Leah LOVES hair. So much so, she dedicated an entire website to it! One of the founders of Hair Everyday and Chief Editor, Leah enjoys reviewing all the hair products and showcasing the best. She believes her most underrated articles are her hair care tips!
Find the Pros and Cons of Cysteine Hair treatment and benefits of this hair treatment and its ability to reduce frizz, and enhance your hair’s texture.
Why You Should Trust Haireveryday?
The author of this article, Leah Marie Priest has a degree in Cosmetology with years of experience in dealing with hair care, scalp care, and hairstyling. As someone who extensively deals with all kinds of hair textures, products, styling methods and more, hair Leah Marie knows what kind of products and procedures suit each hair type and person. We have also tested these hair products and processes ourselves to provide you an unbiased review about every product. Each of our articles are also reviewed by a team of medical professionals so that you get the most accurate and expert-reviewed information.
What Is the Cysteine Treatment?
Cysteine is an amino acid (non-essential type) that helps make protein and our hair is made up of a protein called keratin. (Sass, J O et al. “Trichothiodystrophy: quantification of cysteine in human hair and nails by application of sodium azide-dependent oxidation to cysteic acid.” Archives of dermatological research vol. 296,4 (2004): 188-91. doi:10.1007/s00403-004-0483-2) Over time, this keratin decreases and our hair tends to become dry, damaged and frizzy.
Thus, getting the cysteine treatment done will involve straightening the hair using cysteine, which helps replenish the lost protein in the hair and thereby can improve its condition.
Cysteine-rich products are applied on the hair to help smoothen out the hair, relax natural waves and curls and to help reduce dryness and frizz.
This treatment is one of the latest hair smoothening treatments and is fast gaining popularity because it is claimed to be even more effective than the keratin hair treatment.
Pros and Cons of Cysteine Hair Treatment
Pros of Cysteine Treatment
The pros of getting this hair treatment done are many. Let’s talk about some of the best advantages of getting the cysteine treatment done.
1. Makes the hair stronger, shinier and smoother
It can improve hair strength, with the added amino acids, thus reducing breakage. It can smoothen out the hair and give the hair a better shine.
2. Helps nourish the hair
Getting this treatment done can help improve the condition of the hair by nourishing it. It can also improve hair quality, also reducing further hair damage.
3. It has long-lasting results
Well, the effects of this hair treatment may last for a long time, that is around 4 to 6 months (depending on the individual’s hair maintenance routine). But do remember that it is not a permanent solution.
4. Makes the hair’s finishing look appear natural
Most hair straightening treatments, give the hair a rather unnatural and artificial appearance to the hair. It looks straightened! Well, this treatment makes the hair appear more natural, as if it is one’s own hair.
5. Does not use formaldehyde in its straightening process
For most hair straightening treatments, stylists use formaldehyde, a harsh chemical, to help smoothen out the hair. Well, the good part is that the cysteine hair treatment does not use formaldehyde in its straightening process.
6. It is relatively a gentle hair straightening process
The cysteine treatment may involve the use of a few chemicals, but do not use any harsh chemicals like formaldehyde.
Even the chemicals that they may use, are in minimal quantities and will not cause any major damage to the hair.
7. It is a customizable hair treatment
Unlike other hair straightening and smoothening treatments, this treatment is customizable. This means that it can be adjusted to a person’s requirements i.e. level of straightness or smoothness etc. Thus, each person can decide on the outcome they wish to have for their hair.
8. It is a low-maintenance treatment
The good part about this treatment is, once you get it done, until the treatment fades away and you need to get it done again, you do not need any heavy maintenance.
But you will definitely have to use a cysteine-compatible shampoo and conditioner for the upkeep of the cysteine hair treatment.
Cons of Cysteine Treatment
The good part about getting this treatment done is the fact that it has just a few cons, as compared to other hair treatments, but it does have its fair share of cons of course. Let’s talk about them.
1. The cost
The cysteine treatment is a rather expensive treatment. Though the price varies according to the length of your hair and how voluminous it is, it is still quite expensive.
