Keratin Treatment vs Rebonding: What's the Difference?

Keratin treatment and rebonding both leave hair smoother and easier to manage, but they work very differently. Keratin treatment coats and smooths the hair shaft, reducing frizz while keeping some of your hair's natural movement — think of it as a smoothing treatment rather than a restructuring one. It typically lasts 2-4 months before gradually washing out. Rebonding, on the other hand, chemically restructures the hair's internal bonds to make it permanently straight until it grows out or is chemically altered again. If you want lower-maintenance, frizz-free hair but still want to keep some natural texture and body, keratin is usually the better starting point. If your priority is permanently straight hair regardless of humidity or styling effort, rebonding is the stronger option. Either way, tell your stylist about any previous colour or chemical treatments first — over-processing hair that's already been through a lot of chemical work can cause real damage, and a good stylist will tell you if your hair needs a break before either treatment.