Why is Keratin important for hair growth?

Dry air, cold water, strong winds, hairdryers, and hot tools can all wreak havoc on your hair.

Many of us are not aware of the damage we do to our hair daily. That is especially true if your strands are dry, and controlling hair damage or repair becomes a difficult task.

It's important to be aware that these damages are not limited to split ends. If your hair is extremely damaged, cracks can emerge on your cuticles. Once these cuticles open up, the situation gets worse. That not only makes your hair dull and brittle, but it also makes it difficult to control.

Hair damage, however, is not caused by the mentioned factors alone. Sometimes, there are issues such as diseases, hormonal and genetic problems that can interfere with the health of the strands. Monilethrix, for example, is a congenital disease that damages the hair shaft and causes great fragility, reducing growth.

Unfortunately, these factors are more harmful than any chemical that can cause cosmetic damage to the hair. It becomes brittle and subject to falling too.

People who are experiencing any of the above hair conditions may be wondering if there is any way to restore their strands to health. While severe hair damage is often permanent and irreparable, there are ways to prevent future problems.

With targeted treatments and a good hair care regimen, you can prevent cuticle wear. In addition, using dietary supplements and seeking professional help can also promote scalp health and healthy hair growth.

Once you notice that your hair has started to feel dry or brittle, that is the right time to start the healing process. But what if your hectic schedule doesn't allow you to change your hair care regimen or get expensive treatments?

Don't worry. You can fight breakage and strengthen your strands by restoring the keratin in your hair naturally. After all, when hair suffers some damage, it mainly affects the amount of keratin in it. That's why restoring is very important to protect the strands from wear and tear.

Before we get into the discussion of which keratin products can help provide an adequate amount to your hair, let's dig deeper to find out what keratin is and what other things can be harmful to your hair.

The term keratin refers to a group of proteins typically made of a fibrous structure. The tiny keratin monomers, when combined, create large bundles to produce intermediate filaments.

These filaments are insoluble and resistant. They combine to form strong non-mineralized tissues found in amphibians, mammals, and birds.

Keratin is the protective protein that is least subject to tearing and scratching compared to other types of cells in the human body. It is present in animal bodies and elements of nature and can be easily derived from wool, horns, and feathers for use in many cosmetics for hair.

Keratin is one of the most important proteins found naturally in hair. This essential protein helps nourish the hair, filling in cracked, dry, and damaged cuticles.

According to hair experts, keratin is not permeable and plays a critical role in forming a protective layer on the hair. Therefore, several hair treatments contain this essential protein.

Many dermatologists find these treatments extremely helpful in straightening frizzy, frayed, and difficult to tame hair. As mentioned above, your hair is subject to many chemicals and styling tools that cause considerable damage.

That's why you need keratin not only to repair damaged hair but also to prevent further damage. Precisely, treatment or products with keratin can have a great impact on your hair's health, making it shinier and healthier.

Based on everything that we said so far, it seems correct to say that this protein is responsible for the fullness of the hair and, therefore, is used in the composition of several products and treatments in beauty salons.

For aesthetic purposes and more intense professional treatments, keratin works to fill in the flaws in the strands caused by chemical procedures, the deficiency of nutrients in our body, or external aggressions. Some examples of these external aggressions are the constant action of wind and dust, seawater, swimming pool chlorine, and the use of helmets.

We can see that this protein has the function of protecting and preserving your hair, keeping nutrients inside it. As suggested, keratin is responsible for forming a protective layer that waterproofs the hair. It prevents water loss while protecting and giving a brighter and more flexible appearance to the hair.

For people who normally color and straighten their hair, it's extremely important to restore its keratin. This way, it's possible to have healthier and more beautiful strands while avoiding constant falling and maintaining the appearance of silky, full, and moving hair.

When your hair doesn't produce the proper amount of keratin, it suffers. That usually happens because of mutated or defective hair follicles during the keratinocyte process. Your body's natural defense system removes defective keratin.

However, if the process takes place in the hair follicle, the chances of hair being removed with the defective keratin increase significantly. That can result in hair loss. The process tends to continue as the faulty follicles keep fighting the hair until hair loss becomes visible.

Many factors can ruin your hair. Whether nutritional, medical, or cosmetic factors, they can cause keratin deficiency.

This protective protein is crucial for hair fortification, both internally and externally. After all, it represents about 90% of the strand. You need to take good care of it.

