When researching ways to restore or straighten your hair, you’ll most likely find articles explaining hair botox and keratin treatments. While both methods give you smooth, straight, and frizz-free hair, the slight differences between them make them best suited for different hair types.
Let’s take a look at the differences between hair botox and keratin treatment to find which one is better for your hair type.
What Is Hair Botox?
Hair botox is a treatment that can improve brittle hair by filling out thin hair and making it smoother. Traditional botox is an injectable drug used for cosmetic and medicinal purposes. It’s a deep conditioning treatment that repairs damaged hair.
Traditional botox is made from botulinum toxin type A – this is the neurotoxin that combats wrinkles and migraines. Hair botox does not have this toxin and instead uses ceramides, vitamins, and oils.
Let’s look at the active ingredients to better understand how it affects your hair.
- Caviar Oil – This ingredient contains antioxidants and protein that strengthen hair follicles by protecting against continuous collagen and elastin breakdown.
- Vitamin B5 – This ingredient retains moisture in your hair and smooths your strand cuticles. It also prevents dryness around your scalp.
- Vitamin E – This ingredient has a similar effect to antioxidants on the hair. It helps maintain hair growth and reduces oxidative stress (which leads to cellular damage).
- Collagen Complex – This ingredient contains amino acids that build protein and strengthen your hair roots. In turn, it can prevent hair follicle damage and result in healthy growth.
How Do Botox and Keratin Treatment Work on Hair?
Hair botox and keratin treatments are both applied to your hair topically. Both treatments are made with different ingredients that will help strengthen and rebuild your hair to a healthy state.
How Botox Works on Hair
Hair botox is made of caviar oil, vitamin B5, vitamin E, and collagen complex to strengthen your hair. Here’s what you can expect when you get a hair botox treatment:
- Step One – Your hair is shampooed to open the cuticles and prepare for deep conditioning.
- Step Two – The hair botox is applied to your hair by massaging the product from root to tip.
- Step Three – The treatment must sit on your hair for between 20 and 90 minutes to allow your hair to absorb the vitamins.
- Step Four – Depending on your stylist, the treatment is rinsed out before drying and straightening, or left in your hair. Both methods have similar results.
How Keratin Works on Hair
Keratin treatments are made of one primary ingredient – keratin. It smooths down the cells in your hair strands to prevent frizz, and your hair absorbs the keratin resulting in thicker and glossier hair. Keratin can also make your hair easier to style and look straighter.
You can apply keratin to your hair in a variety of ways.
The first and most effective method is a salon keratin treatment, also known as the Brazilian keratin treatment. A salon-grade keratin treatment is said to last 12 weeks, which is the most prolonged time frame compared to all keratin treatment applications. This method of keratin treatment is comprised of several steps:
- Step One – A formaldehyde cream is applied to smooth and straighten your hair.
- Step Two – Your hair is blow-dried and straightened.
- Step Three – The keratin treatment is applied to your hair.
- Step Four – You must wait several days before returning to the salon for the treatment to be rinsed out. You cannot get your hair wet during this time.
- Step Five – You return to the salon to wash out the chemicals, and another treatment is applied to lock in the results.
The second keratin treatment method is through serums, shampoos, and conditioners. While these products won’t give you the same results as a salon-grade treatment, they can still strengthen and repair your hair from heat damage and hair dye.
The third method is to use keratin supplements. This method is not a topical treatment – keratin supplements are available in powder and capsule forms for ingestion. It is said that adding supplements to your diet can increase the protein in your hair follicles, making your hair thicker and stronger.
What’s The Key Difference Between Hair Botox and Keratin Treatment?
The main difference between hair botox and the keratin treatment is the ingredients used for each method.
Hair botox uses natural ingredients to repair damaged hair, resulting in smooth and frizz-free hair. Keratin treatments use the chemical formaldehyde to smooth and straighten hair.
Hair Botox Vs. Keratin Treatment
Below are the other differences between these two hair treatments.
Hair Type
Hair botox is primarily used on people with frizzy, damaged or dry hair. Its primary goal is to give you smooth and glossy hair.
Keratin treatments are for people with thick and curly hair who want it to be straightened without heat damage. This treatment also reduces frizz, a common side effect of straightening hair with an iron.
