What Is A Hair Spa?

A hair spa is a relaxing and soothing hair care treatment offered by salons to revitalize hair. It improves hair texture and appearance and makes your hair soft, smooth, and shiny. It reduces the detrimental effects of pollution, weather, dirt, and UV rays on hair. It transforms dry and brittle hair into hydrated, beautiful tresses.

Here are some of the advantages of a hair spa treatment.

Benefits Of A Hair Spa

• Regulates sebum production
• Conditions the hair and scalp to prevent dryness
• Rejuvenates dry, brittle, rough, and thinning hair
• Reduces hair loss
• Stimulates hair growth
• Cleanses the scalp and prevents dandruff
• Improves hair and scalp health
• Unclogs pores and removes product residue and dirt from the scalp
• Increases blood circulation
• Repairs damaged hair

There are many treatments offered at hair spas. We have listed them below.

Treatments Available At Hair Spas

1. Hair Growth Treatments: Hair loss is a prevalent problem and may affect an individuals mental state. Hair spas offer hair growth treatments that reduce or treat hair loss and its causes. They also may promote hair growth.

2. Deep Conditioning Treatments: These treatments are meant for dry and brittle hair. They use masks and packs filled with hydrating ingredients to rejuvenate and moisturize your hair strands.

3. De-stressor Treatments: Stress is among the major causes of hair loss issues like alopecia and telogen effluvium (1). Stress increases free radical production and leads to hair loss due to oxidative damage. Hair spas offer de-stressor treatments that keep you relaxed, potentially reducing hair loss.

4. Dandruff Treatments: Dandruff affects about 50% of the general population (2). It is primarily caused by Malassezia furfur. It may even cause hair loss and scalp inflammation if left untreated. Hair spas offer anti-dandruff treatments that use antimicrobial and antifungal ingredients to cleanse and protect the scalp.

5. Chemical- And Color-Treated Hair Treatments: Regular use of chemicals, hair colors, bleach, and other styling treatments can leave hair damaged and dry (3). You may opt for this treatment at a hair spa to revitalize and fortify your damaged hair strands. These treatments undo the damage done to your hair by chemicals and colorants.

6. Smoothing Treatments: This treatment is for those who have to deal with frizz, static, and flyaways. Frizz occurs due to the interfiber friction within the hair shaft (3). These smoothing treatments leave hair silky smooth by diminishing frizz. They reduce the interfiber friction and soften the hair strands.

7. Hair Restoration Treatments: Regular grooming habits, pollution, dirt, and sun exposure leave hair dry, dirty, damaged, and weakened (3). Sun exposure may also lighten your natural or added hair color. You may opt for these treatments if you feel your hair is damaged beyond repair.

8. Aromatherapy: Aromatherapy is an effective way to stimulate hair growth (4). Many hair spas today offer aromatherapy treatments that include beneficial essential oils. These treatments stimulate your hair follicles and also leave you feeling calm and refreshed.

9. Massage Therapy: Massaging the scalp increases blood flow and may increase hair thickness (5).

These are the various treatment options a typical hair spa at a salon offers. But what if you are unable to head to a salon? Can you achieve similar results from home?

How To Hair Spa At Home

1. Destress: The first step in creating a hair spa at home is removing anything that can stress you out. These include all distractions or causes of stress, including a work environment. You may also take the day off and turn your phone and laptop off. If you are a stay-at-home mom, you may leave the kids with your husband or a babysitter. Let someone else do the meal planning or the chores for the day. Just sit and relax. Allow your shoulders to fall loose as you listen to some music that makes you happy.

2. Hair Oil Massage: Massage your scalp with hair oil. You can warm the oil a little (ensure it is not too hot). You may apply it to the scalp in circular motions with your fingertips. Apply slight pressure without being too hard. Keep massaging for about 10 minutes and allow the oil to soak into your scalp and hair.

3. Hair Mask: Apply a hair mask. You may choose one that caters to your specific hair issues. You may make one at home or buy one from a nearby health store or online. Apply the hair mask to your hair and relax. Allow it to soak in for about 15 minutes.

4. Hot Towel: Warm a towel and wrap it around your head. The heat from the towel opens the scalp pores and allows the nutrients from the oil and the mask to penetrate the skin. Leave the towel on for about 5 minutes.

5. Hair Cap: Put on a hair cap (or a shower cap) before the heat dissipates. The cap keeps the pores open for a longer time. Leave the cap on for 10 to 15 minutes.

6. Massage: Remove the cap and massage your scalp again. You may focus more on the areas with any hair fall. Massage your scalp for 10 minutes.

7. Wash Hair: Wash your hair with warm water and a gentle shampoo. Massage throughout the process to remove any dirt or product build-up from the pores. Massaging also stimulates your hair follicles.

8. Condition Hair: Rinse your hair with warm water and apply a revitalizing hair conditioner. Leave it on for about 2 to 3 minutes and wash with cold water. The cold water seals the pores that are now filled with moisture.

While a hair spa looks quite appealing, it (DIY or otherwise) does have a few downsides.

Disadvantages Of A Hair Spa

• Hair spa can impact ones hair color. The spa treatments can fade artificial hair color and make hair look dull. This can be remedied by using color-friendly products and ingredients.

• The cost of a hair spa ranges from 50$ to 200$, depending on the salon. The treatment may not be as cost-effective as you would need at least two sittings a month. You can avoid this expenditure by trying a DIY hair spa at home.

• Salon hair spa treatments tend to use chemicals and other ingredients that may harm your hair. A DIY hair spa is ideal, as you get to choose your own ingredients.

How Long Does A Hair Spa Last?

This depends on the treatment you select. A hair spa treatment usually lasts for about an hour. You can opt for a full day spa treatment that treats all hair issues or a specific treatment that caters to your particular hair issue. If you are going for a DIY hair spa, what you do is totally up to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many times should we do a hair spa?

A hair spa treatment can be repeated after 20-30 days.

Can I oil my hair after a hair spa?

Hair spa treatments deeply moisturize and condition your strands. So, don’t oil your hair after it. Let your hair relax.

Can I wash my hair after the spa?

You should not wash your hair for at least 2 days after a salon hair spa treatment. However, if you’re trying an at-home treatment, you should wash your hair at the end.

Does a hair spa treatment cause hair fall?

No. Hair spa treatments improve your hair health, appearance, and feel. In addition, there are specific treatments to stop hair fall and stimulate hair growth.

Which is better: hair mask or hair spa?

A hair spa treatment is a deep conditioning treatment that should be done monthly. A hair mask can be used weekly to sustain your hair health after a hair spa treatment.

Which is better: hot oil or hair spa?

A hair spa is an intensive hair care treatment that should be done monthly. You can apply hot oil to your hair at home every week to sustain the effects of the hair spa.

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