You can see some of the causes that not only reduce keratin production but also lead to hair thinning and scalp disorders.

Ever heard the phrase "you are what you eat"? Whether you believe it or not, this is true when it comes to the health of your hair. Certain nutrients are essential for hair growth and hair damage prevention.

Folic acid, biotin, iron, and protein keep your hair free from damage. If you're not getting all the nutrients your hair needs to grow healthily, it's subject to damage.

Stress is another unavoidable factor that can cause hair thinning, particularly the stress of telogen effluvium. This type of stress can make hair follicles numb and fight the growth cycle. Many studies have shown how managing stress can result in shinier, healthier hair.

There is no doubt that hot tools have become an integral part of our hygiene regimen.

Only high-temperature settings when using a hairdryer, curling iron, or straighteners will usually provide the best results. That is where you risk damaging the hair cuticle. Extreme temperatures can cause heat damage and also break the strands.

Also, these styling tools can affect keratin production, damaging hair growth cells.

People whose hair is considered dry have a predisposition to present brittle locks, which suffer more with the action of time than oily hair.

Dry weather, humidity, and high temperature are a few more factors that contribute to dry and damaged hair. People who wash their hair with hot water often suffer from dryness. As mentioned earlier, heat can inhibit keratin's production in your hair.

There's no denying that straightening, permanent brushing, and coloring make your hair look and feel healthier, especially after the first two sessions.

However, when you over-process your strands, the cuticles can be damaged and break. There should be a period of at least 8 to 10 weeks between these treatment sessions.

Washing your hair daily if you have an oily scalp is fine. On the other hand, daily washing can cause damage to dry hair. According to the Nemours Foundation, dry hair only needs a weekly wash. Washing too much can influence the hair's ability to produce keratin and cause hair loss.

This may sound bizarre, but rubbing your wet locks with a towel right after a shower can damage them. Wet hair tends to break. Hair experts recommend drying gently with an absorbent microfiber towel or satin sheet rather than rubbing the towel through your hair.

When it comes to managing your loose strands, nothing works better than a hairband. These handy hair bows are an easy hair care option, especially when you're in a hurry. Hair ties make the job easier, but at the same time, they pull the cuticle and can cause hair loss.

Trimming your hair is essential to keep it healthy and free from split ends. The lack of trimming is one of the reasons that lead to strand breakage.

If you think the more you brush or comb your hair, the healthier and shinier it gets, then you're wrong. Vigorous brushing and frequent brushing will weaken the hair, especially plastic bristles.

Many of us don't realize how eating habits can affect hair health. As we have already mentioned, inadequate nutrition or eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia are some of the main causes that weaken hair follicles.

Due to malnutrition caused by these diseases, your hair does not receive the essential nutrients it needs to grow healthily. These disorders combat your ability to produce new hair, affecting the hair growth cycle.

We want to reinforce the information that keratin serves as a natural protector for hair strands, but this protection is lost over time. Note that this happens when the hair becomes duller in appearance, drier, brittle, and begins to fall out.

Our body needs a rich diet to produce keratin naturally. When this is not possible, we can replace it externally.

Below, we will talk about some myths related to such replacement and the benefits of applying keratin to your strands. Check them out!

Myth. Very different from hydration, which can be done without restrictions, keratin replacement treatment must be done with great caution. All hair has keratin, meaning not everyone may need a replacement.

In extremely damaged hair, the sudden use of a portion of this protein can lead to a very negative result: the rebound effect. That way, strands become hard, dull, and, the worst, much more willing to break! So, no applying keratin without knowing whether your hair needs it, ok?

Although the indiscriminate use of keratin can cause this effect, if you use it as needed, without exaggeration, following the recommendations on the product label, it will not happen.

As said, keratin-based products only replace this protein in the hair fiber when it is lost over time. The right thing is to trust a complete line of shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in that contains beneficial concentrations of keratin.

Myth. If you have curly or wavy hair and want to keep it that way, you don't have to worry about using keratin. As it is a reconstructive treatment, which enriches strands with proteins, keratin is also beneficial for curly hair!

Unfortunately, this is true. Curly hair is usually more fragile, as the natural oil produced by the scalp cannot go down the entire length of the strand precisely because of its shape.

Without this protective layer, strands are more exposed to everyday aggressions, entering a cycle of keratin loss. Therefore, for curly hair, the use of keratin is very welcome and beneficial for you!

