BKT Causes Massive Breakage in 6 Months???

Guitarhero

Guitarhero

New Member
I know there is an official BKT thread but this is a very specific question that I didn't want overlooked. I've been reading some posts in other places about horror stories with BKT and massive shedding/breakage occurring either immediately or upwards of 2-6 months. Has anyone here experienced such breakage with their BKT? The people who had the damage had a professional treatment in the salons. I think most of them colored their hair blond but not all. Anybody???
 
Any examples/links to these reports/reviews?

I googled the issue but I'm not finding anything.

I don't have bkt myself however some people don't follow instructions correctly in application or after care so that might be a factor.
 
Brazilian Keratin Treatment or Brazilian Blowout. You can google Naturallycurly.com and Oprah as well as others under "breakage BKT" etc.
 
I've posted in that thread, and I've used bkt twice. I've not observed that pattern.

If I had, I never, ever would have tried the treatment.
Many (if not most) have gotten this treatment monthly and their hair has thrived.
 
IMO it's not the BKT but the high heat. Not everyone's hair needs the 450 degrees to get straight and many don't consider that individual hair types play a major role in the temperature selection when flat ironing. I recommend finding the lowest heat setting that will give desired results.
 
texasqt said:
IMO it's not the BKT but the high heat. Not everyone's hair needs the 450 degrees to get straight and many don't consider that individual hair types play a major role in the temperature selection when flat ironing. I recommend finding the lowest heat setting that will give desired results.
Click to expand...

I think it needs the high heat to bond the keratin like a shell around the cuticle. Otherwise, it doesn't fuse it and results are minimal.

Maybe they were allergic to the formaldehyde? I've not heard of Black women having their hair fall out after BKT.
 
sheba1 said:
I've been BKT'd for a year and a half. No issues here.
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I'm wondering if 1c-2c hair that is fine and thin cannot take the high heat. Everybody I know of thrives as well. But I did read something about keratin needing the cysteine link or else it will cause breakage. Maybe their stylists tried to save and got bootleg bkt...dunno. Several of them mentioned the Coppola treatment. I plan to stay far away from that one.
 
texasqt said:
IMO it's not the BKT but the high heat. Not everyone's hair needs the 450 degrees to get straight and many don't consider that individual hair types play a major role in the temperature selection when flat ironing. I recommend finding the lowest heat setting that will give desired results.
Click to expand...


I totally agree with the bolded. I just killed my hair with my 1st and 2nd BKTs--I was relaxed (8 weeks post), did them 3 weeks apart, both using 450F. My hair started breaking immediately. It was very disheartening. After that I learned that that was just more heat than my hair (coarse but fine strands).

Volver_Alma_Gitana said:
I think it needs the high heat to bond the keratin like a shell around the cuticle. Otherwise, it doesn't fuse it and results are minimal.
Click to expand...

Yes the treatment needs the heat but it really doesn't have to be that high to work. Anything upwards of 375F should be effective. The number of passes needs to be adjusted depending on the individual too.

After my initial awful experience, I stated doing mini chops and continued to do BKTs with various brands. I'm 100% relaxer free, and loving it. My hair is slowly (as usual) growing and BKT is helping me retain.

I really think most of the horror stories arise from other factors such as improper technique ( too high temp, not drying the hair 100% before the flatironing step), or excessive hair damage prior to the treatment. Other than the obvious risk of formaldehyde inhalation, or contact dermatitis (if sensitive/allergic to formaldehyde) I think this treatment is pretty easy on the hair. Trust me, after a lifetime of relaxers, I should know.
 
Volver_Alma_Gitana said:
I'm wondering if 1c-2c hair that is fine and thin cannot take the high heat. Everybody I know of thrives as well. But I did read something about keratin needing the cysteine link or else it will cause breakage. Maybe their stylists tried to save and got bootleg bkt...dunno. Several of them mentioned the Coppola treatment. I plan to stay far away from that one.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I wonder... It's hard since we don't know what else they were doing to their hair. I think BKT'd hair can feel so strong that it can cause some to treat the hair as if it were "indestructible". I actually got caught in this trap a little, myself. When I keep my BKT's up (every 2 to 3 months) I can detangle my hair in very little time. But if my hair goes back to normal and the BKT has warn off treating my hair as if it were still BKT'd will have disastrous consequences. I learned my lesson and kept it moving. Some may have a harder time picking that up, though.
 
