Asian woman with rebonded short hair

Rebonded Short Hair: Pros and Cons You Need to Know

Find out if hair rebonding is the way to go for your bobs, lobs, or pixie cuts.

Hair rebonding is a chemical treatment that straightens your hair permanently. It breaks down the natural bonds in your hair and rearranges them, giving your hair a new structure. It’s a popular frizzy hair remedy. Those with naturally wavy or curly hair consider rebonding, too, if they want a break from their natural hair shapes.

Rebonded hair looks great when done well. But is it a treatment that you should get for your short hair? Find out by learning the advantages and disadvantages of getting rebonded short hair.

What Are the Pros of Getting Rebonded Short Hair?

Pro # 1: Your hair will look sleek and manageable.

Asian woman with rebonded short hair wearing a black spaghetti-strapped top
With rebonded short hair, you can easily rock a sleek blunt bob haircut. Credit: Shutterstock

If you have frizzy hair, getting your hair rebonded would allow it to become smoother. This cuts down your prep time, as you no longer need to style your hair much. If you’re always in a hurry, having rebonded hair can be great.

Pro # 2: Your hair will look on point almost all the time.

Asian woman with a bob haircut smiling
Enjoy a good hair day even with minimal styling.

Getting rebonded short hair will easily give you the wash-and-wear hairstyle of your dreams. You won’t need to straighten your hair with a flat iron every time you want a smooth and sleek look.

Pro # 3: Whatever happens, your hair will always look straight.

Asian woman with short hair and bangs wearing a jumper dress and boots
Your hair stays straight all day. Credit: Ta Quoc Khanh for Pexels

You can style your hair any way you want without compromising its straightness. This means that even if you put it in a braid or wear a ponytail, your hair would easily go back to its straight form without much effort on your part.

What Are the Cons of Hair Rebonding?

Con # 1: It causes hair damage.

It makes use of chemicals and heat that can extremely damage your hair. When it’s not done correctly, or when you fail to get the necessary aftercare, you may end up with dry, brittle, and lifeless hair.

Tube of Dove Keratin Repair Conditioner

Editor’s Tip: Nurse your hair back to its healthy-looking state with Dove Keratin Repair 1 Minute Serum Conditioner. It has keratin-infused capsules that go deep into your strands to repair damage from within. It leaves your hair recovered, beautiful, and resilient in just one minute.

Con # 2: The treatment can be expensive.

Asian woman with a long bob and blunt bangs looking fashionable
Hair rebonding can come with a hefty price tag. Credit: Shutterstock

Compared with other hair straightening treatments, hair rebonding is among the pricey ones. Once you have your hair rebonded, you also need follow-up treatments after six months or so. If you skip your follow-up treatments, you’ll end up having waves and texture near your roots as your hair grows. This is hard to disguise when you have rebonded short hair.

Con # 3: The result can look unnatural.

Woman with rebonded short hair wearing a red top
When not done properly, rebonding can make your hair look stiff. Credit: Shutterstock

Sometimes—and depending on where you get your treatment—the result isn’t as natural-looking as you want it to be. It can even look and feel rather stiff like a walis. 

How to Take Care of Your Rebonded Hair

Now that you know the pros and cons of getting rebonded short hair, you can now make a fully informed decision. If you choose to get a hair rebonding treatment, here are things you should remember.

1. Wait for three days before washing your hair.

Do not wash your hair when you get home from the salon. Hair rebonding treatment involves altering your hair’s structure. It takes time for the new structure to settle, so you need to refrain from getting your hair wet for three days after the treatment. Otherwise, you might undo the results of the treatment.

2. Use products that are designed for salon-treated hair.

Asian woman touching her long bob
Keratin-rich shampoos and conditioners can help nourish your rebonded short hair. Credit: Dennie Ramon

Use a shampoo-and-conditioner duo that works for chemically treated hair. Go for deeply moisturizing ones. Your rebonded short hair will also benefit from keratin-rich, hair repair products.

Bottle of TRESemme Keratin Smooth KERA10 Shampoo

Editor’s tip: Nourish your rebonded short hair with TRESemmé Keratin Smooth KERA10 Shampoo. It has KERA10 Protein Complex that can go up to 10 layers deep into your hair to treat it from within. It gives your hair 10 salon benefits in one wash, and these include making your hair smooth, soft, and shiny, keeping frizz under control. providing heat protection, detangling, and strengthening your hair. 

Bottle of TRESEMME Keratin SMooth KERA10 Serum Conditioner

Complement this keratin shampoo with TRESemmé Keratin Smooth KERA10 Serum Conditioner. Aside from giving your hair 10 salon benefits, it also helps in deeply moisturizing your hair, thanks to its oleo serum, which is known for its moisturizing and nourishing properties. 

3. Style with serums.

Asian woman applying serum to her rebonded short hair
Keep your hair shiny with hair serum. Credit: Natasha Estelle

Your hair could always use a boost of moisture, and hair serums are the way to go! Make sure to bring one with you wherever you go, so you’re always ready when you need that extra gloss and shine.

Bottle of TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shine Serum

Editor’s tip: Apply a drop of TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Anti-Frizz Shine Serum to your rebonded short hair to keep it sleek. This hair serum has keratin and marula oil, giving your hair five amazing benefits such as calming frizz, adding shine, detangling knots, making your hair soft, and taming flyaways. It also has a non-greasy formula, leaving your hair smooth, silky, and full of movement.

4. Pamper your hair with deep conditioning treatments.

Asian woman with short hair wearing a light blue blazer
Moisturizing treatments can keep your hair from looking stiff and dry. Credit: Natasha Estelle

Rebonded hair requires more TLC, so use hair treatment products to provide an extra layer of nourishment and hydration. Choose products that condition your hair deeply and repair damage from the inside out.

Tub of Cream Silk Treatment Keratin Rebond Straight

Editor’s tip: Keep your hair from getting dry and stiff by pampering it with Cream Silk Treatment Keratin Rebond Straight. It has keratin which helps repair the structure of your hair, smoothening out damage and reducing frizz. It also has amino acids such as lysine and glycine to enhance your hair’s elasticity and promote healthy hair growth.

5. Trim your hair regularly.

Rebonded short hair: Woman getting a haircut at the salon
Go for regular trims to get rid of split ends and dry tips. Credit: Shutterstock

A hair rebonding treatment can contribute to dry, split ends. Get regular hair trims every three to four months after your initial treatment to remove frayed tips and keep them from damaging the hair shaft.

6. Refrain from heat styling.

Asian woman with short straight hair wearing a yellow top
Minimize heat-styling to keep your rebonded hair from getting damaged. Credit: Shutterstock

Do your hair a favor and just let it breathe for a while, especially right after you’ve gotten it rebonded. Stay away from your flat or curling iron and focus more on nourishing your hair to get that super soft straight hair.

7. Keep your hair away from chlorinated water.

Chlorine can be harsh on rebonded hair. If you’re swimming in a pool, wear a swim cap to protect your hair. Don’t forget to rinse your hair thoroughly afterward to get rid of chlorine residue.

Maintaining rebonded short hair requires extra effort. But with the right hair care products and good hair habits, you can keep your salon-treated hair beautiful and healthy-looking.