What Is Keratin?: Keratin Treatment, How Is Keratin Involved In Hair Health ?

What Is Keratin?

Keratin is a protein made up of long chains of amino acids , in which various vitamins and trace elements are interposed.

Widespread throughout the animal kingdom, in humans keratin is the main constituent of hair, hair and nails . The same protein is included, for example, in the composition of pig bristles, cow hooves, rhinoceros horns, wool and bird feathers.

Keratin Treatment

This keratin treatment works to rebuild the hair fibers , improving its structure, and leaving the hair soft and supple.
Designed to improve the texture of damaged hair and make it soft and pleasant to touch again, this restructuring mask, which nourishes without weighing it down, is enriched with precious oils and special polymers.
For correct use, apply the product after shampooing, dab it on the hair, massage gently and leave for 5 or 10 minutes.

Liquid Keratin

This fortifying and repairing treatment for treated and damaged hair increases the ability to hold more keratin in weakened lengths and ends. Formulated with liquid keratin and sericin, it forms a protective and moisturizing film over the entire cuticle.
Consequently, the hair acquires tone and texture, the hair structure is rebuilt making the results last over time, the hair fiber becomes soft, full-bodied and vital, the frizz effect disappears and the cuticle is repaired, intact and protected from external agents.

Property

Although it contains many amino acids of different nature, keratin is particularly rich in a sulfur amino acid called cysteine. Thanks to the various sulfur atoms, the keratin chains can maintain a tight cohesion, wrapping themselves in a helix-like structure. It is precisely these bonds, called sulphide bridges, that ensure the rigidity and solidity of hair, nails and hair.
Being very resistant to the proteolytic enzymes present in our stomach and intestines , keratin lacks any nourishing or aphrodisiac properties . For this reason, the use of rhino horn to awaken dormant desires has absolutely no scientific basis.

Keratin And Hair

How Is Keratin Involved In Hair Health ?

As mentioned, keratin is one of the main constituents of hair, nails and hair, the integrity of which can however be compromised both by external factors and by endogenous factors (ie internal to the body).
In fact, the solidity of keratin can be undermined by the prolonged use of chemical substances, such as those contained in hair dyes or more aggressive shampoos. Even exposure to atmospheric pollutants, physical treatments (perm, straightener, too hot hair dryer), some drugs , stress and a long list of pathologies, can lead to the degradation of the keratin structure of the hair .
Given that the keratinization process is regulated by hormones, genetic factors and the availability of various micronutrients, dietary deficiencies can cause abnormal keratinization, with consequent structural suffering of hair, hair and nails.

In the pharmacy you can find numerous supplements based on amino acids, vitamins and trace elements , dedicated to hair health. However, the lion’s share is made by products for topical use, often based on keratin-like proteins which, by adhering to the external surface of the hair, volumize it, recompacting its protein fibers. Despite the effectiveness of some products, hair health cannot be separated from a balanced diet , which provides the right amount of protein ,vitamins and minerals necessary for the synthesis of keratin. Constant physical activity
is also beneficial for hair health, as toxins that hinder the proliferative activity of the bulb are eliminated through sweat . However, it should be borne in mind that perspiration , increased exposure to the sun and pollutants, frequent washing, chlorine in swimming pools, excessive loss of water and mineral salts , can weaken the hair and cause it to fall out. All the more reason an athlete should therefore be particularly attentive to his diet and to the use of delicate shampoos, suitable for frequent washing.

Finally, given their extreme publicity on the internet, it is appropriate to spend a few words on masking products (camouflage) based on keratin microfibres. In essence, these are aesthetic remedies that are effective in disguising thinning hair , but absolutely useless for treating it. The impressive volumizing effect on the hair is obtained through the use of powdered keratin microfibres, able to integrate with the remaining hair by electrostatic attraction.
If it hasn’t already been done, before resorting to these “tricks” it is advisable to contact a specialized trichological center, to try to solve, or at least delay, hair loss .