Should You Try a Hair Botox Treatment?
We've all heard about botox treatments for our skin, but what about hair botox treatments?
Hair botox is the latest trend in moisturizing and hair smoothing options. Stylists love it because it is chemical-free and effective while being gentle enough for all hair types. It helps fill in thinning hair fibers to create the look of fuller hair, and it provides lasting hydration and smoothness for dry, rough hair textures.
But what makes hair botox different from other options on the market?
We've got the scoop on the benefits of hair botox treatments, the best shampoo for hair botox aftercare, and how hair botox works. Read on to learn more about whether hair botox might be a good option for you!
What Is Hair Botox and How Does Hair Botox Work?
Let's start with what hair botox isn't. Despite the name, it doesn't contain the botulinum toxin ingredient that skin and migraine botox treatments have. Hair botox isn't an injection, and it doesn't require a dermatologist to perform the treatment.
Instead, hair botox is a deep conditioning treatment that helps smooth rough hair texture and adds luster to dull locks. The treatment formulation can vary, but hair botox is a combination of peptides, proteins, fatty acids, and vitamins that smooth the hair cuticle and seal in moisture, making it a good option for healing and moisturizing dry, damaged hair. And because it helps to restore hair fibers by filling in gaps, hair botox for fine hair also helps thin, flat tresses appear fuller.
Hair botox treatments are different from Brazilian Blowouts, however, because while they both focus on smoothing hair texture and adding shine, Brazilian Blowouts also straighten hair strands for weeks at a time.
It's important to keep in mind, though, that similar to keratin treatments like the Brazilian Blowout, hair botox treatments require heat to close the cuticle and seal the conditioning treatment into the strands—and this is typically done with a flat iron. So if your aging hair is especially fine or fragile, be sure to talk to your stylist in advance. The upside of a hair botox treatment is that with smoother, healthier and more hydrated hair as the result, you may be less inclined to reach for damaging hot styling tools for everyday styling!
What Are the Benefits of Hair Botox Treatments?
1. It's Formaldehyde-Free
Brazilian Blowouts in the U.S. often contain formaldehyde, a carcinogen that can be dangerous if inhaled. The formaldehyde is responsible for straightening the hair. Since the goal of hair botox treatments isn’t to straighten hair, they rely on gentler and safer ingredients like conditioners and hydrating elements such as peptides and proteins to hydrate and fill gaps in the structure of hair strands, which results in smoother, shinier hair.
2. Hair Botox Doesn't Sacrifice Body for Sleekness
With many keratin treatments, we get sleek, shiny hair, but we lose a lot of volume. Since hair botox isn't a proper straightening treatment, it allows our hair to retain its natural body, making hair botox a better option for fine hair. It also improves the health of our hair by sealing moisture into the cuticle.
3. Love Your Curls? Hair Botox Keeps Curls Intact!
Hair botox won't straighten curly tresses because it isn't a straightening product like a Brazilian Blowout or similar keratin treatments. So for those of us who want to keep our curls, this is a huge perk! Like all other hair types, curly hair will still benefit from the hydration hair botox seals into the hair shaft, making it a great option for especially parched curly hair that’s prone to frizz.
4. It's Not Associated with Hair Loss
It's easy to confuse hair botox deep conditioning treatments with botox injections on the scalp to help slow hair loss, however these are two completely different procedures with different end goals.
Many also wonder whether hair botox can cause hair loss. The good news is that hair botox and hair loss are not linked because it's a conditioning treatment rather than a treatment that processes hair. In fact, hair botox can be beneficial for your hair, especially if you're dealing with dryness and dullness and want glowy, vibrant locks!
5. Hair Botox Aftercare Is Easy
Be sure to protect your hair from heat styling and damaging UV rays following your hair botox treatment. This will help extend the life of the treatment and support better hair health. A stylish hat or scarf can help shield locks from the sun, while a quality heat protectant can prevent damage from hot styling tools. Our No Remorse Heat Protection & Taming Spray packs a double punch with frizz-smoothing vitamin E and heat protection up to 450F!
To increase the lasting power of your hydrating, volume-boosting hair botox treatment, try adding a weekly butter mask to your hair. Using the mask weekly helps keep the treatment fresh while not over-hydrating your hair. We love our luxe, ultra-moisturizing Hair Redemption Restorative Butter Masque. It contains our rich proprietary plant-butter blend and argan oil and melts into hair strands, leaving your hair feeling healthy and manageable!
What Are Some Hair Botox Treatment Disadvantages?
One potential hair botox treatment disadvantage is that it can take multiple applications for severely dry or damaged hair to reap the smoothing benefits. Most women will only require one trip to the salon, but if you're dealing with especially dry, rough strands, your stylist may recommend a follow-up appointment to get the rejuvenated locks you're after. Two separate salon appointments can be pricey!
And as we mentioned above, if your aging hair is especially fine, fragile, or thinning, we advise you to speak with your stylist about the flat ironing final step, which seals in the ingredients. Discuss potential ways to minimize damage from the heat such as applying a heat protectant prior to drying, adjusting heat settings, and using fewer passes of the flat iron.
What’s the Best Shampoo for Hair Botox?
To lock in the moisturizing benefits of your hair botox treatment, be sure to have hydrating and repairing products in your hair care-arsenal. The best shampoos for hair botox aftercare support dry hair and help smooth the hair cuticle, like our Second Chance Repairing Shampoo for Dry or Damaged Hair. Using all-natural ingredients free of parabens and sulfates, Second Chance adds luster and vibrancy to over-stressed tresses.
If you're looking for a fragrance-free option that's dermatologist-tested and hypoallergenic, another excellent shampoo for hair botox aftercare is our Full Transparency Pure Revitalizing Shampoo for a gentle cleanse that naturally restores shine and body to dull, damaged hair. Pair it with our Full Transparency Shine Revitalizing Conditioner to lock in weightless moisture for aging hair!
Tell us: Have you tried a hair botox treatment? Share your experiences in the comments below!
Like what you read and want more hair-care content delivered directly to your inbox? Sign up to receive our weekly newsletters for the latest hair intel and exclusive promotions for your aging hair and scalp needs!
To maintain your sleek, glossy style after your hair botox treatment, Better Not Younger has sulfate- and paraben-free products to support gorgeous aging tresses! To banish dullness and keep the lasting effects of your smoothing and volumizing hair botox, check out our entire line of cruelty-free hair-care products, and let us help you achieve the sleek style you've always wanted!