Once the first days are over, keeping a keratin treatment looking good comes down to gentle washing, low heat and a few habits around the pool and the styling. The answers below are what brands typically advise; your specialist knows the product used.
kruLA does keratin treatment in Century City for $220 to $550, by hair length: call (949) 883-8301.
Is keratin hard to maintain?
No: maintenance is a few habits, not a routine of its own, and the main ones are gentle washing and low heat.
Most people find it shortens the routine, because the hair dries faster and needs less styling.
How can I make a keratin treatment hold longer?
Wash less often with a sulfate-free shampoo, keep heat low and protect the hair from the pool and the sun.
How long a result holds also depends on your texture; see how long keratin lasts.
What aftercare products keep a keratin treatment looking good?
A sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner made for smoothed hair, a heat protectant and a light mask are the core.
Ask your specialist for the brands that suit the product used, and check the label of anything new for sulfates and heavy oils.
Can you swim after a keratin treatment?
Not during the wait, and afterwards with care: chlorine and salt water dry the hair and can take the smoothing out faster.
Wet the hair with fresh water before you swim, wear a cap if you swim often, and rinse and condition as soon as you are out.
Pool, ocean and sun in Los Angeles are covered in how to protect hair from chlorine, sun and salt water.
How does dry shampoo work on keratin-treated hair?
Dry shampoo absorbs oil at the roots, and on smoothed hair it can be used once the wait is over, in small amounts.
Brush it out well, because a heavy build-up dulls the hair, and wash on schedule rather than stretching washes with powder.
How do I use a mask after smoothing, and can conditioner follow?
Yes: use a light mask after shampooing, leave it on for the time its label gives, rinse well and follow with conditioner if the hair needs it.
Heavy protein or oil masks can weigh the hair down, so ask the specialist which suits your hair.
How soon after keratin can I use a bond-repair leave-in?
There is no single rule: the timing depends on the leave-in and on the smoothing product, so ask your specialist before you start.
Use the leave-in as its maker directs, and tell the specialist at your next visit which products you use.
What temperature should the flat iron be after a keratin treatment?
As low as still works, with a heat protectant: smoothed hair needs little heat.
Ask your specialist when heat is fine after the wait, and skip the flat iron on hair that is already straight and smooth.
Will hair still hold a curl after a keratin treatment?
Yes, but not as tightly or for as long as untreated hair, because the smoothing relaxes the curl pattern.
Use a curling iron on a low setting with a heat protectant, or heatless curlers, and finish with a light hold product.
Is there a curl enhancer for keratin-treated hair?
Yes: light curl creams and mousses made for smoothed hair give definition, while heavy gels and oils weigh the hair down.
Check the label for sulfates and ask your specialist for products that suit the product used.
How do I take care of curly hair after a keratin treatment?
Give it moisture and gentle handling: sulfate-free shampoo, a conditioner left on for the time its label gives, a weekly light mask and fingers or a wide-tooth comb for detangling.
Curly hair shows the fading of the smoothing earlier. See troubleshooting keratin if the curl pattern looks different.
When can I tie my hair back after the wait?
Once your wait is over a loose tie is usually fine; use a soft scrunchie or a spiral tie, and avoid tight bands and metal clips that crease the hair.
Change the place of the tie from day to day, and take it out for sleep.
What drives the price of a keratin treatment? Hair length and hair thickness set the price: at kruLA a keratin treatment runs from $220 for shoulder length and shorter to $550 for butt length and longer, and thick hair adds $30 to $50.
Thickness is measured before the treatment, and the session takes 2 h to 3 h 30 min depending on length. Every length step is on the prices page, and the keratin treatment page has the booking button.
Living with keratin FAQ
Can I tie my hair after 3 days of keratin treatment?
Once your wait is over a loose tie is usually fine; use a soft scrunchie or a spiral tie, and avoid tight bands and metal clips that crease the hair. Ask your specialist for the wait that applies to the product used.
Can I put my hair in a ponytail after keratin treatment?
After your wait is over, a loose ponytail with a soft tie is usually fine. During the wait, keep the hair down.
Can I swim with keratin treatment?
Not during the wait, and afterwards with care: chlorine and salt water dry the hair. Wet the hair with fresh water before you swim, wear a cap if you swim often, and rinse and condition as soon as you are out.
Can I swim in a pool after keratin treatment?
With care, once the wait is over: chlorine dries the hair. Wet it with fresh water first, wear a cap if you swim often, and rinse and condition right after.
Can I swim in the ocean after keratin treatment?
Not during the wait, and afterwards with care: salt water dries the hair. Wet it with fresh water first, and rinse and condition right after you are out.
Is there anything to protect hair from pool water after keratin?
A swim cap, wetting the hair with fresh water before you swim, and rinsing and conditioning right after help protect it. Ask your specialist about the product used.
How does dry shampoo work on keratin treated hair?
Dry shampoo absorbs oil at the roots, and on smoothed hair it can be used once the wait is over, in small amounts. Brush it out well, since a heavy build-up dulls the hair.
Is there a curl enhancer for keratin treated hair?
Yes: light curl creams and mousses made for smoothed hair give definition, while heavy gels and oils weigh the hair down. Ask your specialist for products that suit the product used.
Will hair still hold a curl after keratin treatment?
Yes, but not as tightly as untreated hair, because the smoothing relaxes the curl pattern. Use a curling iron on a low setting with a heat protectant, or heatless curlers.
What temperature should the flat iron be after a keratin treatment?
As low as still works, with a heat protectant: smoothed hair needs little heat. Ask your specialist when heat is fine after the wait.
Will I still need to style my hair every day after keratin?
Styling usually takes less time, because the hair is smoother and dries with less frizz, and some hair air-dries smooth. How it looks without styling depends on your texture and the condition of your hair. Your specialist tells you what to expect for your hair at the consultation.