Brazilian Keratin. Last words b4 I take the plunge?

yodie said:
YAY, you took the plunge. Okay, we're waiting to hear about your results.
Can you tell me which vendor you purchased the sample from?


For those ladies interested in doing the procedure at home, how about a fume extractor? I read somewhere how a stylist uses a fume extractor to help rid the chemicals. Here's an inexpensive one.

http://www.technicaldevices.com/Details.cfm?ProdID=329064

Ebay also has a few.
http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_tr..._nkw=fume+extractor&_sacat=See-All-Categories
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:scratchch Now that's using your Noggin! Yay Yodie :clap: This is totally worth investing in if the BKT is something you plan on doing a few times per year...
 
Ive done BKT's for a little over a year.....and LOVED it, it truly saved my hair!!!! You wont be disappointed.....go for it!! (Not to mention the kind i used had formaldehyde in it and was super strong)
 
Okay I looked up BKTs and this is what I found on how it works. I think I might try it out especially if I can staty natural.

When it comes to keratin, tough is good. Its strong protective qualities improve the hair both inside and out. Our unique biopolymer ingredient is virtually a “liquid form of hair” that gently blends with the hair on your head. It brings to hair what it was lacking to begin with and what it has lost over the years. Is the hair dull dry and damaged? Is it curly, wavy, frizzy, overly voluminous or unmanageable? Application of our keratin treatment puts an end to all that. The smaller keratin molecules penetrate the hair cortex improving and repairing the quality of the hair from the inside. The added strength, elasticity and moisture result in the smooth, soft, shiny and straightened effect. The larger molecules coat the hair cuticle and take the environmental insults such as UV rays, smog, and smoke for your hair on the outside. Further damage to the hair shaft is prevented.
 
ok so help a sister out waht is Brazilian Keratin?
Is it for natural hair only?
Is it like a relaxer???
 
Hey Hot40, no it's not a relaxer; it's a treatment that can be used on both relaxed and natural hair. It makes the hair smoother and straighter by coating the strands in the keratin. It improves the health of the hair with use and imparts shine and manageability. Straight naturals are digging it because they can use less heat and straighten their hair with ease. But relaxed heads are all over it because you can be "bone straight" without relaxing bone straight. You're hair can have more strength and less breakage and still be permed/relaxed. There are a few threads on it.

Here are a couple:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=350699
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=356181

There are others, as well. Definitely worth taking a look at it. There's a poll on here where many say they've never tried it but would like to and some say they've never tried it and it wouldn't be for them. Quite a few had tried it and would do it again. The interesting thing is, no one in the poll voted they tried it and would not do it again.
 
Hot40 said:
Can a pro give this treatment?
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sure! It can be pricey though. Anywhere from $75 to $500 depending on the stylist, salon, product, etc. New york and Florida seem to have the greatest number of stylist that do the treatment. But I found some places within 60 miles of Goldsboro, NC, so there are definitely some around.
 
I am a hair addict and I never heard of it. Did it start in another country? Isit safe for colored hair? What is the danger?
 
Hot40 said:
I am a hair addict and I never heard of it. Did it start in another country? Isit safe for colored hair? What is the danger?
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It's been around for a bit but it's experienced a recent resugence since Dontspeakdefeat's thread Brazilian Keratin Treatment, where have you been all my life: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=350699

The treatment started in Brazil and is a great alternative to Thermal Reconditioning (Japanese Straightening). Like anything, it's got pros and cons. DSD's daughters hair is color treated and looks great but I've read where some blondes have said that the bkt caused an odd tint so you'll definitely want to look into that.

Do a google search on the forum for bkt or brazilian keratin and you'll find lots of info. Read the threads and you'll find lots more and links to veterans that have been doing it for over a year.

I hope this gives you a nice boost. Good luck
 
I realize that this has grown in popularity in the U.S. so a lot of ppl have been using this. However, pls do be careful since it still experimental and not approved by the FDA. Note that the formaldehyde-free versions contain ether (from what I've read). You may not smell it but it doesn't mean you're not inhaling it so pls use the necessary precautions.

Formaldehyde vs ether isn't much different in my book in regards to potential toxicity... I've noticed people posting that formaldehyde is present in a lot of other products. Yes that is true but not at the levels in BKT. A number of ladies on the forum seem to avoid the parabens and hydantoin... the preservatives that can potentially form formaldehyde in products and those are at much, much lower concentrations.

ETA: my last words to anyone interested
 
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I noticed that the main ingredient is keratin. I wonder if anyone tried using Ahoghee to straiten their hair. In fact, my Aphoghee green tea reconstructor says it can be styled with heat. I have more research to do.:yep:
 
JinaRicci said:
I realize that this has grown in popularity in the U.S. so a lot of ppl have been using this. However, pls do be careful since it still experimental and not approved by the FDA. Note that the formaldehyde-free versions contain ether (from what I've read). You may not smell it but it doesn't mean you're not inhaling it so pls use the necessary precautions.

