Keratin hair treatments can smoothen and straighten unmanageable locks, and have gained great popularity in the past 6 months. Women are willing to try new beauty items, and salons are quick to want business, but as is the case with anything new, there are precautions to take. You want to research both the treatment and the stylist you are contemplating before taking the plunge. Stay tuned for an informative post with details on how to do so!
While there are many questions women have about keratin treatments, a vital question has popped up quite a few times and there seem to be contradictory answers. That question? “Can I Have a Keratin Treatment While I’m Pregnant (or nursing)?” the manufacturers for these beauty products say no. Salons are split in their opinion; some will, some won’t. And it’s so new that many OB’s are still in dark about what they are or how they work.
The manufacturers’ reply is decidedly no, because it is new and no one has done any experiments on how it might affect a baby. But the question is how many women ever contact the manufacturer of the hair color or other products their stylist uses? Why would you? You probably trust your stylist…right? Not to knock hair stylists; we are gifted artists and outgoing professionals, but we aren’t chemists and we surely aren’t Doctors We are keen to see what’s new in beauty and offer it to our clients to make them feel as good as possible. But many salons are promoting these treatments as “all-natural” or “chemical-free,” which is just not true. They do not chemically transform the hair, but as is always said…if they were made of rainbow and butterflies, they wouldn’t last more than 3-6 months! American Culture, the manufacturer of Simply Smooth Keratin Treatment, was kind enough to share their ingredient list:
Simply Smooth ingredients:
WATER, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, CETRIMONIUN CHLORIDE, HYDROLYZED KERATIN, VANILLIN (the chemical name for vanillin, which comes from vanilla, but is still a chemical, is 3-methoxy-4-hydrobenzaldehyde- so much for all-natural!), HYDROLYZED COLLAGEN, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, CETEARETH-20, AMODIMETHICONE, YELLOW 5 (CI 19140), CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, DIMETHICONE, IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA, FRAGRANCE , ORANGE 5 (CI 15510)
Again, I’m not a chemist, but I’m absolutely sure there’s more than apples and honey in there. Keratin treatments have done wonders for the frizzy gals of the world, and are perfectly secure when applied and processed properly in an appropriate environment. However, there are many things women have in moderation or use regularly, but have to hold back from while they are pregnant.
If you’re a reader of A MOM in Red High Heels, there’s a good chance you’ve already spent several months of your life avoiding alcohol, OTC medications, soft cheeses, soft boiled or over-easy eggs, sushi and certain kinds of fish, cycling or horseback riding, and after that great maternity massage you pouted and passed up the jacuzzi/sauna.
See what some of the most well known keratin treatment companies have to say about receiving the treatment while pregnant or nursing:
Q. Can I receive a Brazilian Blowout in case I am pregnant or breastfeeding?
A. There have been no medical tests performed on the safety of performing the Brazilian Blowout on pregnant women or women who are breastfeeding. As a result, we do counsel against pregnant or breastfeeding women receiving the Brazilian Blowout treatment.
It is said that Keratin Complex is not recommended for pregnant or nursing women. The research or development has not been done satisfactorily and, therefore, experts do not put their stamp of approval.
The Customer Service at Marcia Teixeira’s Brazilian Keratin says, “The option to use our product, or any other chemical treatment during pregnancy and/or nursing is a personal one. When in doubt, we suggest that you seek the advice of your physician.”
Not much room for interpretation there and, hence, the question as to why do some salons offer keratin treatments to women who are pregnant or nursing? Maybe they just don’t know any better or perhaps the manufacturers need to be clearer about that subject in the training? The “training” in some companies is just watching a video presentation. In a reputed salon, experts suggest a keratin treatment information sheet which we go over with the client before starting the service, and that is one of the three main points on it (it also includes a chemical history section so they know your hair’s condition beyond how it looks, and a section telling which product is being used).
Testing has not been done on the repercussions of the treatment, so the manufacturers suggest waiting until you are done nursing before having the treatment done completely.
If you are contemplating a keratin treatment while pregnant, don’t just take the stylist’s word that it’s safe. Ask for all the ingredients and/or brand name and manufacturer, contact them, and run it by your own OB. Remember, your OB isn’t just a hairdresser either and it is important to explain how it will be used. Don’t forget to tell your Doc the formula that will be applied to your hair, blowdried, and then ironed at as much as 450 degrees. During this very last step, there will inescapably be chemical fumes.
