Smoothing and keratin are hair treatments for healthy hair. Nowadays, smoothing and keratin are renowned for their beautiful effects on hair. The process of smoothing and keratin is different. Many people get confused between smoothing and keratin. Both keratin and smoothing make hair straight and healthy. Keratin treatments improve the health of hair. On the other hand, smoothing treatments give long-lasting results.
Smoothing vs Keratin
The main difference between smoothing and keratin is that smoothing helps treat frizzy hair by making it smooth. On the other hand, keratin treatments help to increase the keratin level in your hair and scalp. The procedure of smoothing and keratin treatment is slightly similar.
Smoothing treatments for hair are a good way to make your hair silky and smooth. The hair would get straightened for 6 to 8 months. The process for smoothing treatment takes 4 to 5 hours, depending on the hair length. The expert would advise specific post-care products after smoothing treatments for long-lasting results. In smoothing treatments, the hair is treated, without adding many benefits to the scalp.
Keratin treatments are expensive hair treatments that require 3 to 5 hours. The treatments help provide protein (keratin) to the scalp and hair. Keratin treatments focus on strengthening the hair of the person. This treatment reduces hair loss. The keratin treatment is more expensive than smoothing treatments.
Comparison Table Between Smoothing and Keratin
| Parameters of Comparison | Smoothing | Keratin |
| Benefits | Smoothen hair, control frizzy hair and makes hair shiny | Provide protein to the scalp and hair |
| Lasting time | Smoothing treatments last for 4 to 5 months | Keratin treatments last for 6 to 9 months |
| Focus | Focuses on making hair shiny and silky | Focuses on adding protein to the hair |
| Results | Straight, smooth and shiny hair | Normal straight, and shiny hair |
| Protein addition | No protein addition is not done | Protein addition is done |
What is Smoothing?
Smoothing treatment is one of the most common treatments for silky and shiny hair. These types of treatments help the addition of protein or hydrolyzed keratin to the hair and scalp. Smoothing treatments make hair manageable. The salon expert would recommend sulfate-free shampoos after smoothing treatments.
The smoothing treatments are not more expensive than keratin treatments. Smoothing treatments makes hair perfectly straight, which is not possible in a keratin treatment. The whole procedure of smoothing, treatment takes 4 to 5 hours depending on the length and thickness of the hair.
People with short hair length would take less time than people with long hair. In this treatment, the products are similar to the hair straightening treatments. If you want a treatment for hair health, then smoothing treatment is not for you. Smoothing treatments doesn’t build the protein level in your hair and scalp. The best part about smoothing treatment is its long-lasting results.
The person should not do frequent touch-ups after a smoothing treatment as the effects stay for a long time. Smoothing treatment would last for 6 to 9 months, depending on the hair growth rate of the person.
The lasting time of smoothing treatments effect would get influenced by the quality of products used by the salon expert. Therefore, it’s vital for the person to wisely choose the salon for smoothing treatments.
What is Keratin?
Keratin treatments help to build the protein level in the hair. Keratin treatments require high maintenance. These treatments are high priced, and results stay for less time. The presence of protein is vital for beautiful hair. Improper hair care and diet decrease the protein level in your hair and scalp. Keratin focuses on increasing the protein level in your hair.
The results of the keratin would stay for 4 to 5 months. Post-care after a keratin treatment is not easy. The salon expert would recommend keratin-based products, which are very expensive. The person getting keratin treatments would require frequent touch-ups. Keratin treatment makes hair naturally straight but not perfectly straight.
If you want to improve the overall health of hair, then keratin treatment is the best for you. The products used in keratin treatments are different from products used in smoothing treatment. In keratin treatment, keratin-based products get used.
Keratin gives a fuller and glossy look to your hair. Your hair gets sun protection after the keratin treatments. People with curly hair can easily style their hair after a keratin treatment.
Main Differences Between Smoothing and Keratin
- Smoothing treatments don’t give sun protection, whereas keratin treatments give sun protection to the hair.
- Smoothing treatments are affordable as they don’t require huge maintenance. On the other hand, keratin treatments are expensive and require regular maintenance.
- The effects of smoothing treatments last for 6 to 9 months. On the other hand, the keratin treatments effect lasts 3 to 5 months.
- In smoothing treatment, protein addition is not compulsory. On the other hand, the keratin treatment adds protein to the hair.
- Smoothing treatments give a straight and frizz-free look to the hair. On the other hand, keratin treatments give a fuller hair look.
Conclusion
Hair smoothing and keratin are two popular hair treatments. Many people get confused between smoothing and keratin treatments. The only similarity between smoothing and keratin treatment is that the hair becomes straight after the procedure. The most notable difference between smoothing and the keratin treatment is their lasting time.
The effects of smoothing treatment last longer than keratin treatment. The popularity of smoothing treatment is more as it is less expensive than keratin treatment. The person needs to take proper care after a keratin treatment. Everyone after hair keratin treatment requires cruelty and sulfate-free products.
Both keratin and smoothing treatments bring good looks to your hair, but keratin is a better treatment. The smoothing treatment has limited benefits. It cannot give protein addition and sun protection. On the other hand, keratin treatments give sun protection and protein addition. If you want an all-in-one hair treatment, then keratin treatment is the best for you.
References
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1365-2559.2002.01387.x
- https://www.nature.com/articles/152038a0