Could This New Straightening Treatment Change Your Life?
Friday July 20, 2007
Yesterday's NY Times reported on a new hair straightening treatment that is changing the lives of many women with curly hair. The Brazilian Keratin Treatment is purported to straighten hair without damaging it. It originated in Brazil, but has only been widely available in the U.S. for about six months, according to the article. Hairdressers are importing the product in from Brazil.
Benefits include less breakage, long-lasting results (six weeks to a few months, depending on number of hair washings) and the fact that it can be used on color-treated hair. Keratin is used instead of harsher chemicals found in the Japanese straightening method and other more traditional methods.
For more information, check out the NY Times article, this Wiki explainer or go to www.braziliankeratin.com.
Benefits include less breakage, long-lasting results (six weeks to a few months, depending on number of hair washings) and the fact that it can be used on color-treated hair. Keratin is used instead of harsher chemicals found in the Japanese straightening method and other more traditional methods.
For more information, check out the NY Times article, this Wiki explainer or go to www.braziliankeratin.com.
Comments
I have very light, color treated hair and just had my hair brazilian straightened today. Every place that was touched by the flat iron (which is everywhere, except right by the roots) turned bright orange. I called the salon and told them that I am willing to wait the four days to see if the orange goes away after washing, but if not, they will have to fix this. Nice to have straight hair, but I can’t go out of the house with this Bozo-do. Not*not*not happy and would not recommend if you are platinum blonde.
Worse than Liz’ orange hair is the death of a young woman in Brazil that the formaldehyde in the formula cause earlier this year. Other women in Brazil reported damage to eyes and lungs from the formaldehyde fumes. Not to mention the cancers that could develop in the future from exposure to formaldehyde. Stay away from this!
what are the side effects for hairdressers that do this procedure? Does the formaldehyde accumulate in us, will we have side effects?Will this harm our eyes in the long run.
Hi everyone, I had my hair done 4 days ago and it looks amazing. I just read the article in Allure Magazine (October’s Issue) and I am not happy about what I have just learned about the Formaldehyde side effects. I figured it would be too good to be true, I do not intend on doing anymore treatments until more testing is done. Overall, my hair does once again look amazing.
I think everyone is going a little crazy here about the formaldehyde in this product. First of all, any stylist worth his/her salt makes sure you have a mask during this procedure. Plus, formaldehyde has been used in beauty products for years without a peep from anyone (including nail polish). Is it POSSIBLE to have some kind of adverse reaction from this process…of course. Just as it is possible to have adverse reactions from coloring treatments, perms, and a host of other beauty treatments. I have had unruly, thick, course, frizzy, wavy hair my whole life, and unless I spent an hour and a half doing my hair in the morning, I could not wear it down. I have four kids and a full time j…guess what? I NEVER wore my hair down! But now I have had this straitening process and my hair looks amazing! I never thought my hair could look this way! To take this process away from women who truly need it just because of your own unfounded suspicion is silly. If you think their are risks and do not want to get it done, you do not have to do it! But allow women who need this process to make up their own minds. I think anyone who needs it and gets it could only be happy with the results. Everything in this world is “at your own risk.” get the facts and make your decision…but know that there are women for whom this process is a true miracle!
I just had the ORGANIC Brazilian Straightening on Wednesday morning, and washed my hair just a couple of hours ago for first time. I LOVE it!!!!!! There was no smell AT ALL during service. It was kind of like getting your hair colored. The new organic version is now preferred at my salon, after learning of concerns about the formaldehyde product. I highly recommend. My hair looks like it did when I was young. Silky, flat, no frizz. But still has body. I blew it dry for five minutes!!! Looks like I had professional blowout.
I know of a dominican salon who does it in the lowereast in Manhattan Annabelle Salon 212-674-7247 Ask for Nelly. I got it done for $250.00 I love my hair.
Liz, did your hair turn back to its normal color after you washed it?
I has this brasilian straightening done a few weeks ago. Yes, my hair looks good but I have been suffering from MAJOR headaches and chest pains. I have been to the hosital because I was not able to breathe. I would never do this again and have told all my friend not to do it.. It has been three weeks and I still feel awful.
I just got the BKT done on my hair and it look and feels silky like no other product and it is amazing as to how much shine my hair has. I love the way the my hair looks. I highly recommend Annabelle Salon in NY as they have good prices compare to some other salons that start at $400 and up.
I just did the brazilian treatment and my hair looks beautiful but ever since I left the salon I’ve had the biggest headaches that I’m not sure if it’s worth it.
I am now booking appointment for the revolutionary BRAZILIAN KERATIN TREATMENT(commonly known as BKT).
just to give everyone an idea of what this is below I have put a little FAQ (frequently asked question) section together for you!
