Keratin Treatment Support Thread

[MarieB]

OK, not much to add from my previous post. Apparently my new pics are too big to include here, so my avi will have to do as my most recent progress picture. In other news, I rinsed out the treatment, did the DC with the Softliss mask, and air-dried, and my hair is doing just fine!

 

[MsRR]

OK, not much to add from my previous post. Apparently my new pics are too big to include here, so my avi will have to do as my most recent progress picture. In other news, I rinsed out the treatment, did the DC with the Softliss mask, and air-dried, and my air is doing just fine!

Your hair looks alot more healthier then the previous picture in your avi...I went ahead and got a relaxer today and I will try the rest of the Qod Gold in about a week or two. Keep up the good work it seems to be working for y ou.

 

[MarieB]

Your hair looks alot more healthier then the previous picture in your avi...I went ahead and got a relaxer today and I will try the rest of the Qod Gold in about a week or two. Keep up the good work it seems to be working for y ou.

Thanks...the earlier pic was right after I finished flat-ironing, the most recent was after first wash and air-dry. I guess that serves as a glowing example of how you can't really tell how your BKT turned out until after the first wash. Good luck with the QOD, but make sure you DC before you use it, just to protect your hair as much as possible from the heat. Good luck.

 

[jayjaycurlz]

Doing my 1st BKT using the DH sample I got from Muse - I hope it turns out well!

 

[Serenity_Peace]

Bumping for results and updates!!!

 

[soulfusion]

At the suggestion of Pos. Rad. I got my hands on some Biolage Cera-Repair Pro4 and did my first treatment today. I rinsed that out and went under the steamer with some Biolage Ultra Hydrating Balm with a smidge of Silicon Mix added in for good measure

I think I've got the slight breakage that I talked about upthread under control!! I lost only a small amount of shed hair and my hair feels great. I think I'll go for another pony-set this week.

 

[Vintageglam]

At the suggestion of Pos. Rad. I got my hands on some Biolage Cera-Repair Pro4 and did my first treatment today. I rinsed that out and went under the steamer with some Biolage Ultra Hydrating Balm with a smidge of Silicon Mix added in for good measure

I think I've got the slight breakage that I talked about upthread under control!! I lost only a small amount of shed hair and my hair feels great. I think I'll go for another pony-set this week.

Glad you liked it soulfusion and aint ceramdes the truth...!

 

[Vintageglam]

Did my second BKT last night - I waited a few weeks since that last one as I wanted to get a feel for the first treatment and how my hair would react to it (I used QOD Gold the first time). The line of demarcation was getting too scary again and I am off on hols so decided to bring forward my next treatment by 1 week to avoid further breakage.

Anyhoo did it myself this time and used a sample of BKT given by a fellow lovely LHFC'er. I noticed that this treatment (DH) did not have as many fumes at the QOD Gold which is a bonus.

My hair came out great and not so dry as when my hair dresser did it with the QOD Gold last time which scares me bc that woman does hair for a living and I am truly one of those women who is crap with hair so can't understand this .

I did 2 -4 passes depending on which part of my hair I was flat Ironing and I flat Ironed at 190 again. I also only concentrated the heat on my roots as I did not want to risk any broken off hairs on my already fragile ends. In fact I almost did not flat Iron my ends in most cases.

I watched a few YouTube videos and noticed that they tapped the Iron at the roots so this is what I did with each pass. The results were great. Again I did not do the naked blow-dry just air dried and helped it along under my hood dryer for 5 minutes until my hair was just slightly damp. I also applied more product this time so that my hair was completely coated (and therefore protected) BUT NOT saturated with the DH. I think this is where my hairdresser may have gone wrong last time along with the over-zealous blow drying and flat Ironing.

I really do think this is a treatment best done by yourself as I feel that stylists/ hairdressers are under pressure to give you the results they perceive you want and thereby may use too much heat on your hair. Whereas when you do it yourself you are consciously mindful of heat damage and breakage and are happy to compromise on not such a polished result if it means healthier hair. My hair definitely has more volume than last time and just feels better. Oh well only time and the 1st wash out will tell My first impressions are that I like the DH more than the QOD Gold. I will do a further treatment of each and then see where we stand with each other..... :scratchch

Anyway I have not washed out yet but understand with DH that you can do so immediately/ the same day. Alas I have been too lazy and busy thus far. I plan to do a moisture DC in a day or two, so can further update then.

