I'm completely obsessed with 'hair Botox' – here's why

I’ve never been one for injectables. In fact, the thought of a needle being poked into my face is honestly terrifying.

But when I heard about Tryo hair salon offering ‘hair Botox’ for luscious locks, I thought: ‘f**k it’.

But before you give me a pat on the back for overcoming my fears, it’s important to know that so-called ‘hair Botox’ works a little differently to traditional Botox treatments.

In fact, it’s totally non-invasive and it’s more of a specialised deep conditioning treatment for your locks.

There are no needles involved. Instead, the solution is slathered onto your hair before you sit under a laser (more on that later).

The aim is to leave your hair looking smoother, softer and fuller – similar to the way that Botox smooths out those fine lines and wrinkles – get it?

I was keen to try it, but part of me questioned if it was a bit of a beauty fad. Well, how wrong I was.

To say I’m obsessed with my hair after the treatment would be an understatement.

It’s been five days since I got it done and I haven’t needed to wash my hair, it’s not greasy. Instead it’s sleek, intensely shiny and soft as hell – you can see for yourself in the video below!

I saw a friend on Friday who I told about the treatment, to which she reached out and touched my hair before looking at me and saying: ‘I’m getting it’.

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‘Hair Botox’ is a relatively new type of intensive treatment originally from Brazil, which is designed to hydrate, gives shine and nourish the hair from inside out, leaving it more beautiful, without frizz and without split ends. 

Despite the widely-used name, it doesn’t contain botulinum toxin (aka the central ingredient in Botox injections used for wrinkles).

Instead, the salon deep conditioning treatment will likely contain either keratin soy or wheat for a protein base – which will help repair your hair – as well as oils to lock in moisture like macadamia or argan oil.

Celebrity hairstylist Bernardo Vasconcelos, who is the first to introduce this popular treatment in his new salon TRYO, explained: ‘Even though it is called hair Botox, this treatment does not contain botulinum toxin.

‘It has this name because it renews the hair, corrects the damage and reduces the frizz then same way Botox does it on the skin.

‘For the capillary Botox we use natural and sustainable sourced products from Brazil that help nourish the fibres and make them more hydrated and less brittle, since they are rich in proteins and vitamins.’

https://www.instagram.com/p/CnHbJK6K2iS/

So, how is the treatment done?

Upon arriving at Tryo I had my hair shampooed, which it desperately needed in fairness.

Then my hair was sectioned out and the deep conditioning treatment (salon grade) was applied from root to tip – the same way hair dye is applied.

That was when I saw the laser gun and my palms got sweaty – but on the bright side I got some absurd Kim k-esque sunnies to wear to protect my eyes.

The blue laser was directed all over my hair to enable the product to really soak in – this took about 10 minutes.

Then I sat with a plastic cap on for a further 10 minutes to let it soak a little more.

For some reason I was expecting it to be washed out but nope, they went straight in with the blow dry – section by section. I had to wear a facemask for the fumes that steamed off my locks.

This made me nervous, because too much product in my hair tends to make it go super greasy, but I was impressed with the results.

The real magic happened when my hair was straightened. It became the shiniest, sleekest, softest hair in the history of mankind.

Bernardo said: ‘It’s a great treatment to reduce frizz, root volume and that rough touch we feel after we wash and dry the hair.

‘Ideally done every 3-4 months it will help to reduce your blow-dry time as well as adding more shine.’

The need to knows:

Application: Shampoo + ‘Botox’ treatment followed by blow-dry and flat iron. Ideally washed after 3 days
Duration: 120-160 min
Advice: Don’t get your hair coloured soon after hair Botox, use deep conditioning treatments after when washing, and using heat will apparently help to activate the Botox.

If hair Botox doesn’t quite sound like it’s up your street then hair transplant surgeon, Dr Furqan Raja, says there other measures you can take to get a fuller, healthier head of hair.

Reduce your alcohol intake

‘Whilst alcohol itself hasn’t been directly linked to hair loss it can lead to dehydration which can also dry out hair follicles,’ said Dr Raja.

‘Over prolonged periods of time this can also raise the acid levels in your body and affect protein absorption.

‘Together this can have a negative impact on the hair follicles and hair health, resulting in hair thinning and loss.

‘Reducing alcohol intake can help to support healthy hair growth.

‘If you drink alcohol, ensure you avoid dehydration by interspersing alcoholic drinks with plenty of water.’

Take vitamin supplements

Dr Raja said: ‘Health and nutrition is an important factor in healthy hair growth.

‘Many of us are lacking in essential vitamins and minerals because we don’t get enough of them in our diet, and so vitamin supplements can be a good way of ensuring you’re getting the necessary micronutrients that are essential for hair growth.

‘It is important, however, to recognise that these should be tailored to your specific needs. For example, if you’re going through the menopause, the supplements that you will need are likely to be different to someone who is experiencing stress-related hair loss.

‘Also, whilst supplements can help to improve the quality and thickness of your hair, it’s important not to expect miracles.’

Avoid tight hairstyles 

‘Whilst tight hairstyles might seem harmless enough, they can have a huge impact on the hair follicles,’ said Dr Raja.

‘There are a number of reasons that females experience hair thinning and loss, one of them is the strain on the hair follicles often caused by tight hairstyles.

‘This is called traction alopecia and it is different from other types of hair loss because it is not caused by genetic factors.

‘Instead, it’s caused by the physical strain that’s put on the hair follicles often from having hair pulled back in a style too tightly.

‘Whilst this is not of course an issue if it’s done occasionally, over a prolonged period of time it can have a negative impact on the hair follicles which can become damaged and the hair will fall out.’

Don’t use dry shampoo too often

Dr Raja said: ‘Whilst using them occasionally isn’t likely to cause too much damage, using them on a regular basis can lead to damage and potential breakage, or in severe cases hair thinning.

There have also been concerns raised online about the ingredients in many dry shampoos. 

‘Propane and butane are common in many aerosols, including dry shampoos.

‘However whilst with other products they don’t come into contact with the skin for a long period of time, dry shampoo is designed to sit around the root of the hair potentially damaging the hair follicle and impacting growth.

‘For optimum hair growth and health I would advise people to avoid using them every day.’

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