Formaldehyde vs ether isn't much different in my book in regards to potential toxicity... I've noticed people posting that formaldehyde is present in a lot of other products. Yes that is true but not at the levels in BKT. A number of ladies on the forum seem to avoid the parabens and hydantoin... the preservatives that can potentially form formaldehyde in products and those are at much, much lower concentrations.


ETA: my last words to anyone interested
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I agree with you about being careful but I do not agree with the bolded after research. I'm sure that SOME of the levels aren't as high, however there are products in our everyday life that are way higher on a DAILY basis then what's in .2 percent BKT (if you choose the.2). I'll post that below for you to see how much formaldehyde is in our every day life. It's at way more than .2 percent that's for sure. It may horrify you but here goes...
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-nail.html
The concentration of formaldehyde needed for nail hardening is higher than 0.2%....Nail hardeners that contain formaldehyde may cause an irritation or allergic reaction to those sensitized to this compound.

Sound familiar? Formaldehyde in general can cause problems for those sensitive to it. You've probably already determined that by developing allergies and asthma as this world is not as safe as we think it is.

Here's more and this is a doozy:

http://www.oeconline.org/our-work/kidshealth/toxics/air/formaldehyde
Formaldehyde occurs naturally, but is also produced in the laboratory for use in consumer products. In fact it is ranked in the top 25 among the 50 highest volume chemicals in the United States [2]. Formaldehyde is used in the production of paper, plywood, particle board and adhesives. It has a wide range of additional uses – from household products such as antiseptics, medicines and cosmetics to food preservatives, pesticides and as an agent in tobacco products. In addition, automobile exhaust, diesel and airplane engines, incinerators, and chemical smog all release formaldehyde into our air [2].

People are exposed to formaldehyde primarily by breathing air contaminated by the products and sources mentioned above. For example, furniture constructed from pressed composite wood products like plywood gives off formaldehyde gas for up to five years after being manufactured. People are exposed during and after applying certain paints, floor finishes, household cleaners and carpet glue. People may also be exposed to formaldehyde by wearing cosmetics (some, like nail polish, can emit high levels of formaldehyde when wet) and by wearing certain fabrics like wrinkle-free clothing that is produced with formaldehyde-generating resins.




In addition the effects are cumulative. Not just a one time thing, an assault on the system from more than one product at a time. If for instance you're wearing nail polish, going outside in air that inevitably contains formaldehyde in the smog, and then you go to your home with your household cleaners and your clothes you are breathing in formaldehyde and it's cumulative!

Here's that five percent thing This article says of nail hardeners:
http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/HBI/18

Contains no more than 5% Formaldehyde


Five percent! The hair is just .2 and heck you're getting over the amount that's placed on the hair for a brief time DAILY just through your nail hardener. That's not to mention everything else if you don't use that (I don't like nail polish so that's one down for me but still there's other stuff that can't be avoided like breathing).

http://www.care2.com/news/member/451276626/1068772
Formaldehyde
Found in eye shadows, mascaras, other cosmetics, and in high percentages (up to 10%) in nail hardeners, it is widely used as a preservative, germicide and fungicide. It has recently been reclassified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer to its highest toxic class as a "known human carcinogen". May be listed on labels as formalin or methyl aldehyde, but is also hidden in many chemical combinations. It can cause allergic reactions, headaches, and chronic fatigue.

In its liquid state, formaldehyde, present in the ingredients DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, and quaternium-15, can be absorbed through the skin and nails. As a volatile organic compound, or VOC, formaldehyde evaporates when the product is wet; levels drop sharply once it's dry. Consumer concern has led many manufacturers to remove it from their nail polishes. Quaternium-15 causes more dermatitis complaints than any other preservative, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Bronopol, often listed as 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1, 3-diol, can contribute to the formation of cancer-causing nitrosamines, according to the FDA. It can also break down to produce formaldehyde.
------

If I had to think about all the craziness in this world I'd just hide in my room...but wait. That would contain formaldehyde in the building materials so what's a girl to do lol!


I think people should review all the info to make an informed decision. I was on your side until I stopped and thought about it and started doing some research. I read those articles and thought oh my goodness not that! Why would they put formaldehyde in there? Why do they put it in lots of stuff?

We are exposed to more than that on a daily basis and aren't dropping like flies. Common sense is necessary to make sure the rooms are ventilated but really, we aren't taking on a risk we aren't every single day just by going outside...or staying in, sadly. I do realize that we should take precautions but we're talking a bk once every 3-5 months. To me that's exposure twice a year as I plan to go every 5 months if I do it. This is not a scare tactic. I just want to explain the reality of the world we live in. I'm organic girl. I eat all natural, w/ no extra chems, pesticides but I know when I go outside I'm breathing in air filled w/ toxins. We do what we can to reduce the risk. I think that if I use it, I'll make sure to have good ventilation, and go to one that has a machine that absorbs all the odors, gasses, and toxins anyways like the one posted in another bk thread. Too much is bad, we all know that, but we know that those in professions involving formaldehyde just make sure to take precautions but continue to work around it and are alive and kicking.


