Keratin treatment can last for weeks or even months, and if you love curly hair, you might be tempted to curl your hair after visiting a keratin treatment salon.
Can you curl your hair after keratin treatment? Yes, you can do it, but you are better off if you can avoid it.
Why should you avoid curling your hair?
One of the reasons is that during the first few weeks after visiting a keratin salon, the keratin is malleable, and anything you place on the hair will show. People have reported making it too obvious that they clipped their hair, so you can guess what a curling iron would do at high temperatures.
The other reason to avoid curling the hair is that the flat iron, curling iron, and hairdryer you use works at extremely high temperatures to break the hair fibers. Once the hair breaks, frizz begins to appear, which gives your hair a cheap look.
The final reason is that after curling the hair, you have the urge to wash the hair, which makes the keratin fade faster.
How to properly curl keratin-treated hair
You should avoid curling the hair, but you should do it right if you must curl it. How do you do it?
Ensure that the hair has properly dried out
As mentioned above, the keratin coating is malleable in the first week as the treatment is soaking into the hair. For best results, don’t try to curl your hair at this time. Let the first week run its course and be patient.
After one week, do a quick test by running your fingers through your hair. Does it feel sticky and patchy? If your fingers don’t run smoothly along the lengths of the hair and it feels a little sticky, the treatment has obviously not fully absorbed, and you shouldn’t curl it.
If your fingers run all the way smoothly, the treatment has set, and you can start doing the curls.
Do a strand test
Before you begin curling the hair, it’s wise that you undertake a strand test. The test will help you set the curling iron at the right heat and ensure that the keratin doesn’t peel off.
To do the strand test, grab a small section of your hair behind your neck to start with. This way, if it goes wrong, you can simply chop it off, and it won’t clash with the rest of the hair.
If you test a small area and it goes alright, you can go ahead and curl the rest of the hair.
When doing the curling, be cautious of the heat you use. To avoid burning your hair, use 365° F (185° C). To be safer, stick with lower temperatures.
Use the right curling tool.
You should curl your hair using a high-quality curling iron. The type of iron you use depends on the type of curls you are looking to achieve. For example:
- Large loose waves—1.75 inch barrel
- Gentle, relaxed waves – 2-inch barrel
- Soft, voluminous curls – 1.25-inch barrel
- Beach waves – curling wand
- Tighter ringlets – 1-inch barrel
- Tight kinky spirals – 3/8 inch barrel
Use a heat protection spray
To further protect the keratin-treated hair, use a heat protection styling spray to shield the hair. The protection spray will prevent direct heat on the keratin coating, preventing it from melting.
Have the hair curled by a professional
If you are afraid you might damage your hair during curling, have the hair done by an experienced hairstylist. As a rule of thumb, ensure that the stylist is experienced in Brazilian keratin straightening Rockville and curling.