Hair Smoothening – The Fascinating Treatment For Frizzy Hair!

Are you spending hours combing your hair before leaving your home? Let us spare you the arm workout for later and get to business. The sad news is most women have damaged hair without even knowing it! Chances are you have frizzy and unmanageable hair and are probably crying out for help. Luckily, hair smoothening got you covered. This is one of the most popular hair treatments among women today. 

Frizzy hair is a widespread problem faced by women around the world. Hair care experts conducted a survey in the UK, which showed that over 40% of women experience frizz daily. The survey also found that humidity and rain are frizz triggers. If you are a woman living in a humid climate- beware! Because you might be more prone to frizz.

What Is Hair Smoothening? What Does It Help For?

Hair smoothening can help restore your hair’s natural smoothness and shine. It makes it look healthier than ever before. It can also reduce breakage and split ends. Now you can say goodbye to those annoying hair problems that have driven you crazy for so long! But that is not all – hair smoothening can also make hair more manageable, especially if you have thick or curly hair. Women with curly hair often struggle with frizz and tangles. This makes it difficult to manage their locks. However, with hair smoothening, curly hair can become easier to brush and style. You can also save tons of extra time to do more productive things than doing your hair.

So, if you are tired of dealing with your unmanageable hair, talk to your hairstylist and try hair smoothening! Hair smoothening has the power to improve the health of your hair and reduce breakage and split ends. They also make your locks more manageable. There is a high chance that you might fall in love with your hair all over again!

Hair Smoothening Treatments And Effects

No doubt curly hair has its beauty to it. They are attractive and give a gypsy touch to a person’s appearance. It can also be an icebreaker in some conversations. But if you are someone who wants to achieve a sleeker and straighter hairdo- then hair smoothening is the champ! Hair smoothening is a chemical treatment that helps reduce frizz and make your hair smoother and more manageable.

The process involves applying a keratin-based solution to the hair. Keratin helps to break down the bonds that give hair its natural curl or wave. After the application, the hair is blow-dried and flat-ironed to lock in the new and smoother hair texture. The process typically takes several hours to complete and lasts several months. Hair smoothening is not suitable for everyone for several reasons. It is crucial to consult your hairstylist before you give this a shot. People with damaged or weak hair, or those who have recently undergone chemical treatments such as coloring or perming, may not be good candidates for hair smoothening.

The safety of hair smoothening has also been debatable in the past few years. Some hair smoothening treatments contain high levels of formaldehyde. In simpler terms, formaldehyde(1) is a cancer-causing substance that triggers respiratory problems if inhaled during treatment. Many salons now offer formaldehyde-free alternatives or use low-formaldehyde formulas that meet safety standards to alleviate these risks.

What Are The Different Hair Smoothening Techniques?

We heard about lots of techniques when it comes to hair smoothening lets dive into different types of smoothening techniques and how does it works!

Salon Treatments

Here are the most popular hair smoothening procedures used in practically every salon:

Keratin Treatment

There is a good chance you have heard about Keratin if you have ever sat in a packed beauty salon. The protein known as keratin is responsible for the hair’s strength and natural appearance.   

In general, a few methods are involved in doing Keratin treatments for smoothening hair. It uses potent chemical dissolvents to disrupt the curly hair’s natural molecular structure. And then straightening it with a flat iron to reorganize the strands upright and fixing the straighter hair in place with Keratin and neutralizers. As a good option for many, keratin treatments are among the most popular hair smoothening techniques. Most women who choose keratin treatments have curly hair but do not necessarily need severe chemicals and a complete rebounding to fix that. 

Japanese Smoothening

The last resort for those with the harshest, most unmanageable curls, this one is also known as thermal reconditioning. Japanese hair smoothening permanently changes the molecular structure of the hair. The hair proteins are dissolved and reshaped to be manageable by brushes and straighteners. Much like Keratin treatment but using more concentrated chemical solutions. It would take 6 to 8 hours to complete this treatment, and after your hair has been completely reshaped, you’ll need to go back to the salon for touch-up appointments to complete the rebounding.

Hair Relaxing

Hair relaxing is one of the least harsh chemical types of hair smoothening. It enables you to eliminate general frizz and twisty hair by using specialized hair creams and masks created for relaxing the hair, rather than completely reshaping it. Unlike Keratin treatment and Japanese hair smoothening, the hair relaxing method is a relatively inexpensive treatment that will apply much less stress to your hair strands and require a much shorter application time (about 1 or 2 hours).

