your hair is bleached or damaged.

If you are seeking smoother, softer more manageable hair and you feel you can do it yourself, there are many at-home options

For those of us who are looking for smoother, softer and more manageable hair, but want to avoid the toxic salon chemicals and the toxic price $$$, there are many products that you can buy to do-it-yourself at home.  Search Amazon for at-home keratin smoothing treatments and you will find a lot of options.  Some are very inexpensive, but only last for one shampoo.  Others last longer, but cost more.  You will have to pick what’s best for you.  If you want to consider a smoothing treatment that doesn’t require a flat iron, you might want to check our Flat Iron Free Express HERE.

Your hair is coarse and you'd like it softer or shinier hair but not straighter

If you have coarse  hair and your goal is just to get it softer and a bit more manageable, you might be able to try this without the time and expense of keratin treatment.  Check out the display at the front of any good salon and ask the stylists for a recommendation for a good combination of shampoo, conditioner and leave in conditioner.  If you are not seeking smoother, straighter and more manageable hair, this is a far easier and less expensive option for shinier hair.

You want to reduce your curl but not get it straight.

If you have curly hair, then it's likely that your biggest problem is frizz. You may want to reduce the volume of your curls and make them less bouncy. This can be done at a salon or at home.  If your preference is a salon, tell your stylist  you are seeking a formaldehyde free smoothing treatment with nutrients, anti-oxidants and  vitamins.  Keratin treatments that are formaldehyde free and use ingredients called cysteine (a natural amino acid) to chemically alter the structure of your hair  may be a good choice.  These can make your hair  smoother and more manageable than before, but they wont make it straight.  These treatments don't damage as much of the protein in each strand as heat does when used on its own--so while there may be some loss in elasticity over time (which means looser curls), there won't be any breakage or split ends if done properly!

Conclusion

If you're thinking of getting a keratin treatment, we hope this article has helped you decide whether or not it's right for you.  There is nothing like speaking with a professional stylist to talk through your options.  If you are looking for a treatment that you can do at home less expensively that avoids strong chemicals, you might want to try on of the Keratin Salon Direct smoothing treatments.