Soft and glossy hair, no breakage, and no frizz — those are all benefits you get from a keratin treatment. It can be very tempting to get these treatments done as often as possible to always keep your hair looking as stunning as it does on the day of treatment!
But before you rush to the salon at the first sight of returning frizz, consider that these treatments can be damaging if done too frequently. You need to space them out so that they’re safe for your hair.
So how soon can you repeat the keratin treatment? It depends on the type of treatments you got. If the treatment contains formaldehyde, you have to wait at least 3 months between treatments. Non-formaldehyde treatments should be spaced out by at least 45 days.
However, these are just guidelines. In order to figure out the perfect frequency of keratin treatments for you, you have to take into consideration your hair texture, hair health, and hair maintenance routine.
In this post, we will discuss all the factors that affect keratin treatment frequency so you can figure out the best schedule for you. This will keep your hair looking its absolute best while preserving its health and beauty!
How Often Should You Get A Keratin Treatment
Spacing out your keratin treatments by three months is the rule of thumb, but in reality, each person’s hair is different and each stylist uses a different type of keratin treatment, so your mileage may vary.
To better understand how soon you can get another keratin treatment, you need to consider what type of keratin treatment you got and what your hair type is.
Types Of Keratin Treatments
There are lots of different types of keratin treatments out there. Different salons use different brands for their keratin treatments. You can also get a keratin treatment done at home, but then you still have to navigate between different types of keratin treatments.
What all of these treatments have in common is that they provide your hair with a boost of keratin, which is a naturally-occurring protein found in your hair.
This keratin fills in the “holes” in your hair that were caused by damage. It also coats your hair with a layer of smooth keratin.
This treatment helps strengthen and seal your hair cuticles, resulting in frizz-free, shiny, and healthy hair. Oftentimes it also straightens your hair and gives it a smoother texture. The results of a keratin treatment can last weeks or even months.
Knowing what type of keratin treatment you’re getting is the key to figuring out how often you’ll be able to repeat it.
There are two main categories of keratin treatments:
- Formaldehyde
- Formaldehyde-free
Formaldehyde is found in many keratin treatments at different levels — this is the chemical that makes your hair straighter and smoother. Formaldehyde is a concerning ingredient because it’s a carcinogen and it can damage your hair.
If you got a formaldehyde keratin treatment, you should avoid repeating the treatment until at least 3-6 months have gone by to give your hair time to recuperate.
Formaldehyde-free keratin treatments are a newer invention, but many of them work as well as traditional keratin treatments. The results of formaldehyde-free keratin treatments don’t usually last as long as those that contain formaldehyde and they aren’t as effective at straightening your hair.
If you got a formaldehyde-free keratin treatment, you can repeat it as soon as two months, although we suggest double-checking with your stylist to make sure the chemicals used in your treatment are okay to use that often.
Hair Type
Another thing that affects how often you can be getting keratin treatments is your hair type. Certain types of hair hold on to keratin longer than others, so if you get the treatment done too soon, you can have too much keratin in your hair, which can cause breakage.
- Thick and coarse hair holds on to keratin for a longer time than fine hair.
- If you have thick, coarse, frizzy, or curly hair, you should space out your keratin treatments by 4 months minimum. A few treatments per year is more than enough for you.
- If you have fine, straight, or thin hair, you can get keratin treatments more frequently since your hair loses keratin faster.
Your hair may fall somewhere on the scale between these extremes, so take that into consideration and use it as a guide.
Remember that regardless of the type of hair you have, you should also keep in mind the type of keratin treatment you’re getting because that can give you a better idea of how long you need to wait between treatments.
Is It Bad To Repeat A Keratin Treatment Too Soon?
Getting a keratin treatment too often can have some negative consequences because of the chemicals in the treatment.
Formaldehyde is a chemical that you don’t want to be exposed to frequently because it’s a carcinogen. It can also cause some respiratory issues and irritation during exposure. It’s not necessarily bad for your hair, it’s just not recommended that you have frequent exposure to it.
Of course, there are some formaldehyde-free alternatives that you can choose instead which don’t carry this kind of risk. But even with formaldehyde-free alternatives, repeating your keratin treatment too often can be counter-productive.
A keratin treatment can cost you hundreds of dollars, so it’s best to spread that cost out as much as possible unless you really need it.
Additionally, keratin treatments involve a lot of heat application, which can be drying and damaging to your hair. Although the keratin itself can offset some of that heat damage, you don’t want to expose your hair to that much heat too often.
It’s best to try and take really good care of your hair after a keratin treatment so that you don’t have to repeat these treatments very often.
How To Make Your Keratin Treatment Last Longer
Knowing that you have to space out your keratin treatments by a few months to keep your hair safe and healthy, you’re probably wondering what you can do to make your gorgeous hair last longer.
Here are some things you can do to extend the effects of your keratin treatment.
Go Sulfate-Free
When washing your hair, opt for a high-quality, sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner system. Shampoos with sulfate can be too harsh and strip the keratin coating off of your hair, decreasing the longevity of your treatment.
There are lots of sulfate-free shampoos on the market, including some you can find at drugstores and online.
If you’re worried about the cost of sulfate-free shampoos, don’t be too concerned. Your sulfate-free shampoo will last you a long time because your hair doesn’t need to be washed as much once it’s treated with keratin.
Our favorite duo of sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner is this one by VERB — it’s totally safe to use on keratin-treated hair and leaves your tresses feeling silky and hydrated.
The keratin treatment protects your hair from build-up and you will likely be using fewer styling products, so your hair won’t be getting as dirty.
Avoid Heat Styling
Once you have your hair treated with keratin, you probably won’t want to style it much anyways. That’s a good thing because putting too much heat on your hair can strip the keratin from your hair.
Not to mention it can lead to dryness and breakage, which can contribute to the development of frizz and offset the effects of your treatment.
Thankfully, your keratin treatment should make your hair look good enough on its own and you won’t need to reach for the hot tools.
Avoid Chlorine
If you love spending a lot of time in pools or hot tubs, you might need to change up your habits after you get your keratin treatment.
Instead of getting in the water, spend more time poolside or put your hair up to avoid getting it wet when you do take a dip.
This is because too much chlorine can be bad for your keratin treatment. It can dry out your hair, strip off the keratin, and even lead to discoloration.
Of course, you shouldn’t avoid swimming in the pool altogether. Keep it to a minimum, keep your hair pulled up, and wash it afterward with a gentle sulfate-free shampoo.
Use A Keratin Hair Mask
Using a keratin hair mask in-between treatments can help extend your keratin treatment longer. A good mask can replenish the lost keratin and add some of it back.
Just be careful not to overuse it — too much keratin can lead to breakage. We recommend using a keratin hair mask once a week and keeping it on your hair for about 5-10 minutes for best results.
There are a lot of great keratin hair masks out there that you can choose from. Our favorite is this VIRTUE hair mask that contains a type of keratin that is almost identical to the keratin naturally found in your hair.
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