Anyone who has lived in Melbourne knows the feeling: stepping out with perfectly styled hair, only for the city’s infamous weather to turn a sleek look into a frizzy, unmanageable mess. For those tired of battling humidity and spending precious time with a flat iron, a professional keratin treatment has emerged as a transformative, semi-permanent solution, promising months of smooth, shiny, and hassle-free hair.
1) What is Keratin?
Far from being a foreign chemical, keratin is the very protein that naturally constitutes up to 95% of our hair, skin, and nails. This fibrous structural protein provides hair with its strength and elasticity. However, daily stressors common to modern life such as heat styling, exposure to environmental factors like sun and humidity, and chemical services like colouring, gradually deplete the hair’s natural keratin reserves. This depletion weakens the hair shaft, making it porous, brittle, and prone to frizz.
A keratin treatment is fundamentally a restorative process. It works by replenishing this lost protein, applying a liquid form of keratin to the hair to fill in the gaps in the damaged cuticle and reinforce its internal structure. The result is hair that is not only aesthetically improved but structurally stronger.
2) How Does Keratin Treatment Actually Work?
A professional keratin treatment is a meticulous, multi-step process that typically takes around three hours to complete in a salon. While formulations vary, the core procedure involves the following steps:
- Step 1: The Prep Wash. The service begins with the stylist washing the hair with a high-pH clarifying shampoo. This is a crucial first step that removes all product residue, oils, and impurities from the hair shaft. More importantly, it opens up the hair’s cuticles, creating a clean and receptive surface for the treatment to penetrate effectively.
- Step 2: The Application. Once the hair is prepared, a solution containing liquid keratin and other conditioning agents is carefully applied, section by section, ensuring every strand is coated. This formula works to fill in the porous, weakened spots along the hair shaft, effectively patching up the damage.
- Step 3: The Sealing. This is the critical heat-activation stage that locks in the results. After the solution is applied and allowed to process, the stylist will blow-dry the hair and then meticulously flat-iron it at a high temperature, often around 232 degrees Celsius (450 degrees Fahrenheit). The heat seals the keratin into the hair’s cuticle, creating a durable, smooth, and protective outer layer. This newly sealed surface is what provides the signature gloss and humidity-resistant finish of the treatment.
3)The Game-Changing Benefits: More Than Just Straight Hair
The high price point of a keratin treatment is justified by a comprehensive suite of benefits that go far beyond simply straightening the hair. Consumers are paying for a combination of aesthetic enhancement, improved hair health, and significant lifestyle advantages.
- Frizz Elimination & Humidity Resistance: This is the primary and most sought-after benefit. By sealing the hair cuticle, the treatment creates a barrier that blocks environmental moisture, effectively preventing the frizz that plagues so many in Melbourne’s variable climate.
- Enhanced Shine and Smoothness: The treatment smooths the overlapping cells that form the hair’s outer layer. This uniform surface reflects light beautifully, resulting in an intense, glossy shine and a silky-smooth texture.
- Drastically Reduced Styling Time: This is a major functional advantage. Many individuals report that their hair drying time is cut by more than half. Hair can often be air-dried with minimal frizz, which reduces the daily reliance on damaging heat tools like flat irons and blow dryers.
- Improved Hair Health and Strength: By replenishing lost protein, the treatment reinforces the hair’s internal structure. This makes strands stronger, more elastic, and less susceptible to breakage and split ends. The effects can be cumulative, meaning hair may become healthier with repeated treatments over time.
- Increased Manageability: The treatment makes hair significantly easier to comb, detangle, and style, regardless of whether the original texture is curly, wavy, or straight.
- Enhanced Colour Vibrancy: The smoothing process can seal the hair’s cuticle over fresh colour, making it appear more vibrant and potentially extending its life. For this reason, it is crucial to follow professional advice and wait approximately two weeks after a colour service before getting a keratin treatment.
4) The New Wave: Understanding Nanoplasty and Hair Botox
To avoid confusion at the salon, it is helpful to understand two other popular treatments that are related to but distinct from keratin.
- Nanoplasty: This treatment is often marketed as a more “organic” or “vegan” alternative for achieving very straight hair. It is an intense smoothing and straightening treatment that uses amino acids and other nourishing ingredients to achieve its effect. In Melbourne, the price for Nanoplasty is comparable to that of a high-end keratin service, with prices starting from approximately $350 to $450.
- Hair Botox: Despite its name, this treatment contains no botulinum toxin. It is primarily a deep conditioning and repairing treatment, not a straightening one. Its purpose is to nourish and revitalize damaged, dull hair using a cocktail of vitamins, antioxidants, and proteins. While it results in smoother, frizz-free hair, it does not have the bond-altering power of a keratin treatment. Consequently, it generally costs less and its effects last for a shorter duration of two to four months.
5) The Formaldehyde Question
The most significant safety concern historically associated with keratin treatments is the use of formaldehyde.
- What it is and Why it’s Used: Formaldehyde is a potent chemical (and a known carcinogen) that is extremely effective at locking hair into a straight formation, which is why it was a common ingredient in early, powerful straightening treatments.
- The Risk: The primary risk comes from inhaling formaldehyde gas, which is released when the treatment solution is heated with a flat iron. This can pose health risks, including respiratory issues, for both the client and, more significantly, for the salon professional who faces repeated, long-term exposure.
- Decoding “Formaldehyde-Free”: This is a critical point of clarification for the modern consumer. Many contemporary treatments are marketed as “formaldehyde-free.” However, this does not always mean they are entirely free of risk.
Some of these formulas contain ingredients like methylene glycol or glyoxylic acid, which, while not formaldehyde themselves, can release formaldehyde gas when heated to the high temperatures required for the service. While the level of exposure may be lower than with traditional formulas, the risk is not necessarily eliminated.
- Actionable Advice: The best course of action is to ask direct and specific questions during the consultation. A client should ask their stylist: “Does this treatment contain formaldehyde, or any ingredients that release formaldehyde when heated?” A reputable professional at a salon that prioritizes safety should be able to answer this question clearly and confidently.
6) Other Considerations: Heat Damage And Hair Type
Beyond the chemical risks, the intense heat required for the treatment poses a thermal risk to the hair itself.
- The Heat Factor: The process requires flat ironing the hair at temperatures up to 232 degrees Celsius (450 degrees Fahrenheit) to seal in the keratin.
- Who is at Risk? This level of heat can be damaging, particularly for certain hair types. Individuals with very fine, thin, or heavily processed hair (such as hair that has been bleached multiple times) are at the highest risk of experiencing heat damage, which can lead to increased brittleness and breakage. A poorly executed treatment on compromised hair can leave it feeling burned and fragile.
- The Non-Negotiable Consultation: This is why a thorough, professional consultation is not just a formality but a crucial safety step. A skilled and ethical stylist will carefully assess the hair’s integrity and history. They may determine that the hair is too fragile to withstand the process and may recommend against the treatment, or suggest a gentler alternative, to avoid causing more harm than good.
7) Conclusion
A keratin hair treatment is undeniably a significant investment of both time and money, with prices in Melbourne typically ranging from $250 for a basic service to over $550 for a premium treatment at a leading salon.
The return on this investment, however, can be truly transformative. For those who struggle with frizz, unmanageability, and long styling times, the value lies in reclaiming hours each week and gaining the confidence that comes with having smooth, shiny, low-maintenance hair that holds up against the elements.
Ready to get started? Read our price guide to find out what’s the cost of getting a keratin hair treatment in Melbourne.