I have used BKT since April 2009 (8 times now) and I have not noticed any breakage or excessive shedding. I use a heat setting of 450.
 
No no problems here I love it. It some people think I am interesting & was born with naturally straight hair. If only they knew what I really go thru..:)
 
lilikoi said:
I really think most of the horror stories arise from other factors such as improper technique ( too high temp, not drying the hair 100% before the flatironing step), or excessive hair damage prior to the treatment. Other than the obvious risk of formaldehyde inhalation, or contact dermatitis (if sensitive/allergic to formaldehyde) I think this treatment is pretty easy on the hair. Trust me, after a lifetime of relaxers, I should know.
Click to expand...

I think this is a big one with BKT. I don't really think that normal damp to dry flat ironing would be a problem but because BKT is so many passes at such a high heat, if the hair is even a little damp it may cause the hair to bubble and split. I am so grateful I didn't have this problem as, the first time I BKT'd, I forgot to wait the 30 minutes before blow drying and then moving on to flat iron.
 
i really wanna bkt, but i think it's so scary (and expensive :lol:) i'd be devastated if my hair started falling now that it's healthy.

also sheba1 is your hair mostly 4a or b? And in your avatar, is your hair bkt'ed? Thanks
 
I experienced pretty significant breakage about 3 months after a BKT. However, I had a Japanese thermal in my hair and was trying out the BKT. I had the Japanese thermal in my hair for several years with no problems.

The BKT was just introduced in this country at that time and where I went to get my Japanese thermal done, I saw the customer next to me getting something slightly different than me and I asked my stylist what was she having done to her hair. They told me BKT. I asked if it was OK to get a BKT done on my hair and they said it would be fine.

A few months later, I went to another salon (in another city) and I got the BKT done and that started my hair loss. It did not begin to fall out until about the 3rd month and it continued to fall out for the next 2-3 months. It got to the point where I just had a few strands of long hair that I was still trying to hang on to and finally I said, "Forget this," and I took a pair of scissors and I chopped off the few long pieces to even everything out.

I think I got bad advice about using those two treatments on your head simultaneously and being told a BKT would be "safe" on hair that had a Japanese thermal. But it was also something very new at the time and my stylist probably did not have any customers who had already transitioned from Japanese to BKT. They probably just assumed anything is safe with a Japanese thermal (like a relaxer on top of a Japanese thermal is supposed to be).

But anyway, that experience makes me leery of getting the BKT again. Fortunately, my hair has now grown back and then some. Right now I am natural, but I plan on getting either an Ionic perm or a digital perm (both Japanese reconditioning-types of treatments) within the next few months. I have had very good results with the Japanese products and the Japanese thermals permanently change the hair and do not wear off like the BKT. Only touch-ups to NG are necessary.

However, I know people who have a BKT and their hair looks great.
 
lea86111 said:
i really wanna bkt, but i think it's so scary (and expensive :lol:) i'd be devastated if my hair started falling now that it's healthy.
Click to expand...

It's not so expensive if you're willing to do it yourself. Really it's no different than a wash, blow dry and flat iron if you do it at home and don't follow the recommended heat and passes.

also sheba1 is your hair mostly 4a or b? And in your avatar, is your hair bkt'ed? Thanks
Click to expand...

My hair is mostly 4a, I think. Yes, my avi is my wash n go after several BKT's. My hair in the very beginning of my journey:

P1190030-vi.jpg


Even before BKT I tried to loosen my curl pattern with sour cream and lemon treatments, henna and finally BKT. I thought I wanted straight hair so I even did a semi permanent color to my hair to make it more porous.