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT OR CONSULTATION WITH ME HERE IS THE INFORMATION YOU WILL NEED!
ask for an appointment with:
Amanda Vivian
at: Domani Salon Holistic Esthetique
150 woodbury road
woodbury, ny, 11797
CALL: the salon at 516-367-3800
or my personal cell at 516-424-1198
WHAT IS A BRAZILIAN KERATIN TREATMENT(BKT)?
This is a very effective hair straightening solution. It makes the natural negative ions help form micro articles from the water molecules. This enables the solution to get inside the hair shaft, and that too, without doing any harm to the hair. After all Keratin is the natural protein in which your hair is composed of!
HOW YOUNG IS TOO YOUNG FOR THIS TREATMENT TO BE PERFORMED?
Honestly I am from the old school so i truely do not believe or recomend performing any out of the ordinary treatments, extensions, or color on any person younger than 15 although there are always exceptions…… this treatment is not dangerous, it is painless, and there are extreme cases where children can suffer major psychological effects on their self esteem that carries them through to adulthood if they are so callously tormented about the appearence of their hair due to the cruelty of their peers…. in this case the brazilian keratin treatment is your only non evasive and harmless treatment option to help guide your child through their unforgiving. awkward hair stage
still BKT should not be performed on individuals under the age of 7 or on a child who has ants in their pants!
DOES THE BRAZILIAN KERATIN TREATMENT CONTAIN FORMAILDYHIDE?
when you recieve your treatment from me you can rest assured knowing we gaurentee our BKT contains no traces of formaildyhide! BUT BEWARE….MANY SALONS USE BKT’S WHICH DO CONTAIN FORMAILDYHIDE WHICH IS A CANCER CAUSING AGENT..AGAIN OUR FORMULATIION DOES NOT CONTAIN THIS!
HOW DO I KNOW THIS TREATMENT IS RIGHT FOR ME?
If you have one or more of the following common hair problems this treatment is a necesity.
curly or wavy hair
frizzy hair
colored hair
fly aways
if you experience difficulty blow drying your hair to make it look healthy
hair previously damaged due to overprocessing/harsh chemicals
hair previously damaged by over styling/flat ironing
hair damage or lack of growth due to breaking as a result of medications you may be on
AM I REQUIRED TO COME IN FOR A CONSULTATION AND IF SO HOW MUCH IS THE COST?
A consultation is recomended but not mandatory although it would save time if you knew whether this treatment is right for your hair. An in salon consultation is absolutely free… if you would prefer an in home consultation a deposit is required which in the event that you book an appointment for your treatment, your deposit counts towards the total price of your treatment
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BRAZILIAN KERATIN TREATMENT AND JAPANESE STRAIGHTENING?
The reason why the Brazilian Hair Straightening is a better option than the Japanese straightener is that the japanese method has a high alkaline content that has the potential to harm the structure of your hair whereas the brazilian treatment is composed of keratin which is the natural protein in which your hair is made of!
DOES THIS TREATMENT DAMAGE MY HAIR?
If you make an appointment with me… NO! I am a very particular person and would not perform any services which would compromise the integrity of your hair…. the solution used to treat your hair cannot damage your hair… however just like everything in life if you choose to go with just any stylist you do run the risk of them not being experienced with the tools they are using and can infact cause major damage over all… so i recomend not going to your average kitchen beautician!
HOW LONG WILL MY TRIP TO THE SALON BE FOR THIS TREATMENT?
treatments generally take around 3 hours depending on the length and thickness of your hair which is a drop in the hat compared to other straightening processes which can leave you in the salon for anywhere from 5 to 8 hours
HOW LONG DO THE RESULTS LAST?
results for the most part last for 4 months give or take… the longevity of the results are ultimately up to you and your choice of follow up products (which we can provide for you)! If you chose to swim in the ocean… just as you would do with color, be sure to protect your hair with a swimming cap or keep in a bun taking special attention not to over expose your hair to the harshness of salt water! and also besure to follow given instructions and to uphold your part of the bargain by not putting your hair up or getting it wet in the least bit for 4 COMPLETE DAYS after your treatment.
WHAT RESULTS CAN I EXPECT AFTER MY TREATMENT?
results vary due to the severity of the texture of your hair. if you hair is extremely to moderately curly you can expect a relaxed look , while not completely pin straight your hair will posess a well defined wave/curl eliminating the frizz that frustrates you on a daily basis.