2. Hair coloring post cysteine treatment is not recommended
Well, once you get the cysteine treatment done, then coloring your hair or getting highlights etc., is not recommended. This is because the chemicals used in the hair dyes may hamper the effects of the cysteine treatment.
3. You may have to use special maintenance products
While it is a low-maintenance hair treatment, you will still have a certain amount of maintenance to do. You will have to use a special cysteine-compatible shampoo and conditioner to keep up the effects of the treatment.
4. You cannot touch your hair to chlorinated water
If you are a regular swimmer, then you might reconsider getting this treatment done. This is because the chlorinated water can interfere with the effects of the cysteine treatment and damage the treatment.
So, you will have to keep your hair tied and above the water, just to relax in the pool or say goodbye to swimming for 6 to 7 months until the treatment completely wears off.
5. It may not suit people with thin hair
While people with fine or thin hair can get this treatment done, it may not suit this hair type because it could flatten the hair even more and could make it look quite odd.
6. It is not suitable for those with allergies and sensitive scalps
For those with allergies, prone to allergies or have sensitive scalps, well, this treatment is not recommended for such people.
Nevertheless, in such cases, consulting your dermatologist before getting it done is always advisable.
Related: Should I get Cysteine or Keratin Hair Treatment
Is Cysteine Hair Treatment Good for Thin Damaged Hair
For those with thin hair, getting the cysteine treatment done isn’t the best idea. This is because this treatment can make thin hair look even more flat and it may not look very natural for people with this hair type.
Nevertheless, if your hair is thin and damaged, well, then getting this treatment may actually benefit you because this treatment can actually smoothen out the hair, reduce frizziness, nourish damaged hair and can make the hair much stronger and healthier in appearance too. It can provide the hair with a renewed resilience to future damage.
Is Cysteine Hair Treatment Good for 4C Natural Hair
Yes, for those with 4C hair, this treatment can be a good option. 4C hair is very tightly coiled and thus can be very prone to frizz and damage.
Getting this treatment done can help smoothen out the cuticles on the hair shaft and can also reduce frizziness. It can definitely make 4C hair much more manageable and easier to maintain.
It can also help strengthen 4C hair and can make it more resistant to future damage. This is essential because in general, this hair type is very prone to hair breakage as compared to other types of hair.
Also, it is a great way to improve the appearance of your hair, as it can enhance one’s natural texture (in this case, tight coils) and make it look smoother and more relaxed, with a renewed hair shine.
Can I Do Cysteine Hair Treatment At Home
This answer is going to be a yes and a no answer and I’ll tell you why. So, while you can definitely try doing the cysteine treatment at home, it is not advisable.
This is because this treatment is a complex one, as compared to other hair treatments and is usually done by professional hair stylists. Therefore, doing it on your own at home could result in your hair getting damaged if you do not do it the right way.
You will need to work with products that contain certain amounts of chemicals and they need to be handled in the right way.
Also, you will require to have a clear understanding of the process and more importantly, the products to be used as well, in addition to considering the specific needs of your hair type.
The Final Takeaway
The cysteine treatment is one among the best hair treatments to smoothen out and straighten the hair. It is a treatment that uses none or minimal chemicals during the process.
This treatment is free from harsh chemicals like formaldehyde and can nourish the hair with amino acids and can replenish the protein in the hair to bring back life into the hair strands.
Getting this process done will help make the hair look better, feel softer and smoother, while reducing dryness, frizz, past hair damage and can also prevent the hair from any future damage.
Why You Should Trust Haireveryday?
The author of this article, Leah Marie Priest has a degree in Cosmetology with years of experience in dealing with hair care, scalp care, and hairstyling. As someone who extensively deals with all kinds of hair textures, products, styling methods and more, hair Leah Marie knows what kind of products and procedures suit each hair type and person. We have also tested these hair products and processes ourselves to provide you an unbiased review about every product. Each of our articles are also reviewed by a team of medical professionals so that you get the most accurate and expert-reviewed information.
Also Read:
Advantages of Washing Hair Upside Down
Side effects and benefits of Reverse Hair Washing
Is Relaxing Natural Hair good or bad
To Summarize
