I received a reader question regarding keratin hair treatments, pregnancies and perms. It’s actually a two-fold question: 1) Are keratin hair treatments safe for pregnant women 2)Will a keratin treatment help my permed hair behave until I can get another after having baby?
Sarah says:
“I had my hair permed in November and it was shoulder length. I became pregnant with my second child weeks later. Now my perm has grown out about 5 inches and looks horrible! I was planning on getting it re-permed, but my doctor says no perm while I’m pregnant. Now I don’t know what to do! I don’t want to cut it off since I’ve been trying to grow out my hair, but I can’t possibly wait until Fall to get my hair re-permed again. The top 5 inches are flat and straight and the bottom is all curly and permed.
I have very thick hair and it’s always been hard to have a style because of that. It’s straight and flat on the top and always get wavier near shoulder length and downwards. I’m wondering if getting the Formaldehyde and chemical free Keratin smoothing treatment might make my hair manageable for the next few months? Is it safe for pregnant women? Will it straighten my hair or just leave it slightly more manageable? Please help!”
I asked keratin treatment specialist, Jordana Lorraine for her input on this hair emergency. Unfortunately, I don’t think the answer is what this expecting mom is hoping to hear.
Jordana says:
“Congratulations on your new baby! I’m sorry to hear you’re in a pickle with your hair. It is a common misconception that keratin treatments are chemical-free; while they don’t chemically change your hair like a perm or tradition relaxer, they do contain chemicals which (in combination with the heat it is applied with) bond the treatment onto your hair. These processes are relatively new and therefor are not recommended during pregnancy or nursing. If there is a specific keratin treatment you are considering, I would recommend asking them directly and double-checking with your Doctor. In my salon we do not perform the service on expectant or nursing Moms, based on our manufacturer’s instructions and our cautious nature. From my FAQ page:
Are keratin treatments safe while pregnant or nursing?
“Testing has not been done on this, so Brazilian Blowout suggests waiting until you are done nursing before having the treatment done. Jordana Lorraine and Dino Clark Salon take this advice and your baby’s health seriously, and extend this precaution to all keratin treatments.”
I wish I had better news for you in this situation. My advice would be to explore styling techniques that will compliment the mixed texture…headbands, scarves, braids and updos as seen here from Daily Makeover:
There is good news however, for those of you who get perms and end up with one you just don’t like! Jordana explained that, “A keratin treatment can definitely be done over a perm. It would condition, smooth and strengthen; though the straightening results could be unpredictable, it would definitely help chill it out and make it more blendable!” So, as long as you are not pregnant or nursing, go ahead and get a Brazilian Blowout, or keratin treatment of your choice, to counteract that bad perm!
*image credit: ©Daily Makeover
*This blog is an affiliate of Daily Makeover
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My doctor and salon stylist confirmed that the Simply Smooth Brazilian Keratin Smoothing Treatment was safe for pregnancy.
I had it done on February 24th (my birthday!). There were no fumes, smells, or anything. In fact, it was so natural, I question it’s effectiveness at this point… You can read all about my experience here:
Simply Smooth Brazilian Keratin Treatment Review – Straighten and Smooth Hair – http://www.thefashionablehousewife.com/02/2010/simply-smooth-brazilian-keratin-treatment-review-straighten-and-smooth-hair/
I have only had it for about a week now, but I’m in Florida and the humidity is really getting to me. I’ll have to wait till I go back home to New England next week to make my final verdict on the process and decide whether it actually make an improvement.
I mean, it did makes it very silky and shiny and it did relax the perm a little but I was expecting it to straighten it a little more than it did. That’s why I say I’ll need to wait till i get home to see the true results!
@Sarah Happy Birthday! I hope you love your hair and I hope that your salon was correct in the information it give you. Most of all, I hope you have a beautiful, healthy baby.
I do not mean to be argumentative and my concern is purely for clients’ health and that of their babies–this is what I do, and of course I wouldn’t turn away business without a good reason.
I would recommend that any pregnant or nursing woman considering a keratin treatment contact the manufacturer of that treatment. It’s not that there is a known problem…just that there are unknowns because the service is so new. Many things that are safe for adult women, are not advisable while pregnant, i.e., sushi, soft cheese, alcohol.
Below are the phone numbers for the treatment referenced in this post as well as the 4 other most popular ones.
Simply Smooth manufacturer American Culture 631-293-3143
Brazilian Blowout 877-779-7706 (or FAQ @brazilianblowout.com
Keratin Complex by Coppola 888-409-4445
Global Keratin 305-390-0044
Brazilian Keratin by Marcia Teixeira 561-272-8553
Honestly I have seen it done and I have personally had it done, I did not breathe in anything and it doesn’t touch your scalp, with proper ventilation I think it would be safe.
http://confessionshairstudio.com/category/keratin-complex-smoothing-therapy/
Tara, I mean no offense but if the companies which MAKE the product advise against it, what makes you feel confident advising women to go ahead and expose their babies to these chemicals?
Read more on receiving (or performing) keratin treatments while pregnant here:
http://amominredhighheels.com/keratin-treatment-pregnant/
Hi Jordana… I have a four months old baby and I’m breastfeeding… I just got the global keratin treatment done on my hair and was not told by my hairdresser that it was not safe to get it done while breastfeeding. Now I’m reading up that it is not safe… should I be worried? I am concern
@Sharon Congratulations on your baby! I am sorry to hear of your stylist’s oversight, but please try not to panic as what’s done is done. None of the keratin treatment companies list potential issues with having a treatment while pregnant or nursing, they just advise not to since they have not done any research on it.
If you haven’t washed your hair yet, you may want to do so, to remove the product and be sure it does not come in contact with your baby. You may also want to ‘pump and dump’ for a few days(?) I’m not sure how quickly breast milk regenerates…your best bet would be to contact Global directly. And it might be nice of you to let the salon know, so they can be more responsible for future clients…
Is using shampoo and conditoners having some sort of keratin save while pregnant? I have had the treatment done a while ago, but now I am only using shampoo and conditoners related to Keratin. I am not pregnant yet, but I am trying and I was not sure whether I can continue on using the products I use now and during I am pregnant.
@thediscoera, good question! The shampoos and conditioners only have the keratin and smoothing ingredients in them, not any of the chemicals which bond them to the hair long-term. You are absolutely safe using the shampoo and conditioner, and many companies now make styling products, such as a leave-in conditioner or smoothing serum, which are also safe and can help control frizz.
There are even some newer treatments which you can have while pregnant or nursing, should you decide you’d like a stronger result than just the home care products provide. To learn more about this, read here:
http://amominredhighheels.com/comprehensive-guide-formaldehydefree-brazilian-blowout-keratin-treatment-alternatives/
I am nursing my 4 month old daughter and was wondering if I could get the Brazilian Keratin Treatment. The salon I want to go to uses QOD, CADIVEU, and REJUVENOL products. Are these products safe for pregnant and nursing women?
@Aqila Congratulations on your new baby! I would recommend checking with the manufacturers of each to see what they advise. Cadiveu is the only one of those three that I am familiar with, and they advise not to. The products which are safe during pregnancy and nursing are usually from a different category, containing no methylene glycol or related ingredients. You can read about some here: http://amominredhighheels.com/comprehensive-guide-formaldehydefree-brazilian-blowout-keratin-treatment-alternatives/