More pics of my wash n go, post BKT:

6partialdryflash-vi.jpg


2washngo-vi.jpg


4wngclose-vi.jpg


I love the BKT and it will definitely be a part of the way that I care for my healthy hair but I think of it kind of light straightening and wearing hair out. I have a goal in mind and should be PSing so I don't BKT right now. My hair is braided up and hidden away. When I reach my goal I will use BKT to help keep my hair straight and tangle free because I'll be straightening it and wearing it out anyhow.
 
texasqt said:
IMO it's not the BKT but the high heat. Not everyone's hair needs the 450 degrees to get straight and many don't consider that individual hair types play a major role in the temperature selection when flat ironing. I recommend finding the lowest heat setting that will give desired results.
Click to expand...

I bkt my whole head once but I recently bkt the leave out from my weave and I only went through 3-4 times on the highest temp on my sedu 410 deg. There is no way I'm doing 15-20 passes on high heat since that will cause major breakage. I believe if using any chemical service regardless if temporary or permanent, knowing how to use the chemical properly and also knowing your hair will give anyone good results.
 
I had a BKT and color done about 5 months ago at a Salon. I was about 11 months post. The only thing good about the treatment for me was that it helped me to get a smoother roller set. My treatment was suppose to last 4-6 months. I noticed dryness and shedding immediately. My ends looked horrible. I got a good trim about months after the treatment. My hair continued to feel dry and shed until I did my henna gloss last week which made my hair feel incredible and stopped the shedding. I would highly suggest trying a henna treatment before getting a BKT and seeing if this gives u the results u r looking for. Its natural and will save u tons of money. I did a roller set this weekend and I love the results.
 
Volver_Alma_Gitana said:
I'm wondering if 1c-2c hair that is fine and thin cannot take the high heat. Everybody I know of thrives as well. But I did read something about keratin needing the cysteine link or else it will cause breakage. Maybe their stylists tried to save and got bootleg bkt...dunno. Several of them mentioned the Coppola treatment. I plan to stay far away from that one.
Click to expand...

They can take heat many type 1s ad 2s use heat tools daily. Something else probably went wrong.

I'm not heat phobic. If a treatment says set iron to 450 - I can do it. It's not like I'd do it everyday so i don't know why people make a big deal out of this. It's like a recipe - if you take exception to some of the ingredients - or methods fine but keep in mind you may not get the same results. My issues with the treatment are I like my hair products to be vegetarian, I'm concerned about the formaldehyde (or formaldehyde substitutes), and the price is too high whether it's diy or in a salon. Now point in me the direction of a plant sourced substitute that's more affordable and I'll be right on it.
 
I Bkt'd in Oct. 2009 and had massive heat damage and breakage 2-6 months after. I believe it was from my second treatment Dream Hair and high heat combinded. I nevered tried it again just cut several inches off through out the year and now I good. btw my hair is still above apl.
 
Last edited:
I din't experience any damage or major shedding and I have been doing it for over a year. I will say that when I first started doing it at the beginning of my transition and most of my hair was still relaxed the damaged ends did start breaking off a little while after the treatment, but that never happened again. I assumed it was because they were damaged, couldn't take it, and were going to fall off anyway. Outside of that nothing but smooth sailing....it has made my super long (2+ year) transition bearable and I just love it...especially since I do it myself and I already made the investment in a very large bottle and a good hair dryer and flat iron!
 
I've done the BKT twice and I am noticing breakage. I am transitioning and i'm noticing that most of the breaking is occuring on my relaxed ends. I probably won't do the treatment for another little while because I am still trying to retain as much length as possible. Back to protective styles!
 
I also experienced breakage/shedding after using BKT (July 2009 on texlaxed hair). Most of the breakage was in the middle of my head so I was forced to cut back to SL in April of this year. I only had the treatment once and I am not exactly sure what went wrong after using the treatment. Maybe I needed to have it redone regularly or I needed to use the keratin products. I definitely won't be using it again.
 
Same thing happened to me in terms of breakage. My hair had two major setbacks within the past 8 months: first, a weave was improperly taken out; and BKT cause tremendous shedding. Don't think I will do BKT again. I don't believe that every treatment will work for everyone.
 
I've never experienced any breakage from BKT. I did like 3 or 4 treatments I can't remember. I only stopped doing it cause I was lazy during the summer. I might do another treatment when it gets cooler.
 
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