Of course you want to look your very best, even if you don’t feel the same. Hopefully your stylists will be able to do some testing and will determine it is safe to use during pregnancy. But meanwhile, if your stylist offers you a “chemical-free” way to flatten your hair, make sure it should be a simple flat iron that he uses.
While there are many questions women have about keratin treatments, a vital question has popped up quite a few times and there seem to be contradictory answers. That question? “Can I Have a Keratin Treatment While I’m Pregnant (or nursing)?” the manufacturers for these beauty products say no. Salons are split in their opinion; some will, some won’t. And it’s so new that many OB’s are still in dark about what they are or how they work.
The manufacturers’ reply is decidedly no, because it is new and no one has done any experiments on how it might affect a baby. But the question is how many women ever contact the manufacturer of the hair color or other products their stylist uses? Why would you? You probably trust your stylist…right? Not to knock hair stylists; we are gifted artists and outgoing professionals, but we aren’t chemists and we surely aren’t Doctors We are keen to see what’s new in beauty and offer it to our clients to make them feel as good as possible. But many salons are promoting these treatments as “all-natural” or “chemical-free,” which is just not true. They do not chemically transform the hair, but as is always said…if they were made of rainbow and butterflies, they wouldn’t last more than 3-6 months! American Culture, the manufacturer of Simply Smooth Keratin Treatment, was kind enough to share their ingredient list:
Simply Smooth ingredients:
WATER, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, CETRIMONIUN CHLORIDE, HYDROLYZED KERATIN, VANILLIN (the chemical name for vanillin, which comes from vanilla, but is still a chemical, is 3-methoxy-4-hydrobenzaldehyde- so much for all-natural!), HYDROLYZED COLLAGEN, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, CETEARETH-20, AMODIMETHICONE, YELLOW 5 (CI 19140), CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, DIMETHICONE, IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA, FRAGRANCE , ORANGE 5 (CI 15510)
Again, I’m not a chemist, but I’m absolutely sure there’s more than apples and honey in there. Keratin treatments have done wonders for the frizzy gals of the world, and are perfectly secure when applied and processed properly in an appropriate environment. However, there are many things women have in moderation or use regularly, but have to hold back from while they are pregnant.
If you’re a reader of A MOM in Red High Heels, there’s a good chance you’ve already spent several months of your life avoiding alcohol, OTC medications, soft cheeses, soft boiled or over-easy eggs, sushi and certain kinds of fish, cycling or horseback riding, and after that great maternity massage you pouted and passed up the jacuzzi/sauna.
See what some of the most well known keratin treatment companies have to say about receiving the treatment while pregnant or nursing:
Q. Can I receive a Brazilian Blowout in case I am pregnant or breastfeeding?
A. There have been no medical tests performed on the safety of performing the Brazilian Blowout on pregnant women or women who are breastfeeding. As a result, we do counsel against pregnant or breastfeeding women receiving the Brazilian Blowout treatment.
It is said that Keratin Complex is not recommended for pregnant or nursing women. The research or development has not been done satisfactorily and, therefore, experts do not put their stamp of approval.
The Customer Service at Marcia Teixeira’s Brazilian Keratin says, “The option to use our product, or any other chemical treatment during pregnancy and/or nursing is a personal one. When in doubt, we suggest that you seek the advice of your physician.”
Not much room for interpretation there and, hence, the question as to why do some salons offer keratin treatments to women who are pregnant or nursing? Maybe they just don’t know any better or perhaps the manufacturers need to be clearer about that subject in the training? The “training” in some companies is just watching a video presentation. In a reputed salon, experts suggest a keratin treatment information sheet which we go over with the client before starting the service, and that is one of the three main points on it (it also includes a chemical history section so they know your hair’s condition beyond how it looks, and a section telling which product is being used).
Testing has not been done on the repercussions of the treatment, so the manufacturers suggest waiting until you are done nursing before having the treatment done completely.
If you are contemplating a keratin treatment while pregnant, don’t just take the stylist’s word that it’s safe. Ask for all the ingredients and/or brand name and manufacturer, contact them, and run it by your own OB. Remember, your OB isn’t just a hairdresser either and it is important to explain how it will be used. Don’t forget to tell your Doc the formula that will be applied to your hair, blowdried, and then ironed at as much as 450 degrees. During this very last step, there will inescapably be chemical fumes.
Of course you want to look your very best, even if you don’t feel the same. Hopefully your stylists will be able to do some testing and will determine it is safe to use during pregnancy. But meanwhile, if your stylist offers you a “chemical-free” way to flatten your hair, make sure it should be a simple flat iron that he uses.
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