Is hair botox your answer to silky, luscious hair?

Diving into the thick and thin of it

Long, thick and smooth. Get your mind out of the gutter people, I’m referring to Rapunzel’s mane, the undisputed mascot of perfect hair. For those of us who are blessed with unruly hair, tamed and shiny locks are a mere dream. In a sea of hair products and treatments that come with their baggage of eventually unflattering results, hair botox jumps out as a possible answer. We spoke to experts to uncover details of this trend, and here’s what we discovered.

Wash, dry, apply, repeat

Hair botox is a deep conditioning treatment that consists of a blend of nutrients, proteins, collagens and amino acids. “Hair botox coats hair with a filler like keratin and fixes up rough or thin spots. This tames your hair and makes it temporarily manageable,” says Kanta Motwani, hairstylist and founder, Kromakay salon.

Hair botox starts with a simple wash, condition and dry. The stylist then applies the product and leaves it in for 45 minutes before washing the hair again. Once your hair is dry, the stylist will use a heat tool to seal the product. This process takes four to five hours, depending on hair length and volume.

Kearron Chavaan, hairstylist and founder, Salon 5, Pune says the effects of botox last for about 45-50 washes (roughly four to five months).

Aftercare is a must. Using shampoo and conditioner from the same brand as the botox product will ensure it lasts long and stays healthy. Chavaan also recommends a monthly hair spa treatment thereafter to maintain the effects.

Hair botox v/s Keratin

Every time a new knight emerges to fight the frizz monster, it gets compared to the previous one. In this case, it’s keratin. “Both fundamentally do the same thing, they’re all versions of rebonding and straightening,” says Rod Anker, hairstylist and co-founder, Off Days Hair.

“Cysteine, keratin and especially smoothening give you a poker straight look. But hair botox laminates your hair and gives it a straight, shiny and fluffy look,” Chavaan adds.

Keratin is known to use chemicals that release formaldehyde, a potential carcinogen, while botox products contain keratin, ceramides, antioxidants A, C, and E, collagens, and hyaluronic acid among others that make hair more manageable.

Once keratin wears off, the original hair texture returns, giving you curly roots and straight ends. But with botox, the effect wears off subtly without creating a stark difference between original and treated hair texture. While the treatment can certainly make hair more manageable, it does not alter the natural structure permanently.

Do I want it, do I not?

Pros:

If you have dull and damaged hair, excessive frizz or just want smoother hair, opt for hair botox. According to Motwani, it works well for coarse and unmanageable hair. Chavaan suggests you should consider your lifestyle as well, like how busy you are and how often you can schedule a hair spa.

In January 2023, Devanshi Savla, a small business owner, chose to get hair botox because her hair was frizzy and lacked vitality. “My hair looks like it has some life now, the frizz is completely gone and it’s much softer and smoother. It’s been almost 11 months since I got it done and only now I’m feeling the need to re-do it,” she says. Savla has wavy hair which became straight after the procedure but the regrowth from her roots hasn’t been as wavy as before.

Cons:

Anker opines “When people hear the term treatment, they think it’s going to make their hair healthier. Absolutely not — because you’ve got to run irons over it, sometimes six times, sometimes 12 times at 220° for it to actually activate and work. You’re scorching your hair to achieve those results.”

He further adds that these treatments result in high-maintenance hair when the goal is to achieve low-maintenance hair.

You need to repeat the treatment once it wears off to maintain the look. But going overboard with frequent refreshes can cause hair thinning and breakage in the long run.

Checklist before taking the plunge

Mental check:
Anker suggests taking a mental check, “I know one can get caught up in the idea of perfect hair and might want to get it done because everybody else is doing it. But if you want straight hair for the next two weeks, go get a blowout every second day, that’s not going to be as damaging as doing keratin or rebonding or botox.”

The cost:
Hair botox starts from ₹3,000 and the price will increase depending on your hair length, the salon you’re getting it done at and the hairstylist. Since it also involves aftercare, it’s an investment so it’s important to consider your budget.

Clear expectations:
Before getting the treatment discuss the process and the final look you want to achieve with your hairstylist — you don’t want to end up with hair you don’t like.

Patch test for allergies:
Before you commit to anything, do a patch test to check if you’re allergic to the products. You don’t want to end up looking like the Red Power Ranger.

Post maintenance:
Opt for the treatment only if you’re ready to commit to the aftercare. Regular hair spa appointments, using sulphate and paraben-free products and adding more hydrating leave-in products to your routine are recommended.

“You can go get it done, but make sure you do your research first,” concludes Anker.