Things which I feel helped and made a massive difference to this treatment are as follows:

1. I INTENSIVELY steam conditioned my hair before the treatment as I was mindful of the dryness I experienced last time. This worked a treat . Even tho I clarified out the steam DC, I still think the infusion of moisture made the treatment take better as my hair was more receptive (I also think the steam may have helped open my cuticles more) which in turn allowed me to use less heat when flat Ironing as my hair was more moist and receptive to the treatment.
2. No naked blow dry. This is really not necessary and I do not know why they advocate it erplexed
3. Not blow drying the treatment through for so long like my stylist did last time. This time I just rough dried straight so as to minimize heat and manipulation.
4. I used chi-silk infusion at the end to give my hair that silky finish.
5. I also think I Ironed in thinner sections than she did.
6. I smoothed the mixture in a few times with my fingers after I had applied it.
7. I allowed the treatment to process into my hair for 30 minutes this time before blowing through and flat Ironing.

Anyway that's my update

x Stella

 

[g.lo]

Did my second BKT last night - I waited a few weeks since that last one as I wanted to get a feel for the first treatment and how my hair would react to it (I used QOD Gold the first time). The line of demarcation was getting too scary again and I am off on hols so decided to bring forward my next treatment by 1 week to avoid further breakage.

Anyhoo did it myself this time and used a sample of BKT given by a fellow lovely LHFC'er. I noticed that this treatment (DH) did not have as many fumes at the QOD Gold which is a bonus.

My hair came out great and not so dry as when my hair dresser did it with the QOD Gold last time which scares me bc that woman does hair for a living and I am truly one of those women who is crap with hair so can't understand this .

I did 2 -4 passes depending on which part of my hair I was flat Ironing and I flat Ironed at 190 again. I also only concentrated the heat on my roots as I did not want to risk any broken off hairs on my already fragile ends. In fact I almost did not flat Iron my ends in most cases.

I watched a few YouTube videos and noticed that they tapped the Iron at the roots so this is what I did with each pass. The results were great. Again I did not do the naked blow-dry just air dried and helped it along under my hood dryer for 5 minutes until my hair was just slightly damp. I also applied more product this time so that my hair was completely coated (and therefore protected) BUT NOT saturated with the DH. I think this is where my hairdresser may have gone wrong last time along with the over-zealous blow drying and flat Ironing.

I really do think this is a treatment best done by yourself as I feel that stylists/ hairdressers are under pressure to give you the results they perceive you want and thereby may use too much heat on your hair. Whereas when you do it yourself you are consciously mindful of heat damage and breakage and are happy to compromise on not such a polished result if it means healthier hair. My hair definitely has more volume than last time and just feels better. Oh well only time and the 1st wash out will tell My first impressions are that I like the DH more than the QOD Gold. I will do a further treatment of each and then see where we stand with each other..... :scratchch

Anyway I have not washed out yet but understand with DH that you can do so immediately/ the same day. Alas I have been too lazy and busy thus far. I plan to do a moisture DC in a day or two, so can further update then.

Things which I feel helped and made a massive difference to this treatment are as follows:

1. I INTENSIVELY steam conditioned my hair before the treatment as I was mindful of the dryness I experienced last time. This worked a treat . Even tho I clarified out the steam DC, I still think the infusion of moisture made the treatment take better as my hair was more receptive (I also think the steam may have helped open my cuticles more) which in turn allowed me to use less heat when flat Ironing as my hair was more moist and receptive to the treatment.
2. No naked blow dry. This is really not necessary and I do not know why they advocate it erplexed
3. Not blow drying the treatment through for so long like my stylist did last time. This time I just rough dried straight so as to minimize heat and manipulation.
4. I used chi-silk infusion at the end to give my hair that silky finish.
5. I also think I Ironed in thinner sections than she did.
6. I smoothed the mixture in a few times with my fingers after I had applied it.
7. I allowed the treatment to process into my hair for 30 minutes this time before blowing through and flat Ironing.

