What is Keratin?
It’s a natural extremely strong protein that you body grows naturally, it’s the base component of you hair, nails, skin, hoobes, horns (the word keratin came from greek κέρατος).
A protein like Keratin is a combination of several amino acids, and depending on these combinations the Keratin can be hard as a horn or soft and flexible as a healthy hair.
That is why is so great for your hair and skin!
Studies have shown that the application of hydrolysed keratin gives significant increases in skin elasticity and hydration. Due to its moisturising properties, keratin has also been incorporated into shampoo, conditioner and a lot of Brazilian Keratin Treatments.
As a outside layer in your hair, Keratin prevents dehydration of the cells in your hair, because it is made of waterproof protein. Furthermore, they prevent friction and serve as a barrier.
Is Keratin dangerous?
What you might have heard about Brazilian Keratin Treatments being dangerous, is not Keratin fault, it is actually Formaldehyde. This substance is aggressive in straightening the hair bonds, but it's also aggressive to your health, specially when heated and transformed in to vapour. But we will talk about it in the next post.
Sources to read more:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0846.2007.00280.x/full
http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-keratin.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keratin