This Hydrating Salon Treatment Is Like Botox For Your Hair—Here's How It Works
If you’re after your sleekest, shiniest strands ever (think the popular glass hair trend), then you might want to consider a hair Botox treatment. Don't worry: The name itself is a bit misleading. No needles will be flying at your scalp, and there is not actual Botox or filler involved either.
Instead, you’ll kick back in the salon chair and chill while your stylist does all the work. “Hair Botox is a 100 percent vegan, deep conditioning treatment that will keep your hair’s texture intact while leaving it smoother and more hydrated than before,” says Kayla Ciambrone, a Florida-based pro stylist at Salon Gaudi, where she regularly performs the service. “The name comes from the way the product works—as a filler for individual hair fibers, sealing split ends and giving hair a new sleekness and fullness to reduce frizz.”
Meet the experts: Kayla Ciambrone is a Florida-based pro stylist at Salon Gaudi. Brendan Camp, MD, is a double board-certified dermatologist based in New York
When your locks are looking a little limp—or when you feel like heat and stress have caused some breakage or damage—hair Botox can help you turn back the clock and reset. Like any other treatment though, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the process to decide if it’s right for you.
What is hair Botox?
While no actual injectables are involved in hair Botox, your stylist will likely start with a consultation prior to application of the product, which is essentially a non-chemical concentrate that can include ingredients like vitamin B5, vitamin E, collagen complex, antioxidants, and caviar oil, depending on the exact product. According to Ciambrone, these ingredients nurture your hair, fighting free radicals to combat the signs of aging locks, from brittle strands to broken fibers. Collagen helps to further repair your hair, while the oils in the treatment help to soften and seal the hair cuticle.
Every treatment will be a little different, depending on your level of damage.“We assess your hair,” says Ciambrone. “Depending on the texture of your hair and the desired result, the hair Botox is left on your hair anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour.”
Once it’s time to rinse out the product, your stylist will use a special pH balancing shampoo and conditioner. “Your hair is then blow-dried and flat ironed and cannot be washed or get wet for at least 48 hours,” she says. “I recommend 72 hours, if the client can wait.”
According to Ciambrone, pricing for hair Botox starts at about $200 for shoulder-length hair and increases depending on hair density and length.
The benefits of hair Botox
If you're getting ready for your first hair Botox treatment, Ciambrone says there are a few benefits you can expect to get out of it that lasts anywhere from two to four months. The treatment will:
Reduce the appearance of frizz and split ends
Hydrate and condition strands
Add moisture
Create a sleek and fuller appearance
Think of hair Botox as a maintenance-like conditioning type of treatment. All hair can benefit from an addition of proteins and hydrating elements from time to time, which is essentially what this treatment delivers. That said, Ciambrone recommends that only a licensed cosmetologist or stylist apply the treatment for best results.
The difference between hair Botox and a keratin treatment
Some people confuse hair Botox treatments with keratin treatments because the end results can be similar. Many keratin treatments contain formaldehyde, which reduces frizz and straightens strands chemically—versus hair Botox working with your hair’s natural texture for a more subtle effect. “While keratin is often used to straighten and de-frizz hair, especially thick curly hair, hair botox will not change the texture of your hair,” says Ciambrone.
One last thing to also keep in mind is that keratin and hair Botox should never be done at the same time. “Which treatment is best for each client depends on their hair’s integrity, texture, and their desired goal,” says Ciambrone. “All of this is determined during the initial consultation when a client comes in.”
Who should get hair Botox?
Again, because no harsh chemicals are involved in hair Botox, Ciambrone says it’s safe for any type of hair, whether natural, color-treated, or chemical-treated. She notes that it’s especially restorative for those with thinning hair or hair that's damaged or dull.
Sure opting for a deep conditioner might seem like the ideal option, but hair Botox may be considered the better choice because of its fortifying ingredients such as oils, antioxidants, and collagen, notes Brendan Camp, MD, a double board-certified dermatologist based in New York. For people with damaged hair the added collagen, "is thought to help correct for imperfections in the hair shaft to improve its appearance and texture," says Dr. Camp.
Botox also might be your preference if you're going for a particular look or feel. For example, if you're hair is feeling dry or lacking shine, you might want those guaranteed benefits from hair Botox if you have a deep conditioning mask that isn't helping you achieve that already.
How often can hair Botox be done?
While you can expect your hair Botox treatment to last around three months—give or take a few weeks—there are a few things you can do to prolong the benefits. Ciambrone suggests washing your hair with a gentle, sulfate- and paraben-free shampoo no more than two to three times a week. To take it a step further, you might consider sleeping on a silk pillowcase or sleeping with a bonnet on.
Hair Botox isn’t considered particularly harsh for your hair at all, but Ciambrone says you can still have too much of a good thing when it comes to this treatment, particularly if you’re doing other things to your hair. “I would not recommend doing any form of smoothing and/or texture treatment services more than every two months to maintain the integrity of your hair,” she says.
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