Most women can get softer and easier to manage hair relaxation, but they are ineffective against severe frizz and curl. Additionally, because they are primarily designed to nourish and moisturize your hair, they will also provide you with the added benefits of protecting your hair from split ends, dehydration, and breakage.

Chemical At-Home Treatments

At-home treatments are similar to salon treatments but packaged and toned down to prevent severe side effects because of the user’s inexperience. The goal of at-home hair smoothening kits is to quickly and easily duplicate the salon procedure so that you can complete all the necessary steps for smoother hair at home. Here are some of the most popular ones.

At-Home Keratin treatment 

At-home keratin treatment is cost-efficient, powerful, and done from the convenience of your home. For people familiar with hair smoothening techniques. At-home keratin treatment kits have been used as the best option to achieve straight, sleek, and shiny hair without the hassle of visiting the beauty salon. When done correctly, they can be relatively effective at controlling your curly hair and will cost only a fraction of what a salon treatment would. It would be a great protein treatment for your curly hair. They will also put much less stress and chemical toxicity on your hair.

The application of keratin treatment kits correctly requires practice and has a shorter effective period. The chemicals are potent, and their misuse could have serious outcomes. It is strongly advised to follow the directions on the packaging and choose an airy space to avoid inhaling the chemicals.

Hair Smoothening Serums, Creams, Masks

After a shower, hair smoothening creams can be applied to your hair with your fingers to give you extra soft and sleek hair when dried and brushed. This method is likely the simplest and fastest way to achieve straighter hair. Made for your convenience, hair smoothening creams and masks do not require any tools or lengthy application times.

They can make any type of hair softer and easier to manage, but they are ineffective against severe frizz and curl. Additionally, because they are primarily designed to nourish and moisturize your hair, they will also provide you with the added benefits of shielding your hair from split ends, dehydration, and breakage.

Things To Do Before Your Hair Smoothening 

Let’s understand a few precautions you must take before smoothening your hair.

• Do your research. You can look online for women who have had the same treatment. If you know a friend about hair care, take her suggestions. 

Go through the public reviews about a few salons, stylists, and products to know what is best for you and what is not.

• Visit a reliable salon with trained professionals. Do not be afraid to learn more about chemical treatments and inquire about the authenticity of the hairstylists.
• Before undergoing the hair smoothening treatment, you should understand your hair type and its requirements.
• Once you’ve selected a salon, sit down, and have a detailed conversation with your stylist about your hair type, texture, and the best treatment for you. Make sure that the outcomes produced by the method align with your preferences.
• Check with your hairstylist about what products he will use on you. Ask him about the possible side effects. It should be non-toxic and formaldehyde-free or low-formaldehyde.
• Before hair smoothening, your hair must not have any other hair products or even residues of products. You should thoroughly wash your hair with a gentle shampoo and use a moisturizing conditioner after.
• The salon you choose should have an appropriate ventilation system because hair smoothening involves the use of chemicals that can have adverse effects when inhaled.

How Long Do Smoothening Treatments Last?

The longevity of hair smoothening treatment depends on your hair type, environment, before care, and aftercare. Usually, Keratin treatment at salons will last for 2 to 3 months. However, avoid the following things if you want to see longer results.

• Using heavy and sticky oils in your hair
• Using too many harsh styling hair products
• Washing your hair every day
• Using cheap shampoos that have sulfate
• Not using hair serum after washing your hair
• Tower drying your hair often
• Using heat styling tools for your hair. Example- curling iron and straightening iron.

Whereas Japanese smoothening works will give you excellent results for 7 to 8 months. This treatment lasts the longest because your hair is permanently changed, and until it grows back, it will never be the same. Therefore, even though it is one of the most effective hair transformation treatments available, you should reconsider making such an irreversible change to your natural beauty and all the adverse side effects that come along. Lastly, hair smoothening through At-home keratin treatment, serum, and masks will last until your next hair wash. It is ideal if you prefer to avoid semi-permanent changes in your appearance. 

Who Can Do Hair Smoothening?

Avoid chemical hair smoothening if you have damaged or brittle hair. Women with dry scalps and dry hair are also easily affected by hair smoothening treatments. However, natural beauty bloggers and experts recommend home remedies involving milk, bananas, eggs, honey, oats, etc.  All these ingredients are moisturizing, and nourishing, and have protective qualities to smoothen your hair. The natural remedies may help combat your frizzy and unmanageable hair. While the natural solutions won’t magically change your frizzy hair overnight, they will undoubtedly help make it softer and glossier without the possible side effects of chemical treatments.

