My name is Steve Tcherkezian. I am the ONLY trained & highly qualified Hair Straightening Specialist in Toronto. While others may offer TR and BKT, with me, I specialize in it. I am also a qualified Trichoanalyst. Trichoanalysis is the scientific study of hair which allows a better understanding of the physical and microscopic properties of the hair keratin.
Trichoanalysis is a step-by-step process. Trichoanalysis is a total procedure that involves conveying and making the necessary examinations and tests, determining the hair’s structural competency, educating the client, recommending the proper reconditioning treatment, carrying it out, showing the client the improvement, and pleasing clients with continual results. Trichology is of paramount importance in chemical processing and caring for the hair. It is important to have an understanding of hair and its reaction to certain chemical processes. Fashion is passion, science is our strength. After all, when we stylists know the science behind our art…thioglycolate, disulfide/cystine bonds, oxidizers, there’s no limit to where our imagination can take us.
This article is for those of you who are not familiar and don’t know the difference between Japanese Hair Straightening/TR, Brazilian Keratin Hair Straightening/BKT and you may be a bit wary of the process because it doesn’t always work and especially because of the disastrous results done by stylists who think “It looks easy”.
Features and Benefits of Japanese Hair Straightening TR Basically the Japanese Hair Straightening/TR technology straightens the hair and makes it soft, fizz-free and easy to style at-home and it is permanent. Of course new growth is new hair, so you need to do a touch-up once every 5 to 10 months; depending on how curly your hair is.Clients with highlight, bleach treated hair are not a good candidate for Japanese Hair Straightening or hair with more than 30% highlights, or permanent hair colour using more than 30 volume peroxide.
LOOK change in all things is sweet…”
But take an enthusiastic amateur embarking on bleaching and doing a TR without any basic knowledge or experience, and combine this with a flat iron set at 200°C (392°F) to 232°C (450°F) - you have a recipe for disaster.
[b]Japanese Hair Straightening/TR[/b] involves using chemical solutions… thioglycolate, oxidizers to change the inner shape (disulfide/cystine bonds) of the hair. First of all, stylists must understand that they are using an alkaline thioglycolate solution (cream) on the hair. Therefore, like any other perm, the strength must be appropriate to the hair condition. Just like perming, there is hair that shouldn’t be straightened because of weakness, breakage, etc. The second thing to remember is that when that cream is on the hair, it is breaking bonds and the hair is in a weakened state. Excessive manipulation of the “swelled” weakened hair can cause breakage. In the wrong hands, the protein chains would no longer be connected and the hair would dissolve. In fact, depilatories contain thioglycolate solutions at very high pH to do just that.
In addition, there are chemical incompatibilities as well too.Japanese Hair Straightening must not be performed on previously relaxed/straightened hair containing Sodium Hydroxide (lye), Potassium Hydroxide or Lithium Hydroxide or Guanidine Carbonate Hydroxide (no lye). Otherwise, the hair will be severely damaged and may dissolve.
Feature and Benefits of Brazilian Keratin Treatment BKT Into the latest innovation. The Brazilian BKT is specifically formulated to ban frizz, to tackle and tame curly hair challenges you might encounter. The Brazilian Keratin Treatment/BKT technology is very similar to Japanese Hair Straightening,... it makes the hair straight and frizz-free and easy to style your hair at-home, although not as straight as the Japanese Hair Straightening.The Brazilian BKT is not permanent; the effects of straightness and the de-frizz will gradually wear out and your hair will revert back to its original natural curl pattern. Total wear out could take anywhere from 5 to 9 months.Generally, you need to redo the Brazilian once every 2 - 4 months.
Unlike the Japanese Hair Straightening, the other big difference is that the Brazilian can be done on highlight/ bleach treated hair.Most importantly is that the stylist doing the Brazilian must have great ironing skills. Otherwise, you’ll end up having “L” shaped bends and you’re in to a big hair disaster.
The Brazilian Keratin Treatment BKT is cuticular progressive. That is to say, it acts on the cuticle layers of the hair; it does not change the hair’s inner shape. The most important requirement is that the stylist is a real Master in ironing. The second important thing is not apply the BKT solution onto the scalp. The Brazilian BKT has a very strong heat protecting agent. This is to protect the hair from the high heat used to do the Brazilian BKT. If the stylist uses sloppy application technique or apply the BKT solution directly on the scalp, it can create a barrier that inhibits and restrains the scalp from releasing moisture and perspiration. As a result, these body fluids cannot properly evaporate and become concentrated, creating a condition at the scalp which is conducive to hair loss. The Brazilian BKT is great technology; it transforms the hair and makes it feel much healthier
LOOK at creating new technology. NO GREAT THING IS CREATED SUDDENLY. To sustain, you have to evolve..."
You can create new technology but there is no consistency in the technology. A great stylist learns his technology prior to letting it go out and you can always see it in the hair. The healthiest hair that walks is always hair performed by a stylist that specializes in these processes. EVOLUTION is a gradual process in which something changes into different and usually more complex or better form. When working with Brazilian BKT or Japanese TR, remember specific Japanese TR and specific Brazilian BKT Specialist is not an option, but absolute necessity.
Before ironing, the stylist should be prepared to blow-dry the hair 100% dry before ironing; otherwise, the hair will become lifeless. The more moisture left in the hair at the time of flat ironing, the more damage to the physical properties of the hair. Any moisture left should be carefully assessed as the heat of the iron is stressful to the hair. The number of the slide of the iron will depend on the texture, condition and porosity of the hair.
To do the Brazilian, we use 450°F. This is normally the temperature used in doing the Brazilian BKT.450°F is about 232°C. Most irons reach 200°, not 232°C (392°F). First of all, dry hair proteins denature at 235 - 250°C so as long as the hair is dry, you are below the denaturation temperature. Plus hair is a bad conductor of heat so that you don't reach these temperatures on the hair. As I said, it takes a lot of ironing on dry hair to see structure changes, and that’s where the importance of ironing skill becomes essential. Now, wet or damp hair is another thing. With repeated applications, you will permanently damage the hair's structure and the hair becomes rather lifeless.
In summary, the Brazilian Keratin Treatment BKT, known as BKT is designed for people who have curly or frizzy hair but dream of smooth, frizz-free locks. It is a revolutionary hair straightening treatment that boosts the health of your hair. BKT is a way to smooth and straighten hair. It's a very new process in hair styling and makes the hair shiny, soft, frizz-free and much easier to blow dry. Thick, frizzy, wavy, highlight and color treated hair is the most perfect candidate for BKT. The Brazilian Keratin Treatment is the perfect solution for people with curly, frizzy or unruly hair. It is a temporary solution that will last on your hair between two and three months. The Brazilian Keratin Treatment is the latest trend in hair straightening.