In closing here's another article but it's form UK our U.S standards are similar. It talks about shampoo and antimicrobial hand soaps, shampoos, shower gels and stuff are sometimes at four times the recommended amount (of formaldehyde). Now in the article she's demanding saftely limits and stuff but it's hard to regulate the air you're breathing unless we just get rid of cars as we know it, and planes all together as they also emit formaldehyde per the government link I displaye above. But her account of the shampoo helps you to know how far this whole formaldehyde thing goes.

http://shananarocks.wordpress.com/2008/05/07/why-is-it-formaldehyde-increasingly-found-in-shampoos/
But these warnings are not required on shampoo, shower gel or family bubble bath, all of which can legally contain four times as much formaldehyde.
 
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Lol. You know black folks'll slap anything on their heads if the outcome is straight hair. Jinaricci, thanks for providing some very important (imo) considerations regarding this treatment.
 
jennboo said:
Lol. You know black folks'll slap anything on their heads if the outcome is straight hair. Jinaricci, thanks for providing some very important (imo) considerations regarding this treatment.
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I'm a natural too and I won't slap anything on my head to come out straight. I thank Jinaricci for her precautions but I also use my own judgement. I definitely think all sides should be included which is why I provided the other "side" so to speak.:yep:

I was simply stating that if you're wearing nail polish, you slapped formaldehyde on your fingers to make em look pretty. If you walked out side and breathed the air, you decided to breathe in formaldehyde from car fumes. If you...you get the point. I just stated something that is probably unpopular but I'm not one to hide from that. I am just stating the facts so that others can decide too.

I think no one should do something that scares them. I just think some of these fears are hype (from not knowing all the facts).
Either way we all give facts and then it's up to everyone to decide what's right for them w/o judgement.

I'm interested in doing this but you never know, I might change my mind. But I def don't risk my hair to anything. That's how I nursed it to health from Grave's disease (when I was in tears and had to buzz it off because it was so brittle) back to it's current past MBL length and I'm not just going to ruin that in a blink of the eye. I don't hastily or desperately slap anything on to make my hair straight. Everything I do is after research and thought.
 
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lollyoo said:
I dont mean to scare you, but I think you should be well informed before using this product.
Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen.
Under EU cosmetic directives the safety level is 0.2% for external products. This treatment has 10 times of the max level.
Just thought you should know.
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These directives are really for the beauticians, not the clients. They are using this stuff every day, you are exposed for 2 hours max. A well ventilated area dissipates the fumes. The beauticians use extensive eye and mouth protection (like coroners), and I'm trying to find an article that was posted on this board (sorry I can't find it) that says that formaldehyde in fumes is different from the liquid version, so it's hard to compare these levels.

Also, peanut butter and aspartame are also known carcinogens. Doesn't stop people from eating them.

I have a friend who is a coroner and he uses formaldehyde all the time. Again, he says as long as the room is well ventilated (and you SHOULD use a mask to further filter the fumes), it should be fine. He is over 40 years old and owns a thriving (well I suppose that is the word) funeral home. He uses formaldehyde on a regular basis (again in a different form to what is in this product), and insists that as long as you use proper protection and ventilation, you should be fine.

I suppose my takeaway is that if you're going to do this at home, make sure you don't do it in a room with no windows. Also, get a safety mask and use rubber gloves. I would almost say this is one of those things you probably want to do in a high-end salon because there are certain standards for ventilation that they can ensure are met for your safety and for the safety of their stylists.
 
jennboo said:
Lol. You know black folks'll slap anything on their heads if the outcome is straight hair. Jinaricci, thanks for providing some very important (imo) considerations regarding this treatment.
Click to expand...


you and I are >>>>>>>here<<<<<<.
 
It wouldn't even surprise me if people went so far as to coat their hair/heads in highly corrosive, caustic chemicals strong enough to strip paint and unclog drains that required the use of gloves for application all in pursuit of straight hair!


Oh...wait...:giggle:


In all seriousness, it just looks to me like people are wanting to dismiss certain precautionary statements. I'm all for considering both sides of an issue, but i definitely think it'd be in people's best interest to really research these types of treatments and the ingredients in them.
 
Wow- my intent was not to convince, scare or change anyone's mind with my post. It just seemed (as jennboo said) that the precautionary statements were being glossed over. I respect everyone's right to make their own decisions, with no eye-rolling from me- promise. :yep:

My goal was to simply provide some additional information. I'm really glad we're having this discussion though and can peacefully share our perspectives.

