St. Pete stylist cures frizzy locks at the nano level

Tag : dyeing chemicals

Florida's endless days of sunshine may have their perks, buthealthy hair isn't one of them. That's why the sandy shores of St.Pete are home to a woman known as the hair doctor.
From weather-worn locks to hair that's been over treated withchemicals — dyeing, straightening and bleaching, oh, my!— Karen Hicks, owner of the Hair Hospital in St. Petersburg,is a certified hair-saver.
Hicks has 20-plus years' experience as a cosmetologist, but she'sbuilding buzz in Tampa Bay thanks to her battle against hairdamaged by overexposure to the elements, color processing, harshchemicals and overuse of styling tools. And in a state wheresunshine is as plentiful as bleached blonds, business is booming.
That's why this 'do doctor prescribes nanokeratization, a processthat calls upon a water-infused keratin protein that penetrates thehair and strengthens the hair shaft from the inside out. Thetreatment is popular at salons in London, San Diego and Montreal,but the Hair Hospital is the only local beauty destination I foundthat offers it.
Hicks helped import the treatment into the states after learningthe technique from a South American company called Tanagra. (Unlikeanother popular hair-saving treatment called Brazilian keratin,nanokeratization does not include the use of formaldehyde.) The endresult is soft, shiny hair that's the same, yet better.
To begin, Hicks washes the hair with an anti-residue shampoo. Next,keratin particles are applied using a diffusing brush. After thefine mist is applied, Hicks dries it in with a blow drier or flatiron. Once the hair is dry, she applies a sealer, containingsilicone, to trap in the protein.
It's a quick and easy process. Hicks said most clients find theonly challenge to be not washing their hair for two days "toseal in the results."
Anyone with damaged hair can be helped. "It's great for overlyflat-ironed hair or overly chemically treated hair," Hickssaid.
The cost, $75 to $150 per treatment, may be a small price to payfor the end of bad hair days.

[Last modified: Jul 17, 2008 04:48 PM]