Anyway that's my update

x Stella

I use DH as well ( was using, until i found out i was 5 months pregnant!!!!!).
the first time ( actually twice), i had it done by my hairdresser and i have to say i didn't like the result, she used way too much product (lots of fume, unbearable) and was just yanking my hair and it left my hair sticky and awful.
the third time i did it myself, no naked blowdry, and i did it on damp hair.
used less than 1oz for the whole head, let the product sit on my hair then dried my hair.
i used the flat iron, concentrating on the roots and just one pass on my ends!
the result was great, my hair had that swang, and was very shiny!
i washed it the next day and didn't blow dry (I am avoiding heat!!!), my hair came out soft and wavy, i love it!
this is the method i did use to apply product, brilliant!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5javy4aZ_E

 

[Minty]

OKAY Ladies. I'm back! QOD Gold is my baby (of the month) I got my swag on - hey. I just don't think I can hang with Marcia. The 48 hour wait on QOD is a challenge, but where else can I wet wrap my hair to air dry and then flat iron on 300, one freaking swipe and be out? I loves my Izunami and I loves 'dem more for their big brains - and information sharing.

Thank you Izunami for giving us the information we need to help us not burn the H*** out of our hair.

I will be writing them an email thanking them.

http://www.izunami.com/BKT.aspx

The Keratin Treatment (BKT) has great benefits for hair. If used properly, it restores resiliency, shine, smoothness and manageability to your hair. Here are some of very important facts about proper iron
use for the BKT.

• Fact 1: Hydrolyzed Keratin reacts at 335°F. Hydrolyzed Keratin melts and adheres to hair at 335°F. Therefore, the minimum temperature required for the BKT is 335°F.

• Fact 2: 450°F is not required for the BKT. Why then is 450°F so often recommended? It’s because most irons, when 400°F is chosen, drops below 335°F during treatment. One way to compensate for this heat loss is to set the starting temperature at 450°F. This, however, is with a great risk of burning hair. A good iron does not need to go over 400°F, and yet maintains the heat within the ideal styling temperature range.

• Fact 3: The hair is extremely vulnerable at 400°F or higher. High heat weakens, breaks, and even burns cuticles and causes severe damages including split ends over time. In general, the lower the temperature, the less the damage!

• Fact 4: The BKT is not a heat protectant. The BKT is a replenishing treatment. It does not prevent hair from burning. At 450°F, one damages hair and seals the damage at the same time. Heat-damaged cuticles will be revealed when the keratin wears off.

• Fact 5: IZUNAMI® flat iron is the perfect tool for BKT. The ideal temperature range for BKT is between 335°F and 400°F. IZUNAMI® irons, by employing Rapid Engagement and Quick Disengagement (REQDTM) Technology, along with our most advanced heating elements, resets temperature five times a second and maintains temperature well above 335°F without going over 400°F.

 

[Keshieshimmer]

• Fact 4: The BKT is not a heat protectant. The BKT is a replenishing treatment. It does not prevent hair from burning. At 450°F, one damages hair and seals the damage at the same time. Heat-damaged cuticles will be revealed when the keratin wears off.

How sad b/c this is what I thought. I did my mom's hair about two weeks ago and now her hair is shedding, but it could be breakage as well. I am officially jumping off the BKT bandwagon haha.

 

[Minty]

Use a pH balanced Protein Reconstructor DC on your mother's hair. It will help with her shedding/breakage.

 

[MsRR]

Use a pH balanced Protein Reconstructor DC on your mother's hair. It will help with her shedding/breakage.

Yea this stopped my breakage I spoke about earlier in this thread after BKT.

 

[AtlantaJJ]

OKAY Ladies. I'm back! QOD Gold is my baby (of the month) I got my swag on - hey. I just don't think I can hang with Marcia. The 48 hour wait on QOD is a challenge, but where else can I wet wrap my hair to air dry and then flat iron on 300, one freaking swipe and be out? I loves my Izunami and I loves 'dem more for their big brains - and information sharing.