If it is over processed , or frizzy hair you will have healthy hair with a finished, shiny and sealed look on your dead ends
if your hair is extremely cury i recommend a consultation
IS THERE ANYTHING I SHOULD AVOID AFTER MY TREATMENT?
avoid using shampoos that contain sulfur. also avoid anything that contains salt as products containing any of the above will break down the treatment with each exposure! styling products do not contain either but swimming in the ocean or being exposed to chlorine do… protect your hair with a swimming cap or do not get your hair wet
HOW DO I MAINTAIN MY THE RESULTS AND LONGEVITY OF MY TREATMENT?
do not wash, get wet, or put your hair in any constricting manor for 4 complete days after your treatment.
follow up with our salon approved shampoo, conditioners, and products
IS THERE ALOT OF THINGS I NEED TO REMEMBER ABOUT THE MAINTAINENCE OF MY HAIR AND HOW WILL I REMEMBER?
nope not at all.. you will be informed of the maintenance of your treatment, any products you may need, any incase of instructions and I will also send you home with a paper for convenient refrence
Amanda Vivian IS NO LONGER IN WOODBURY
HERE IS HER INFORMATION
at: Elliegant Hair Design Inc
967 W Jericho Tpke # B
Smithtown, NY 11787
P: (631) 863-1422
PERSONAL CELL 516-424-1198
I had the Brazilian done on March 8. Today is June 16 and it still looks great. Not washing my hear every day is odd. I try to keep it to two or three times a week and sometimes actually plan for when I am washing my hair as I do go to the gym The limitted hair washing is not as bad as I thought and to me, this was worth it. The formaldehyde was not that bad (my right eye teared my hair was being flat ironed). It was worth every penny and I will do it again after the summer and my vacation since I will probably be exposing my hair to chlorine at the very least.
I am Brazilian and have seen this product being used in Brazil since 2005. It actually became a fever in the country. Until the side effects started to show. Stay away from this product. It is not worth dying for. the chemical in it will cause cancer and other respiratory problems. People have actually died in Brazil after using it. Just do a google search from Brazilian press you will see it for yourself.
Im getting my hair done tomorow…Im only being charged 150! The formula being done does not use formeldahyde which is great! I am so excited to see how it looks after!
I have done my research because I am seriously considering getting this done.
There are formaldehyde free formulas out there that have almost as good an effect.
I think you would have to request it from your stylist ahead of time so they have enough time to import it…..
I had the Japanese straightening done a few times already. I loved it, and have never had a problem. People kept telling me about the Brazilian. I finally decided to give it a try, and I am so unhappy with the results. It made my hair more dry, not as straight and it has dents all over. It’s horrible. I cannot wait to grow it out. I do not recommend this at all. The Japanese one is way better.
this is a question for liz -
i know this was posted such a long time ago, but i just had the same thing happen. went to the salon yesterday for the treatment and now my hair is orange (was light blonde – color treated)… pleaaaaase tell me this goes away after the 3-4 days when i wash it? I’m really curious, because I’m leaving for europe and i need to either decide to just dye it now and lose the straightening, or wait for a few days to see if the color gets better.
hope this message gets to you!
thanks
sara
SAra
I am about to get this done. Did your hair color lose the orange shade after the washing?
I have medium blonde color treated hair.
How light is your hair?
Thank you,
I hope all turned out good, it sounds like a great treatment.
Rainseed
Hi, I had the BKT done in mid june. Everything was great, my hair looks great but then about mid july, I start getting red painful marks around my arms, stomach, basically all over my body. I did not think it was this treatment, infact when i finally saw a doctor, I never even thought to mention the hair treatment I had done in june. However I am still suffering from this painful, keloid-like rash on my body, i was put on steriods and i have gained over 10 pounds since july!! This allergic reation is so bad, once the pain and redness gets to my feet, I can’t even walk!! I had to call an ambulance!! It is now september and I continue to have this problem, I only had 2 ounce’s of the Keratin treatment on my hair since it is short and thin, but I can imagine if I would of had more. The point is I am very sick and I have not gotten better! I really think it was this treatment,I wish I would of looked at the side affects before I had it done.I will NEVER DO THIS SO CALLED TREATMENT AGAIN, EVERYONE BEWARE!!!!!
I had the BKT done last week in Egypt, but I had to was it in less than 4 days time approx: 3 and half days then I have re done it again the same day
When I did it, there was no change in colour at all and the product used is made in USA and is approved by the FDA and this is mixed with another product made in Brazil.
When I washed it it was not 100% straight and that is what I have been informed by the salon before doing it, they said that it straights from 80-90% not 100% while some other salons say that it is only a treatment and it straights 30% only.
For me I liked my hair when I washed it, it was not that big frizzy curly hair, Now I can see my hair longer although it is not 100% straight when I washed it and also I can stay at home with my hair without worrying of running to have it dried and straightened with blow dry and straight iron.
Now it is again done and I am waiting for the final result
The bad thing I noticed is the fumes coming out when straightening your hair which really affects your eyes and turns it red and makes you caugh alot, I think it is also serious and might affect the hairdressers doing that on the long run
Well, I had been seriously considering getting the BKT done. My hair is curly, thick and frizzy. It is so much trouble to blow dry and flat iron that I don’t wash my hair everyday.