Myth. Some salons even use pure keratin, but if you want to rebuild your hair at home, there are excellent products suitable for home treatment. As we have already explained, follow the manufacturer's guidelines on the product label to ensure its effects.

One of the substantial compounds for hair production and growth, keratin can be consumed through a better diet or a balanced eating plan. Sweet potatoes, spinach, egg, and mango are all great sources to add to your diet to get more keratin.

However, getting enough keratin to support hair growth is not simple if you rely on these foods alone. Keratin works best when combined with vitamins such as B and C and minerals such as sulfur and zinc.

Combined with essential nutrients, this filamentous biomaterial not only helps hair grow from its follicle but also allows it to spread properly in your dermis.

An easy way to provide your hair with protein and essential nutrients are keratin products and treatments. These supplements restore your hair's keratin and protect it from damage while making it stronger.

We listed some of the keratin products that can repair your damaged locks in the best possible way. Check it out!

Keratin Renewal Shampoo is a great option you can add to your hair care regimen. This keratin-infused hair product gently treats your strands, strengthening and softening them. In addition, this shampoo contains a proprietary blend of pro-vitamin B5 that helps reduce frizz, which is common in dry, dull hair.

A keratin-infused shampoo nourishes the scalp and stimulates the hair growth cycle. In addition, it works great for chemically treated and color-treated strands.

A keratin-infused conditioner, along with shampoo, accelerates the healing process, seals open cuticles, and reduces dullness and frizz, leaving your hair shiny and silky. A keratin conditioner also contains plant extracts to restore the hair's elasticity while strengthening it.

That is another product you can use to rebuild and repair your hair. It's a reconstructive hair mascara with essential nutrients and keratin to help you rebuild elasticity. The mascara is extremely easy to apply and deeply nourishes the hair while moisturizing it.

It provides the needed softness and rejuvenates the overall look of your hair. The mascara includes seed oil and other natural ingredients that help your hair resist heat and dryness for healthier strands.

All you need to do is wash and dry your strands before applying the keratin hair mascara. Absorb excess moisture and apply the hair mascara for a maximum of five minutes. Distribute evenly. You can use it twice a week.

Keratin hair spray is another easy way to protect your hair from damage. This product is perfect for people who have a busy schedule and don't have a lot of time to spend on their hair care regimen.

Spraying the product before using styling tools can protect your hair from heat damage. It penetrates deep into the hair cuticles and retains moisture in the cortex and the surface.

The formula includes vitamins B5, which have powerful humectants for shinier, healthier hair. Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate is another important ingredient in the spray that protects your locks from the sun's harmful rays and provides moisture protection.

Keratin reconstruction can be done at home, safely, and inexpensively. It all starts with choosing good products. Before you begin, make sure the hair is strong enough to receive keratin, so invest in nutrition and hydration before rebuilding the strands.

Regardless of the product used, the step by step will be following:

• wash and rinse the hair well, so that no product remains;
• separate the hair into four sections and apply the product;
• use a comb to ensure all hair is covered;
• wait for the action time described on the package, taking care not to exceed and overload the strands;
• rinse well;
• use a conditioner to finish, sealing the cuticles and keeping all the keratin and nutrients inside the hair;
• rinse and finish.

We've said and taught you about keratin hair treatment, and we couldn't leave without presenting some products to restore the hair's natural protection.

Keratin Freshening Shampoo and Conditioner

It stimulates hair growth, improving the scalp's health and strengthening the strands.

These products are designed to unclog hair follicles while hydrating the scalp and preventing hair loss through its biotin-infused formula. The refreshing conditioner hydrates and rebuilds strands, reducing frizz.

Keratin Freshening Mask

Multifunctional mascara is designed to deeply nourish the hair. It prevents hair loss and weakening.

Curly System

Kerotin Curly System is a treatment composed of Styling Gel and Leave-in, especially for curly, frizzy, and wavy hair. The product's formula takes, among other actives, hydrolyzed keratin.

In short, there is no denying that keratin is one of the most important components that protect and promote hair growth. This protein's production is usually influenced by different factors and needs additional treatment if the diet does not help.

The products mentioned above can help you repair damaged hair, add softness and protect hair color. Therefore, keratin-infused shampoo, mascaras, and serums are what you need for healthy hair.

Want to read more about it and learn how to take better care of your hair? Then continue checking our blog!