- If you washed your hair 24 hours after the keratin treatment, there will be no problems.
- However, if you washed your hair less than 24 hours after the keratin treatment, it may have been ruined. In fact, it depends on your hair type. In this article, I’ll tell you the details.
- If your keratin treatment didn’t contain formaldehyde, you could to wash it out (as these treatments are washed out as soon as the exposure time is over).
- In this article, I’ll tell you about them as well as my own experience with keratin treatments. Stay to find out!
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You probably washed your hair after the keratin treatment too soon, or you’re not quite sure how long you should wait before washing it.
In that case, the good news is that the treatment will probably be intact.
The bad news is that if you washed your hair less than 24 hours after applying the keratin treatment, the product will probably not fulfill the purpose. Also, your hair type may influence the result.
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Formaldehyde keratins should be left on the hair for several days before washing
That’s right. The only keratins that should be left on the hair for more than 24 hours are those that have formaldehyde or its derivatives.
Formaldehyde-free keratins, on the other hand, are washed out after the exposure time. They take no more than a couple of hours.
Therefore, if you apply one of the formaldehyde treatments, you should wait at least 24 hours before washing your hair.
However, keep in mind that some keratin treatments have to be washed out after 48 hours. Others, in turn, after 72 hours.
These recommendations are based on the amount of formaldehyde they contain. The lower the amount of formaldehyde, the longer it should be left on the hair and vice versa.
Exposure times also have to do with the hair type and the result you’re looking for.
If your hair is untamable and thick, you should leave the keratin treatment longer before getting in the shower.
If you washed your hair less than 24 hours after applying the keratin treatment, here’s what you should check
I don’t blame you for washing your keratin treatment early.
Many years ago, when there weren’t so many hair products, I used to do my keratin treatment myself, especially around summer when I went to the beach.
I remember that I was supposed to leave the keratin treatment for 72 hours on my hair, but I never complied with that instruction.
Why?
Well, while it was a pleasure to have frizz-free hair, it was also unbearable to have such a heavy product on my head for more than 24 hours.
Besides, since my hair is fine, a couple of hours was enough to get the job done. What do I mean?
The worst thing that could happen if you wash your hair too soon is that your hair may lose the effect of the keratin treatment.
This may happen if your hair is not too porous and is also thick.
Generally, thicker hair has a hard time holding on to anti-frizz treatments such as keratin.
On the other hand, if you’re a bit luckier and your hair is thinner or more porous, perhaps some product will remain in the hair.
You should know that, even if 90% of the keratin is rinsed out after the first wash, there’s still 10% of the keratin that remains in the hair.
What to do to avoid losing all the keratin after having washed the hair too early
Let’s take advantage of that small percentage of the keratin treatment that will still be in your hair after you’ve rushed to wash it before 24 hours.
The best thing to do is to blow-dry your hair for the next seven hair washes after the keratin treatment.
Remember that the keratin treatment is thermoactive. That way, you’ll have the opportunity, if any, to activate any residue left on your fine hair.
Don’t give up, and give it a try. You have nothing to lose!
I washed my hair 24 hours after the keratin treatment
If you wash your hair after at least 24 hours, you have nothing to worry about.
As I said at the beginning, times vary depending on the amount of formaldehyde in the hair. However, 24 hours is a proper exposure time for your keratin treatment. It’s likely that the chemicals in the product already penetrated your hair.
When a keratin treatment is well done from start to finish, the result is usually successful.
An exception is if your hair is too untamable and the treatment is not properly sealed or flat ironed.
Alternatively, if your hair is too thick. I especially highlight thick hair because it has a harder time retaining products.
Another difference will make or break your treatment regardless of whether you washed it after 24 hours.
The result of a keratin treatment will not be the same if you applied it yourself at home or with a friend as if done by a professional hairdresser.The professional stylist has probably done a suitable job by ironing the keratin.
70% of the success of the treatment depends on ironing or sealing the keratin. So, if a professional has applied the keratin, you don’t have to worry about having washed your head too soon.
In conclusion, 24 hours or so makes the difference in your keratin treatment.
In this article, I told you why you should wait to wash your hair after the treatment, especially if your hair is too thick and untamable.
You also know that if you apply the treatment on your own, it won’t be as perfect as at the salon.
Let’s be honest, it’s difficult to do such a precise job on your own.
However, remember to blow-dry with heat after every hair wash so you can activate the product.
This is an excellent way to extend the duration of the keratin treatment. Go for it. You’ll see that the treatment will still be there after you wash your hair again.
