Smoothing treatments like Extenso and Keratin have revolutionized hair care, offering women silky, manageable, and frizz-free hair. But the real magic happens after the salon visit—when it’s time to maintain and style your newly treated hair.
Whether you’ve opted for L’Oréal’s Extenso or a Keratin smoothing treatment, your daily hair care and styling habits will determine how long the results last and how healthy your hair remains.
In this blog, we’ll explore everything you need to know about styling your hair after an Extenso or Keratin treatment—including what to do, what to avoid, and how to keep your hair looking its best.
Understanding Extenso vs. Keratin: Quick Recap
Before diving into styling tips, let’s briefly revisit how these treatments work:
- Extenso is a chemical hair straightening process developed by L’Oréal. It breaks and restructures hair bonds to create permanently straight hair. The results last 6–8 months but require root touch-ups as new hair grows.
- Keratin treatment (aka Brazilian Blowout or smoothing) uses keratin protein to fill in porous hair, making it smooth, shiny, and frizz-free—but not pin-straight. It typically lasts 3–5 months and gradually fades without changing the hair’s natural structure.
Since both treatments alter your hair’s behavior, post-treatment styling plays a big role in longevity and hair health.
Styling Guidelines After Keratin Treatment
Keratin treatments are more flexible, but they still need careful handling, especially in the first few days.
✅ What to Do:
- Wait 72 hours before washing or tying your hair (unless your stylist says it’s a same-day formula).
- Use a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner to maintain the keratin coat.
- Blow-dry your hair to help re-activate the keratin and enhance smoothness.
- Use a wide-tooth comb to avoid tugging while wet.
- Choose heat styling tools with ceramic plates and always apply heat protectant.
❌ What to Avoid:
- Avoid hair ties, clips, or pins for the first 3 days.
- Don’t tuck hair behind your ears or sleep with it in a bun.
- Stay away from saltwater and chlorine, which strip keratin faster.
- Avoid harsh products with alcohol or parabens.
Styling Tip:
You can curl or wave your hair with a curling iron after a few days—just know the texture may not hold as long since your hair is smoother now.
Styling Guidelines After Extenso Treatment
Extenso-treated hair is chemically straightened and more sensitive to damage due to bond restructuring.
✅ What to Do:
- Wait at least 72 hours before washing your hair post-treatment.
- Always use a deep conditioning mask once a week to restore lost moisture.
- Trim split ends every 6–8 weeks to keep your hair looking clean and sharp.
- Stick to low-heat settings when blow-drying or straightening.
- Choose gentle, sulfate-free products formulated for chemically treated hair.
❌ What to Avoid:
- Avoid tight hairstyles that pull on your roots.
- Don’t expose your hair to excessive heat styling— it can lead to dryness and breakage.
- Stay away from coloring or highlighting for at least 4–6 weeks after treatment.
- Avoid layering products or applying too much oil near the roots—it can weigh down already flat hair.
Styling Tip:
Since Extenso gives pin-straight results, consider adding face-framing layers or feathered cuts to give movement and dimension.
Final Thoughts
No matter which treatment you choose—Extenso for sleek, permanent straightness, or Keratin for a natural, frizz-free finish—the way you style and care for your hair afterward makes all the difference.
With the right styling routine, quality products, and gentle handling, you can extend the life of your treatment and keep your hair healthy, shiny, and beautiful for months.
If you’re considering either treatment or have just had one done, bookmark this post and share it with friends who want the same glossy results. Beautiful hair isn’t just made in the salon—it’s maintained at home.