Thank you Izunami for giving us the information we need to help us not burn the H*** out of our hair.

I will be writing them an email thanking them.

http://www.izunami.com/BKT.aspx

The Keratin Treatment (BKT) has great benefits for hair. If used properly, it restores resiliency, shine, smoothness and manageability to your hair. Here are some of very important facts about proper iron
use for the BKT.

• Fact 1: Hydrolyzed Keratin reacts at 335°F. Hydrolyzed Keratin melts and adheres to hair at 335°F. Therefore, the minimum temperature required for the BKT is 335°F.

• Fact 2: 450°F is not required for the BKT. Why then is 450°F so often recommended? It’s because most irons, when 400°F is chosen, drops below 335°F during treatment. One way to compensate for this heat loss is to set the starting temperature at 450°F. This, however, is with a great risk of burning hair. A good iron does not need to go over 400°F, and yet maintains the heat within the ideal styling temperature range.

• Fact 3: The hair is extremely vulnerable at 400°F or higher. High heat weakens, breaks, and even burns cuticles and causes severe damages including split ends over time. In general, the lower the temperature, the less the damage!

• Fact 4: The BKT is not a heat protectant. The BKT is a replenishing treatment. It does not prevent hair from burning. At 450°F, one damages hair and seals the damage at the same time. Heat-damaged cuticles will be revealed when the keratin wears off.

• Fact 5: IZUNAMI® flat iron is the perfect tool for BKT. The ideal temperature range for BKT is between 335°F and 400°F. IZUNAMI® irons, by employing Rapid Engagement and Quick Disengagement (REQDTM) Technology, along with our most advanced heating elements, resets temperature five times a second and maintains temperature well above 335°F without going over 400°F.

This is such great news. The heat is what got me too but that's okay, I still love BKT and now that I know that I don't have to crank my iron up past 350, I am super good with that.

Its a shame the info about needing a 450 degree iron for the treatment to work was spread as absolute truth!

 

[winterinatl]

I wonder now if the loss of my texlaxed waves was due to the BKT or the high heat...I pretty much followed the directions.

It's been nearly a year since first application - I did two- and the length of hair never did "come back". Now I'm starting to think the heat of the iron is what has my hair permanently bone straight.

 

[hothair]

^^^ Probably, I'm on my 6th or 7th treatment and my hair is still as nappy as ever

I think a lot of people DO suffer heat damage and their hair gets heat trained- not necessarily the BKT treatment itself. You have to remember the original use for the BKT was to get straighter hair, so maybe the instructions were formulated to maximise that

 

[FemmeCreole]

Is it a good idea to transition using BKT?

 

[MyAngelEyez~C~U]

Is it a good idea to transition using BKT?

I am, and so are my daughters, with good results.

 

[Serenity_Peace]

I'd like to hear from ladies with fine hair. I'm not liking this smoothing treatment that I got done at ULTA. My hair looks incredibly thin. Not full or healthy at all. It's been about 5 weeks now and I hate my hair. As soon as I washed the treatment out, a week later, using WEN, my hair completely reverted. (They used Keratin Smoothing Treatment by Coppola with aldehyde.) I paid around $200 for the treatment and it hasn't lasted at all despite the fact that I no longer use sulfates or sodium shampoos.

I'm wondering if I should wait a few more weeks, then try something else.

My hair is so fine that I won't wash or comb for two weeks at a time.

Anyone else with fine hair having success or issues?

 

[naturalmanenyc]

I have thin hair and have had success with BKT. My first treatment (Lasio one day at a salon) was 4/6/09 and it did not last long. My second treatment (Rejuvenol at a salon) was 4/23/09 and it lasted for 2 - 3 months. For natural hair it seems to take 2 - 3 treatments to get smooth results.

I now do my own BKT (Rejuvenol) and get good results. My most recent BKT is not lasting very long (I had frizz on Saturday with my straight half wig) but I attribute that to only 2 passes of the flat iron. I had been using 4 - 7 passes for all prior at home treatments.

