Does Keratin Cause Hair Loss? | Find Out Here!

Keratin is a protein featured in hair treatments to restore hair, but people also complain about it being the cause of hair loss. So, does keratin cause hair loss? Read on to know all about keratin and whether it causes hair loss.

Does Keratin Cause Hair Loss?

Yes, keratin treatments can cause hair loss due to the harsh chemicals used in making them. These chemicals can sometimes cause burning and irritation from the scalp immediately or after a while, leading to itchiness and excessive hair fall.

Most people apply keratin as a hair restoration agent for their dry and damaged hair, either at home or from a salon. It works well, which most people can attest to, giving your hair a whole new look. Your hair may become even healthier and shinier after a keratin treatment.

However, keratin treatments aren’t beneficial to everyone. Some people experience unexpected results from using keratin. Instead of their hair getting restored, it becomes drier and more damaged, and they experience more hair loss than before.

But why does this happen when keratin is expected to yield positive results? Below are possible reasons why keratin may cause hair damage and loss.

Why Does Keratin Cause Hair Loss?

There are three possible reasons why keratin may cause hair loss. It could be the harsh chemicals used in making this product, your scalp is quite sensitive, or the high heat used when applying keratin.

Keratin is a protective protein naturally produced by the body, which makes up your nails, hair, and skin. But when making keratin hair treatments, what is used in the manufacturing process is keratin derived from animals’ horns, feathers, wool, and skin.

Manufacturers also add some chemicals, such as formaldehyde, that can turn harmful to your health and scalp. Being a protein your body produces naturally, keratin is expected to be magical on your hair, nails, or skin.

This substance is the type of hair treatment you apply, expecting your hair to come out looking all shiny and thicker. But is that always the case? No.

What you usually apply to the hair isn’t pure keratin. The added chemicals may turn harmful to some people but still work on others. Here are these reasons in detail to help you understand better why you may experience hair loss after using keratin.

Treatments Often Have Formaldehyde

The artificial keratin treatment for hair growth contains many harsh chemicals, including formaldehyde. Since formaldehyde is a toxic chemical that can cause cancer in humans, it’s not unusual to experience hair loss after using artificial keratin.

When you apply formaldehyde-infused keratin to your hair, it reacts and weakens your hair follicle, making it easier for hair to fall off.

Read Next: What Shampoo Ingredients Should You Avoid?

Your Scalp Might Be Sensitive

Introducing any harsh chemical on the hair could irritate people with sensitive scalps. If you have a sensitive scalp, avoid keratin treatment and any other harsh chemical that may damage your hair.

Several signs indicate a sensitive scalp. Have you been experiencing unpleasant sensations such as pain, burning, itchiness, and redness on the scalp? These may occur due to a change in environment, cosmetics, diet change, or when you’re stressed.

If this is the case, advise your hairstylist in advance. So, if they must apply keratin to your hair as a treatment solution, they don’t drench it. That way, you avoid losing your hair in the end.

High Heat Burns Hair

Do you know how the keratin hair treatment works? This process involves applying keratin to your hair, blow-drying it, and sealing it using a flat iron. The flat iron your stylist uses to straighten your hair is quite hot.

Extreme heat, especially when used repeatedly, causes hair to become dry and fragile, leading to hair loss. Even though one may experience hair loss after using keratin, the hair will surely grow back.

How to Stop Hair Loss After Using Keratin

After a keratin treatment, there are various natural ways to stop hair loss and regrow it, including washing the hair regularly and drinking lots of water. Many people may lose hope and decide to shave their hair, especially if they experience excessive hair loss, but that isn’t the best action.

The best remedy for hair loss after using keratin is to avoid future keratin treatment. But if you love keratin and can’t stop using it, use the following tips to prevent hair loss:

• Use mild shampoos when washing hair
• Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water
• Avoid stress
• Avoid brushing or combing your hair
• Massage your hair regularly using natural oils such as coconut
• Maintain a healthy diet
• Find pleasure in exercising
• Let your hair rest for a while after keratin treatments

Washing Your Hair Regularly

Keratin contains chemicals that are harsh enough to cause hair breakage. Therefore, you don’t need to add more harmful chemicals to your hair after this treatment.