Disadvantages Of Hair Smoothening Treatment

Hair smoothening has some drawbacks, just like other chemical treatments. Before you commit to any treatment, let’s discuss some of its disadvantages to give you a better picture.

Hair Loss

Losing a few strands of hair is not a big deal, but increased exposure to chemical substances can gradually worsen your hair fall to a problematic extent. Such treatments can harm your hair follicles and separate them from your scalp and roots resulting in hair fall. It has been proven that frequent use of hair smoothening treatments over a short period will damage your hair volume and cause excessive thinning, breakage, and hair loss.

Dryness

Hair smoothening processes are different but when you smooth your hair, everything seems fine for the first few months. However, during the wearing of the treatment, the toxic residue will obstruct the natural moisture in your hair and result in dryness. The hair will also result in fragile hair strands that are prone to breaking.

Irreversible Change

Chemical hair smoothening treatment contains dissolvents to smooth the hair by removing disulfide bonding and amino acids, rebounding the hair, and giving it a straight appearance. Chemicals also diminish the naturally occurring protective layers in your hair. Moreover, suppose you repeatedly get chemical treatments for your hair without giving it enough time to restore its natural state and heal itself. In that case, you may permanently damage and prevent your hair. If this happens, the only option left for you is to cut your hair and wait for regrowth.

Allergic Reactions To The Chemicals

Hair smoothening treatments will not immediately put your hair at risk. However, if it comes in contact with your face- you may notice severe allergic reactions. Some common allergic reactions are skin rashes, blisters, and allergic burns.

Splits End

Another evident side effect of hair smoothening is split ends. The dehydration of your hair caused by smoothening irons and the excessive heat can cause hair strands to break and cause split ends.

Premature Greying Of Hair

Premature greying of hair is one of the long-term side effects due to hair smoothening. As a step-in aftercare, women use hair creams, masks, and serums that may affect the melanin(2) in the hair roots and, over time, chemically harm their natural hair color.

Dandruff 

Chemicals for hair smoothening linger in your hair for a very long time. They accumulate on your scalp and produce tiny flakes as dandruff. Excessive growth of dandruff can cause itching, greasiness, and hair loss.

Hair Smoothening Vs Hair Straightening

A temporary hair treatment called hair smoothening makes your hair smoother and easier to manage while improving the elasticity of hair. This treatment, also called a keratin or protein treatment, replenishes the keratin hair protein to give your hair a naturally glossy appearance. It uses fewer chemicals than hair straightening procedures. This can last two to five months, depending on your hair type, how you care for it, and environmental factors.

In contrast, hair straightening is a more long-lasting procedure that modifies the shape of your hair by rupturing the bonds within the hair shaft to produce hair that is straighter and shinier. It is also known as rebounding. It rebuilds the elasticity of your hair using heat and chemicals turning it from curly or wavy hair to straight like arrow hair. It is also permanent until the regrowth of your hair.

Why Hair Smoothening Over Hair Straightening

According to experts, smoothening is always a better option because most women prefer to have naturally straight hair and don’t want their hair to look pin-straight. Hair Smoothening gives your hair a natural-looking effect while making it silky, smooth, and shiny with minimal damage. It makes more sense to choose to smoothen if you want to improve the consistency of your hair without causing too much damage. Rebounding or straightening was never preferred over smoothening.

How To Take Care Of Hair After Smoothening?

To ensure your hair smoothening lasts longer without any side effects, follow the below steps.

• Do not wet your hair for three days of your treatment
• Avoid tying or pinning your hair for at least three days after the treatment
• Keep your hair open while sleeping
• Avoid oiling your hair for at least 15 days
• Use sulfate-free shampoos
• Invest in a nourishing mask and use it every week.
• Start using a wide-toothed comb instead of a hairbrush
• Use high-quality serums
• Avoid heat styling your hair
• Avoid dying your hair for at least six months

FAQs

Conclusion

To conclude, hair smoothening solely depends on your hair type and what you desire post-treatment. Hair straightening is an option if your hair is extremely frizzy and highly curly. Hair smoothening is ideal if you have frizzy, wavy hair that needs a little care. Once again, be aware of your preferences; are you looking for something permanent or temporary? How do you prefer your hair to appear? And are you interested in eliminating frizz or achieving straight-like-an-arrow hair?

Each of these elements is important when deciding whether you want to straighten or smooth your hair. You must make sure to maintain the proper hair care regimen with either. Starting with using the right shampoo to the right conditioner. Other hair care products to include are hair masks and hair serums. Both aftercare and before-care play an important role in whatever you opt for.