Keratin treatment on a young girl's hair. Help!

[Fine 4s]

Hello ladies,

A young girl about the age of 12 wants to start doing her own hair (you know that tween age.) She has a texturizer in her hair with about 3'' of new growth. The mother wants to try the keratin treatment on her hair thinking that the treatment will allow her daughter the option to style her own hair easily. Here are the mother's concerns:

1. The stylist could not guarantee how the end result will look b/c every body's texture is different. She stated that it might come out curly, it might be wavy etc. The mother is uncomfortable with this information as she is spending $200 on it and wants a guarantee. The real issue to me is that the mother does not trust the stylist to do a good job because this same stylist did a bad color job on her hair in the past.

2. The stylist stated that because the roots are virgin hairs, the result may be different on the texturizer vs. the virgin hair. To increase the chances of uniformity, she should texturize the whole head and then apply the keratin. The mother does not want to double process the hair.

3. She wants to make the daughter happy but also help her have healthy hair.

4. She's unsure whether she should use relaxers to straighten her hair or do the keratin treatment as a means to keeping the daughters hair straight enough or easy enough for the child to manage and style her own hair. Relaxer vx. Keratin?

5. I should have asked for clarification but I didn't. The mother stated that her daughter wants to 'do a style and go.' I'm not sure if time is the issue of flexibility/versatility is really what she is looking for.

6. They have not considered going natural as the child will not be able to do the styles she wants to her hair.

This is such a dilemna.

Personally, I don't think the keratin treatment straightens hair enough and knowing what I know now about how to care for relaxers, I would transition the child out of the texturizer and relax her hair and focus on heavy maintenance.

 

[SUPER SWEET]

Im scared just reading this... Maybe it wont be so bad. She may like the wash and go look.

 

[Jenn22588]

I don't think the keratin treatment is safe for someone so young. When I did it, I was tearing up pretty bad and breathing in the fumes was not easy even with a mask. Keratin didn't change my texture that much (I'm natural). Not enough that I would do it on someone that is 12. I'm not sure about the relaxer/texturizer part but I don't think she should use keratin.

 

[Fine 4s]

Thanks Jenn,

Anymore other thoughts? I need to pass this on to her....her apt. was for this AM. I'll find out what she ended up doing.

 

[Foxglove]

The fumes/formaldehyde would be too much for a growing child. Maybe she can get it flat ironed weekly or something if she wants the straight look

 

[redantz00]

IMO there are chemicals in nail polish, make-up, and other beauty products that we have used for years that are just now being brought into the fore front as cancer causing agents. I think the formaldehyde in a BKT is a mute point. I have had this process performed on my hair and I love the results. I am a 100% natural 4a/3c and I love the option to wear WNG and then 1 hour later have silky straight hair. I need to update my siggy but now my hair is BSL and the ease in styling is great. I personally believe the chemical in a relaxer are more harsh than those in the BKT and I think the BKT is a wonderful option.

Again this is my personal opinion.

 

[Foxglove]

Children are more sensitive to chemicals than adults are. That's why you also shouldn't relax children bc their scalps are more sensitive. IMO 12 is too young for a BKT

 

[suburbanbushbabe]

Here's a blog post from the top chemist at Avlon (Keracare) about the keratin treatments. Make sure to read the comments to see what brands he tested.

http://www.dralisyed.com/2009/07/keratin-formaldehyde-revelation-cancer.html#more

I believe many of the reputable companies are trying to develop such a system without formaldehyde. Let us hope that this happens sooner rather than later. I'm sure individual governments will follow Brasil's lead and eventually ban Formaldehyde based systems. I just hope that it doesn't take an unnecessary death for it to finally grab attention of our government.

A similar instance occurred in the late 1980s when the Rio Relaxer (made in Brazil) was banned by FDA in the US.

ANVISA (equivalent of our American FDA) in Brazil does not allow formaldehyde to be used more than 0.20%. In order to straighten wavy/curly hair, the product must contain at least 1.00% Formaldehyde at this point in time. That is why most of these brands contain at least 1.00% formaldehyde.

He says that .20% aldehyde is the legal limit but that in order to straighten the hair requirs at least 1%. And some products use as much as 4%.

 

[Bnster]

So what did the mother do to the daughter's hair?

 

[dancinstallion]

I don't think she should spend that much money on a bkt for a 12 year old when the stylist can't gaurantee the outcome. The stylist could have easily told a lie and took the money but she didn't. The two textures may look different after the bkt is applied. So if she really wants a bkt then yes the whole head should be uniform meaning texturize the new growth.

Has she thought about doing micro braids or twists for the daughter but not too tight. That would be worth it for versatility and convenience.

