Hair Treatments Explained: Keratin, Rebonding, Botox, Spa and More

Walk into any salon and you'll be offered a menu of hair treatments with confusingly similar names. Keratin, rebonding, hair botox, hair spa — they all promise smoother, healthier hair, but they do very different things. Picking the wrong one wastes money and can leave you disappointed.

Here's what each treatment actually does, in plain English.

Keratin Treatment

What it does: Coats the hair with keratin protein to smooth the cuticle, reduce frizz and add shine. Your hair becomes more manageable and dries straighter — but it keeps its natural movement.

Best for: Frizzy, unruly or slightly wavy hair that you want smoother without going poker-straight.

Lasts: 3–4 months, fading gradually.

Aftercare: Use sulphate-free shampoo and avoid washing for the first few days.

Rebonding (Permanent Straightening)

What it does: Chemically breaks and re-forms the hair's bonds to make it permanently, dead-straight. This is a stronger, more permanent change than keratin.

Best for: Very curly or coarse hair when you want completely straight results.

Lasts: The treated hair stays straight forever; you'll need root touch-ups every 6–9 months as new hair grows.

Trade-off: It's harsher on the hair than keratin, so healthy-hair maintenance afterwards is important.

Hair Botox

What it does: Despite the name, there are no injections. It's a deep conditioning treatment that fills in damaged, thinning areas of the hair strand with ingredients like collagen and amino acids — repairing rather than just coating.

Best for: Damaged, over-processed or dull hair that needs repair and shine more than straightening.

Lasts: 2–4 months.

Hair Spa

What it does: A relaxing conditioning-and-massage treatment that hydrates the hair and stimulates the scalp. It's maintenance, not transformation.

Best for: Dry hair, a tired scalp, and general upkeep between bigger treatments.

Lasts: Until your next few washes — best done monthly.

Which One Do You Actually Need?

• Frizz you want tamed, but keep some volume → Keratin
• Curly hair you want bone-straight → Rebonding
• Damaged hair that needs repairing → Hair Botox
• Dry hair and scalp needing regular care → Hair Spa

Before You Book Any Treatment

These are technical, chemical services — the skill of the stylist matters enormously. Before booking:

• Look at before-and-after photos of the salon's actual work.
• Ask what products they use and how long results last — our pre-booking questions cover exactly what to ask.
• Confirm the aftercare so you protect your investment, and plan your next visit accordingly.

Find a Salon That Specialises

Not every salon is equally skilled at chemical treatments. On GetSalons you can compare salons, read verified reviews for these specific services, and book with a stylist who knows what they're doing. Browse top-rated salons and check current offers before you book.