 

[FemmeCreole]

I am, and so are my daughters, with good results.

how many weeks post relaxer are you now?

 

[Minty]

rejuvenol is very good. Serenity, my strands are non-coarse (I can't say definitively if they are fine or medium). and I have this problem too - basically of all brands I've used. They are great after the first wash and then its a mess after on my new growth. Rejuvenol was the first brand used on my hair, but that was after a relaxer. I wasn't sure how it would react on my natural hair, but it was beautiful on relaxed.

I can't really do too much combing because the strands will break. It really doesn't matter what protein/moisture balance I have, my strands can't take alot of manipulation.

When I first went through the reversion I thought I'd done something wrong, but now I see its just a reality of having my hair type. I have even considered texlaxing the new growth to ensure I don't lose my progress to long strand breakage.

Today I DC w/Alter Ego Garlic on dry hair, co-washed (I dare not shampoo, the tangles alone are too much to bare) with Aphogee 2min mixed with Giovanni smooth as silk - detangled, rinsed with cool water and used 1 vial Biolage Cera-Repair Pro Hydratherapie.

Wet bunned with Elasta QP and coconut oil.

Honestly that is all I will do to it for the rest of the week, and if I can get away with it, 2 weeks.

 

[MyAngelEyez~C~U]

how many weeks post relaxer are you now?

See my siggy vvvvv My dauaghters are 8 months post You can check my profile n look in my Just Me photo album to see recent pics of my hair flat-ironed...

 

[FemmeCreole]

See my siggy vvvvv My dauaghters are 8 months post You can check my profile n look in my Just Me photo album to see recent pics of my hair flat-ironed...

ok thanks... off to check

 

[MarieB]

Is it a good idea to transition using BKT?

I have been transitioning since last year. My last real relaxer was in April of last year, and I did an extremely weak tex-lax in October (about ten minutes with a relaxer mixed with oil). Haven't touched the creamy crack since, and I'm not sure I ever will. But you never know...

 

[Cloefa]

I use Zene Escova Progress by Niasi. I buy it online from a comany in th UK and costs 69 euros (about $120) for a 4 to 5-application supply. I am still on the same bottle i bought a year ago. No formaldehyde of aldehyde. www.escovaprogress.com

 

[Cloefa]

"I can't really do too much combing because the strands will break. It really doesn't matter what protein/moisture balance I have, my strands can't take alot of manipulation."
What type hair do you have? mine is mostly fine 3b and no matter what i do my hair breaks when i comb it too much. i even got a strand test at a dermatologist and by m/p balance and pH were fine. glad i'm not the only one with this problem.

 

[ChristmasCarol]

Is it a good idea to transition using BKT?

I'm 11 months into transition and I use BKT to keep the relaxed ends (7 or 8 inches) in good condition and on my head, lol. I'm not interested in doing a BC, I'm just waiting until my natural hair reaches APL/BSL before I cut them off.

 

[me-T]

my next bkt is about a week or 2 away, and i've been really wondering- does the hair really need to be stripped and naked prior to application?
i want to do a cowash after all the clarifying, but thought "what if the treatment doesn't hold well on the hair?"
then i thought, " what if, after air drying to slight dampness, i spritz with something watery for a little more dampness, that way it's like water, but better?" i was thinking mix some silk amino acid & pure aloe vera juice together.
i just don't like the thought of "sealing in dryness"...am i making sense?

 

[Vintageglam]

my next bkt is about a week or 2 away, and i've been really wondering- does the hair really need to be stripped and naked prior to application?
i want to do a cowash after all the clarifying, but thought "what if the treatment doesn't hold well on the hair?"
then i thought, " what if, after air drying to slight dampness, i spritz with something watery for a little more dampness, that way it's like water, but better?" i was thinking mix some silk amino acid & pure aloe vera juice together.
i just don't like the thought of "sealing in dryness"...am i making sense?

Have been thinking about this too. How about you just naked air dry??? The other alternative is to look at the ingredients of the BKT and replicate it and heavily dilute it so that it's really watery and does not interfere with the BKT? I wonder if Chi Keratin Mist would work?