Cost
Hair botox typically costs less than keratin treatments.
The average cost of a hair botox session at a salon is between $150 and $300.
Keratin treatments typically cost between $300 and $800 due to the multiple salon sessions and chemical treatments.
DIY keratin treatments are less expensive, but you won’t get the same results as a professional treatment.
Durability
Depending on how you take care of your hair, hair botox and keratin treatments can last for several months. Botox treatments last between 2 and 4 months on average.
When taken care of properly, keratin treatments can last up to 6 months! DIY keratin treatments won’t last this long and typically begin to fade after a month.
Side Effects
Hair botox has very few side effects. The most poignant side effect is that your hair might appear greasy for a few days after the treatment. Your hair is still in the process of absorbing the vitamins and antioxidants, leaving it looking slightly greasy.
Surprisingly, washing your hair less often will combat this greasiness. You can also use dry shampoo between washes.
Unfortunately, keratin treatments can have some significant side effects. The chemical used to straighten your hair, formaldehyde, is a known carcinogen.
This means the American Cancer Society has identified it as a chemical that may cause cancer or help it grow. The FDA also warns that formaldehyde in keratin treatments can lead to severe medical side effects such as:
- Irritated eyes (burning, itching, etc.)
- Burning sensations in the nose and throat
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Nausea
- Skin irritation
Keratin treatments should only be done three times a year. Otherwise, you risk doing permanent damage to your hair.
Maintenance
Hair botox is extremely simple to maintain. To keep the effects of the treatment longer, it’s recommended to use sulfate-free or low-sulfate shampoo. It’s also recommended to avoid washing your hair daily. Otherwise, the treatment could be washed away too soon.
Keratin treatments are a bit more challenging to maintain. To prevent your treatment from fading, it’s recommended to wash your hair when necessary (2 to 3 times per week).
Keeping your hair dry is essential in preserving your keratin treatment.
Avoid swimming in chlorinated or salt water, and use a sulfate and sodium chloride-free shampoo and conditioner.
Difference Between Hair Botox and Keratin Treatment at a Glance
|
Hair Botox | Keratin Treatment | |
|
Hair Type | dry, damaged, or frizzy hair | thick and curly hair |
| Cost | $150 – $300 |
$300 – $800 |
|
Durability | Lasts 2-4 months | Lasts up to 6 months |
| Side Effects | Greasy hair in the first few days |
Irritated eyes (burning, itching, etc.) Burning sensations in the nose and throat Coughing Wheezing Nausea Skin irritation |
| Maintenance |
Use sulfate-free or low-sulfate shampoo Avoid washing your hair daily |
Try to keep hair dry Wash hair only when necessary Avoid swimming in chlorinated or salt water Use mild shampoo and conditioner |
FAQs
Below are some frequently asked questions about hair botox vs. keratin treatments.
Yes, there are some similarities. Both of these treatments are used to smoothen and straighten hair; they simply do so in different methods. They are available to schedule in professional salons and purchase as at-home methods.
Hair botox treatments typically don’t work as well on hair that has been dyed, permed, or straightened frequently. However, continuing this treatment over time may strengthen your hair and affect your results.
Pregnant women should not use keratin treatments due to the formaldehyde used in the process. It is also not recommended for people with high sensitivity to chemicals or cancer patients.
Yes, you can! Both hair botox and keratin treatments are available for at-home purchase. Hair botox comes as a hair mask, shampoo, conditioner, and more.
Keratin treatments typically come as a set of bottles; a pre-treatment shampoo, the keratin treatment, and a restorative hair mask/conditioner.
Hair botox is the best choice for voluminous hair. Keratin treatments straighten hair, but hair botox restores damaged hair follicles, resulting in healthier and thicker strands.
Overall, hair botox is better for your hair because it does not use harmful chemicals and is easy to maintain. Keratin treatments can harm your health due to the formaldehyde and typically cost much more than a hair botox treatment.
Hair botox and keratin treatment are both effective ways to straighten and gloss your hair. While keratin treatments provide long-lasting results, hair botox is less damaging to your body due to its natural ingredients. If you’re looking for ways to restore damaged hair, consider a hair botox treatment!
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