I think I will skip the treatment and stay healthy after reading all the comments about formaldahyde and allergic rashes and reactions. Thank you everyone!
I just got the Brazilian Treatment done last week and my hair has never looked better. I have no frizz even when it rains. My hair looks beautiful. I recommend this treatment for anyone who has frizzy and curly hair. Oh, I went to Annabelle’s Salon in NYC. They are great.
Escova Progressiva, Brazilian Blow-out or Brazilian Keratin Treatment are all the same. ALL of them use FORMALDEHYDE or GLUTARALDEHYDE as hair straightening.
KERATIN DOES NOT MAKE YOUR HAIR STRAIGHT. IT IS WILDLY USED IN BRAZIL TO TREAT HAIR THAT HAS UNDERGONE CHEMICAL PROCEDURES WITH THIOGLYCOLIC ACID, HYDROXIDE (SUCH AS GUANIDINE, LITHIUM, SODIUM), HAIR DYING, etc.
In Brazil, Formaldehyde and Glutaraldehyde are allowed to be used as preservatives, NOT AS HAIR STRAIGHTENING. The Brazilian Governamental branch that is responsible for allowing these products as preservatives is called ANVISA.
Here in Brazil it is allowed to use 0,2% of Formaldehyde OR 0,1% of Glutaraldehyde, but producers (industries) use much more than this. How they get the product approved? The company send a sample to ANVISA with the allowed quantity of one of these preservatives and when it is approved for “consumption”, they increase the quantity to as much as 5%.
Everyone here in Brazil knows that 0,2% of Formaldehyde or 0,1% of Glutaraldehyde DOES NOT straighten the hair. That is why most hairdressers used to buy Formaldehyde in supermarkets ou drug store to add it in the “original” formula. Until ANVISA prohibit. Now they buy over the Internet and alter the products.
On the other hand, if any hair salon is caught with altered product, it is condemned to pay from US$1,200.00 to US$1,000,000.00, plus the hair salon owner goes to jail from 10 to 15 years.
Please understand that KERATIN is GOOD for your hair because it acts from INSIDE OUT reconstructing the hair fiber. FORMALDEHYDE or GLUTARALDEHYDE, on the other hand, are NOT good at all. They act ON the hair by sealing the cuticles, not allowing anything, like proteins, vitamins, etc, to get in the hair when you wash it with a good shampoo for example.
Plus, both of them are toxic and causes more long term problems than solutions:
- FORMALDEHYDE (carcinogenic): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formaldehyde#Safety
- GLUTARALDEHYDE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutaraldehyde#Safety)
The salt-free shampoo is a myth once EVERY shampoo has salt in it. Just look at the formula composition. It might contain Sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl ether sulfate or any other salt since it is used as thickener. In fact, you have to look at the shampoo pH which should be between 4.5 to 5.2 (neutral), so the cuticles are maintained sealed.
I JUST HAD IT DONE AND I’M ALLOWING 5 FULL DAYS BE 4 MY FIRST WASH SINCE THE TREATMENT. IT WILL LAST LONGER!!!! THE HARDEST THING FOR ME ALSO WAS NOT TO BE ABLE TO PUT MY HAIR UP. IT WAS A PAIN TO KEEP MY HOUSE TIDY. NOW THAT I READ ABOUT ALL THIS,
IT SCARED ME SO I RATHER NOT DO IT AGAIN DESPITE THE BEAUTY AND HOW YOUNG I APPEAR WITH THIS NEW LOOK. ALL I WILL DO IS KEEP USING HEALTHIER PRODUCTS AND TRY TO MAINTAIN THE BEST DIET. I SUGGEST TO MYSELF & TO EVERYONE TO USE ORGANIC AND I THAT BE FINE. IF THERE IS AN ORGANIC VERSION AND INEXPENSIVE WITH NO FUMES OR DANGERS THEN JUST MAYBE I’LL RECONSIDER BUT THIS PROCESS DID MAKE MY EYES HURT A BIT AND THEN I JUST COVERED THEM DURING THE REST OF THE PROCESS. THE FUMES WERE NOT MUCH AT LEAST I DON’T REMEMBER NOW. MY HAIR DOES LOOK AMAZING, BUT HEY, I DON’T WANT TO DIE OF CANCER IN THE LONG RUN JUST TO LOOK EXTRA GOOD. I’LL FIND BETTER WAYS NOW TO MAINTAIN THE GOOD RESULTS.
I WONDER IF MY COMMENT WAS POSTED
I have an appointment today to take me daughter to have this treatment. But…..I could not sleep thinking about this and wondering if there was any side effect. So I searched before going to get it done. I will NOT absolutely NOT have this treatment done on my daughter. There is NO way that beauty can overway HEALTH…. It is not worth looking good in the hospital for this type of treatment.
Thanks for all your comments..
..
Have to go cancel appointment