I am not a person who believes that you can shield yourself from all chemicals- that would be unrealistic. However, I don't agree with the reasoning that because a chemical is in other products then it's safe or since we or other people are exposed to chemicals anyway, then there's no harm. BTW the funeral industry is researching alternatives to move away from the use of formaldehyde/formalin.

In the article on cosmetics info that luckiestdestiny provided, it states that nail polish can contain as high as 5% formaldehyde but also that most don't. It also stated that in the cases of 5%, the customer has to be advised per FDA and additional precautions must be taken. Just so we're clear BKT contains 2% formaldehyde (that's 10x the FDA limit of 0.2%).

We need to still consider route, time and degree of exposure. The exposure to nail polish at comparable levels is also different-just consider the difference in the tissues and surface area being exposed. We just need to be careful to consider the regulations that the FDA has in place (to protect us) as we make these sorts of decisions.

Agreed- exposure over time is a big deal and we can't control everything in our universe. As I look at the rise in incidence of various health issues each year, it's very sobering. I thank God for spared lives...

BTW let's not scare ppl on this board- peanut butter itself is not a carcinogen. On the peanut plant is a fungus that makes a carcinogen which sometimes gets into peanut butter. The levels are monitored and are at several orders of magnitude below FDA's limits- not that it makes it ok but if anyone's interested.

We can't control everything that could harm us- no- but what about when we can?
 
It really surprises me how judgemental people are about what other people do with their hair.

I've never seen any relaxed person go to a thread where naturals are talking about their hair choices and post how they should all get a perm or should experiment with straightening. I've been natural for nearly 14 years, by the way.

No one really does that with relaxed threads either. No one does a relaxed hair reveal only to have naturals come in and talk about the dangers of relaxing. But BKT threads are loaded with people that come in to thrash about with the dangers of it, when there is no way that it's any more dangerous than relaxing. I wonder why this is acceptable?
 
Br*nzeb*mbsh~ll said:
I've been thinking this same thing...
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I'm speaking for myself here. I'm interested in BKT because the keratin strengthens my hair and reduces breakage. My strands will become thicker and stronger. If my hair has less frizz, then that's a plus for me.

I don't think many women are considering BKT as a straightener for their hair. I could be wrong. If so, I'm sure someone else will speak up.
 
Avaya said:
Does this include no sweating/working out?
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If you can work out without heavy sweating, I'm sure it's ok. It's only for the days after application while the product is bonding with the hair. After the first wash, it's business as usual except for sodium chloride free hair products.
 
i just want to add... i'm in a bio lab for 3 hours each week inhaling the funk of preserved dissection specimens. the preservative used is 37% formaldehyde but its an approved practice. as a future doctor, i'm all for staying away from known carcinogens, but just about everything we come across will cause cancer in some way or another. just use the stuff tactfully, as u should anything (including so called "natural" substances).
 
manter26 said:
i just want to add... i'm in a bio lab for 3 hours each week inhaling the funk of preserved dissection specimens. the preservative used is 37% formaldehyde but its an approved practice. as a future doctor, i'm all for staying away from known carcinogens, but just about everything we come across will cause cancer in some way or another. just use the stuff tactfully, as u should anything (including so called "natural" substances).
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THANK YOU!

I'm glad to hear from a future doc. I was just talking it over with my boyfriend whose also a future doc in a year. He was laughing about how much hype, as I showed him the thread. He was of course saying to use precautions but basically that's it. BTW all the other Medical students are doing just fine too in his class and so are the other medical students in other years of training.
 
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Has anyone relaxed, colored and then did the BKT? Or do most users just use BKT instead of relaxing. I was just wondering because on one of the sites they suggested that if you have very curly hair you should probab:look:ly relax before using BKT. What do you guys think?
Thanks.............:grin:
 
carolb21 said:
Has anyone relaxed, colored and then did the BKT? Or do most users just use BKT instead of relaxing. I was just wondering because on one of the sites they suggested that if you have very curly hair you should probab:look:ly relax before using BKT. What do you guys think?
Thanks.............:grin:
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I saw this CarolB! And I almost decided I wasn't going to get bkt because every "expert" first recommended a relaxer or texturizer to lift the cuticle so the treatment would "take" better. There was no way. Had it not been for natural bkt vets like Qdeez, Brittany, Crazydaze and Foxxylisa, I probably would have passed on bkt. All of the aforementioned naturals say BKT works fine on virgin hair; it relaxes the texture temporarily instead of making the hair straight.

I think the sites with the experts are stating the best way for the hair to come out stick straight immediately after wash. I just want more manageable curls as my hair gets longer, less single strand knots and to be able to straighten with little or no heat. I've been thinking roller sets.

eta: you can click on the above links to see these bkt vets. some have albums and brittany even has a youtube.
 
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