IMO there are chemicals in nail polish, make-up, and other beauty products that we have used for years that are just now being brought into the fore front as cancer causing agents. I think the formaldehyde in a BKT is a mute point. I have had this process performed on my hair and I love the results. I am a 100% natural 4a/3c and I love the option to wear WNG and then 1 hour later have silky straight hair. I need to update my siggy but now my hair is BSL and the ease in styling is great. I personally believe the chemical in a relaxer are more harsh than those in the BKT and I think the BKT is a wonderful option.
.

Do you have to flat iron it to get it straight after your wash and go. Is your was and go straight or curly?

 

[cocoloca]

So first I haev 2 say that this is my first time posting/repling or anything else..I have been a "lurker" for a while but i just felt the need to comment on this post, for whatever reason

I have what I guess is 4a or b or c...hair and I have had the bkt done myself numerous times by different salons and what they always tell me is that " this is not going to straighten your hair"....i think its some sort of disclaimer...that being said, whether i went from, natural, texlaxed or a stretched relaxer to bkt the results were the same, remarkably straighter hair that lasted despite humidity, sweat, etc

IMHO bkt is a great styling tool, it will make detangling and styling easier. There is no need to " double process." however it is just a styling tool...you stiil need to care for the hair, its still a commitment

 

[redantz00]

Do you have to flat iron it to get it straight after your wash and go. Is your was and go straight or curly?[/QUOTE]

Yes I have to flat iron or a roller set will achieve straight hair with textured roots. My WNG are curly just a little bit looser texture.

 

[Kurlee]

Hi Sergio:

In my professional career, I have never seen the FDA issuing letters to individual companies regarding the safety of their hair products containing high levels of formaldehyde. The burden of proof falls upon the companies, meaning they have to demonstrate the safety of their products with accurate scientific data to the FDA. If this person gives you a copy of the data and or a copy of the letter that FDA issued him, I would advise you to call the FDA and check the validity of this letter. Please keep me posted.

As to the formaldehyde solution (1.2% active), it is kept on the hair for a good 20 to 30 minutes before blow drying. This solution then starts to react with the hair during blow drying and reacts with the side chains of the hair fibers. Some of the formaldehyde converts to fumes during blow drying and flat iron and this way gets into our lungs through our nose and throat. This reaction is very serious and potentially cancerous. Also the formaldehyde solution that gets on to customer scalp could be dangerous.

I hope I have answered your questions. Be safe and help keep the environment safe.

Dr. Ali N. Syed


I found this too. . . . for who is interested.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I'm still not sold on the safe use of a BKT. I don't think it is healthy to use on a young child's hair or an adult, but that's my opinion. I wouldn't do it.

 

[Mrs. Verde]

After reading this I'm reconsidering a BKT for my own hair. I would also be concerned with 1) double processing and 2) the cost. If this were my daughter I would be more focused on the health of her versus style.

 

[MyAngelEyez~C~U]

My 12 and 14 yo DD BKT'd to transition to natural. My 12yo BC in June after 10 months, and no longer BKTs. My 14 yo no longer BKTs, I just straighten her hair and she wears it straight (she has decided to long term transition) I did their BKT treatments myself at home, using Marcia Teixeira. I paid $200 once for a 32oz bottle, and I still have half a bottle left that I'm just holding on too just in case. I think BKT is safe if applied correctly, and can be a great way to wear the hair straight without the permanency.

 

[Kurlee]

I'm still not sold on the safe use of a BKT. I don't think it is healthy to use on a young child's hair or an adult, but that's my opinion. I wouldn't do it.

me neither, but folks want their hair "fixed", so they will gloss over safety to use it. I was interested in it for a time, but as I learn more about the dangers, it seems silly to me, when I can just blow out my hair without the risk of cancer.

 

[Guitarhero]

Most BKT's now don't have straight formaldehyde in them so I wouldn't worry about the fumes. It's also safe on age 12. Non-formaldehyde are safe on 6 year olds. If she texturizes, then only the 3 inches of new growth to match the rest of the hair before having the BKT done. BKT will definitely provide ease of combing and she might wish to try just that without texturizing the new growth and teach her how to handle her curly hair (in the first place).

200....maybe the mother can do what so many others have done, educate themselves about the treatment and get her own supply and do it at home? For 40 bucks, she can try it out at home before committing to that much money in a salon. And I wouldn't go back to a stylist I don't trust. Why do women feel obligated out of loyalty? Either find another stylist, try it at home or learn to care for natural hair is my advice to her.

 

[NeauxOneCurr]

Personally, I don't think the keratin treatment straightens hair enough and knowing what I know now about how to care for relaxers, I would transition the child out of the texturizer and relax her hair and focus on heavy maintenance.

This is what I think.

 

[Fine 4s]

She ended up not doing the BKT.
However, I don't know what she has been doing in the meanwhile.
If I have any other news, I'll update.

 

[Kurlee]

Can't find the link right now, but one of the BKT companies had their product tested and the actual % of formaldehyde was actually 10-12% and the formula for "formaldehyde" free had it's derivatives at a highish rate as well. VERY TOXIC. Health Canada even put out a notice about it