Did You Know These Side-Effects Of Hair Smoothening?

Smooth, straight hair is a dream for many, especially for those who do not have straight hair naturally. People with curly or wavy hair opt for hair smoothening so that they can have fewer bad hair days.

Curly and wavy hair can be difficult to manage and if you wish to style your hair in a particular manner, straight hair would be much preferable. People who lack time to take up daily hair care routine steps opt for hair smoothening. Although hair smoothening does make your hair lustrous and attractive, it is not free of side effects.

So, before you head to the salon to set your hair through smoothening, you might want to know the side effects that you might have to face post the hair smoothening procedure.

The process of hair smoothening

Hair smoothening is also known as Brazilian blowouts and keratin smoothing. This treatment follows a process of breaking certain hair bonds and then again gluing them back together to achieve a new, sleek pattern. The process follows the below procedure:

• Hair is first washed with a deep cleansing shampoo.
• A straightening solution is then applied to your hair.
• Hair is then blow dried and flat ironed at a very high temperature.
• This process forms a waterproof like seal that allows the hair strands to maintain its smoothened new hair structure for minimum 3 months to a maximum of 6 months.

Side effects of hair smoothening

• Chronic hair fall: The most common side effect is that of extensive hair fall. The harmful chemicals and excess heat makes the hair follicles weak. Eventually the hair gets detached from its roots and fall. With months of such hair treatments, the hair keeps losing its natural strength and break.

• Skin rashes and teary eyes: Nausea and dizziness can occur due to the chemicals used during hair smoothening. The eyes might burn too. There could be itching in your larynx. The health of your scalp is also affected by this hair treatment. The skin being the most sensitive organ of the body can get damaged quite easily.

When chemicals used on the hair accidently touch the skin, it can lead to blisters and severe skin rashes especially on your face and neck (these being the region that gets in contact with the chemicals used on the hair very easily). Hair smoothening makes use of a chemical that contains the compound known as formaldehyde. This when touches the epidermis layer of the skin can cause the skin to turn coarse, red and itchy.

• Natural hair texture is damaged: Hair smoothening is a treatment wherein the amino acids and disulfide bonds in the hair strands are destroyed while breaking and then rebonded. This grants a temporary new structure to the hair strands. Hence, losing the natural texture of your hair.

• Dryness of the hair: Hair smoothening initially gives you parlour ready look. However, after few washes, your hair starts becoming extremely dry. The toxins that change the hair structure damages the entire hair strand from the roots to the tip. When chemicals seep into the scalp, it turns flaky. Hair turns brittle due to presence of sediments on the hair strands.

• Split ends: Getting rid of split ends without cutting your hair can take a long time. Split ends occur due to the extreme heat applied during the hair smoothening procedure. Chemical treatments suck the natural moisture from the hair strands causing split ends. Not just that, hair follicles turns weak as well.

• Dandruff: When chemicals used during the hair smoothening process turn into sediments on the scalp, it can result in the occurrence of dandruff. The sediments on the scalp behave as a catalyst that produce dandruff flakes. This makes the scalp itchy and results in greasiness and hair fall.

• Greasiness: Hair serums and lotions used during the hair smoothening procedure make your hair extremely greasy. Using serums and hair creams too often can lead to damaged hair. Hair serums make your hair look flattened and greasy. Extreme greasiness is the root cause of several hair problems, one of them being dandruff.

• Thinning of hair: Hair smoothening does not pamper your hair; instead it does just the reverse - damages it. When hair is exposed to various chemicals, the density of your hair reduces due to constant hair fall and breakage. The high temperature used to smoothen your hair leads to hair turning brittle and ultimately to break.

• Discoloration of hair: Premature graying of hair is likely when your hair is exposed to various chemicals and strong shampoos post the keratin treatment.

• Health issues: Inhalation of the chemical substances used during the keratin treatment can result in lung problems. Such chemicals are known to cause breathing and various respiratory issues.