When washing your hair, apply only a mild shampoo to avoid dealing with further damage. Such shampoos contain cleansing agents that are more gentle than the rest and will leave your hair softer after removing oil and dirt.

A regular wash using a mild shampoo also makes your scalp clean and stronger, keeping it away from infections that could damage your hair.

Read Next: How Often Should You Wash Your Hair Quiz

Massaging Your Scalp After Wash

To prevent hair loss after a keratin treatment, make it a habit to massage your hair after every wash. There are several benefits of massaging your hair or scalp, including preventing hair loss and stimulating hair growth.

It will also help improve blood flow and relieve stress and anxiety. Only use natural oils such as coconut and castor oil to massage your scalp.

These oils will strengthen your hair, boost its growth, and prevent dandruff formation. To achieve your mission, ensure that you massage the entire scalp using your fingertips and exert the same pressure throughout.

Avoid Brushing or Combing Wet Hair

Wet hair is susceptible to breakages and falling off. Avoid brushing or combing it at this point until it completely dries off. If you aren’t careful, you can overstretch the hair at this point, quickly pulling it off its roots.

But some people experience hair tangles after washing, and to them, brushing the hair when it’s wet is always the best option. In that case, avoid brushing your wet hair using a regular hairbrush. Opt for a wide-tooth comb instead, with smooth ends, so you don’t harm your scalp.

Stay Hydrated

After a keratin treatment, ensure you drink lots of water to stay hydrated to prevent hair loss. Dehydration does more harm to your hair than you may think. Inadequate water in your body can make your hair dry and cause split ends, making your hair break easily.

It also stops the hair from growing back. Hair needs proper nutrition to survive, while water is an essential component of nutrition. Drinking a lot of water hydrates hair cells, keeping hair loss at bay. 

Avoid Stress

One of the many side effects of stress is hair loss. Stress also causes grey hair, acne, and dandruff formation. It’s not easy staying stress-free when you see your hair falling. However, avoid getting stressed by all means to stop further hair loss after a keratin treatment.

Although challenging, you need to find ways to help manage your stress. Do everything possible to keep your mind away from your falling hair. Working out, for instance, is a good remedy for stress.

Other ways to avoid stress include:

• Talking to positive people
• Engaging in self-relaxation practices, such as yoga, swimming, and meditation
• Taking a break from work to relax
• Seeking professional help

Eating a Healthy Diet

Sometimes, after using keratin, your hair loss experience may not be due to this substance. It could be due to your unhealthy eating habits. Proper nutrition plays a massive role in the health of your hair, and through a healthy diet, you can prevent and even treat hair loss.

A healthy diet for hair growth should include vitamin D, iron, antioxidants, and biotin. You can get all these from eating eggs, fatty fish, nuts, fruits, and leafy greens.

Exercise

Regular exercise can also prevent hair loss, but you have to pair it with balanced nutrition. When people exercise regularly, their blood flow and circulation increase, sending more oxygen and the needed nutrients to the scalp.

Let Your Hair Rest

The worst hair mistake you can ever make is to go back to the stylist a few days after a keratin treatment. Now that your hair looks healthy, shinier, and thicker after this treatment, you may get tempted to style it.

But that could be the beginning of your hair loss journey. Your hair needs to stay stress-free until it restores its strength and health. Otherwise, you risk making it weaker and more vulnerable to breakage.

Frequently Asked Questions

So, Does Keratin Treatment Cause Hair Loss?

Keratin treatment is a hair restoration agent for damaged hair. However, it can sometimes cause hair loss in sensitive scalps due to the formaldehyde chemical used in making it. There are things you can still do to prevent further hair loss after keratin treatments, as illustrated in this article.