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Hair Spa: A Comprehensive Guide on an Essential Hair Treatment
From nourishing your hair to treating yourself to some relaxation, a rejuvenating hair spa may serve every purpose. Here’s everything you need to know about it.
Harmful ultraviolet sun rays, pollution, and a dynamic lifestyle — the external environment may have harmful effects on your hair. Research suggests that the toxic xenobiotic particles in the air may hamper or slow down the cell renewal in hair, hence inhibiting its growth. (1). So, the question arises — how do you protect your hair? According to Donna Ireland, Founder and CEO of Annod Natural Skincare, “Covering the hair is the most effective way to prevent pollution, and regular shampooing and conditioning.”
But beyond prevention we also need to take proper care. With the advent of technology and new treatments paving the way into salons, it is simple to take care of your hair today. One such technique is investing in a hair spa. But is a hair spa good for hair? Let us delve into the nitty gritties of getting a hair spa.
What is a Hair Spa?
Are you wondering what a hair spa is? Essentially, a hair spa is a rejuvenating hair treatment offered by salons that may improve the overall condition of your mane. It is a relaxing beauty service that may involve elements like hair masks, deep conditioning, scalp massage, and more (2). To combat the adverse effects of external factors hurting your hair, a hair spa treatment may come to the rescue.
Donna Ireland further suggests, “A leave-in overnight oil treatment is a perfect solution for all hair types. Nighttime is when the body repairs and rejuvenates itself. Apply the oil to dry hair and wrap the hair with plastic film to protect your bed linen. In the morning add shampoo to the dry hair and massage it to break down the oil before adding water.”
The hair spa procedure may also help in reducing the detrimental effects of the environment by making your hair soft, smooth, and lustrous. While it may improve the appearance of your hair, it is also a great way to give your mane and yourself some extra care. But how do you know that it is hair spa time? Ahead, we’ve put together the indicators that you may look out for.
Signs Which Suggest that it’s Time for Hair Spa
If you have undergone harmful chemical hair treatments like coloring, bleaching, straightening, and more; chances are that your hair is experiencing one or more of these problems:
- Hair loss
- Thinning of hair strands
- Dry, dull, and rough texture
- Frizzy hair
- Loss of shine and luster
- Itchy and red scalp
- Staggered hair growth
- Oily and greasy hair
- Dandruff
These hair problems are common consequences of the environment, chemical treatments, and a dynamic lifestyle (1), (3). If you are suffering from such adverse effects on your hair, then it may be a sign of investing your time in the hair spa process. A hair spa is extremely soothing and relaxing that may help in reversing the damage caused to your mane. Are you questioning what are the benefits of a hair spa?
Benefits of a Hair Spa Treatment
In-salon treatments have gained a notorious status for the damage they cause to your hair. But opting for beauty services like a head spa might prove to be beneficial for your overall hair health. Ahead, we have lined out the ultimate list of five hair spa benefits that may work wonders for your hair, mental health, and more.
Stimulate Hair Thickness and Growth
A parlor hair spa is packed with conditioning creams, hair masks, scalp massages, and more. It is a treatment that promises physical and mental relaxation along with some beauty benefits. Research states that scalp massage may help in increasing hair thickness. The comprehensive study indicates that this standardized hair massage induces stretching forces into the dermal papilla cells found in the subcutaneous tissues of your hair (4). Hence, this beauty treatment may help in stimulating hair thickness, volume, and growth.
Fix Rough And Dry Hair
The processes involved in this beauty treatment may help in reducing the external consequences on your tresses (1). A good head spa includes steps like shampooing, hair masks, scalp massage, steaming, rinsing, and other remedies which may enhance your hair texture. It may help fight roughness, dullness, and dryness by making your hair strands smooth, silky, and lustrous (3).
Might Help Navigate Stress Control
A key component in different types of hair spas is scalp massage. While it may help you unwind, its benefits go beyond that. Studies suggest that a scalp massage on females may have a positive impact on their stress hormones, blood pressure, and also heart rate (5). Hence, a hair spa may have a good effect on your mental health by helping you monitor and control stress.
It May Help in Conditioning And Nourishing Your Hair
One of the best advantages of a hair spa is that it may help in conditioning and nourishing your mane. The process incorporates the use of hydrating creams and other hair care products which may help deliver hydration, nourishment, and a healthy shine to your mane (3).
Improves the Blood Circulation in Your Body
The scalp massage step in a hair spa has a therapeutic effect on your bodily functions like the nervous, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and integumentary systems. However, research studies suggest that it may also serve the purpose of aero hydropathy which helps in stimulating blood circulation and increasing immunologic function. This beauty treatment might help in maintaining body balance and harmony (5).
What Are the Different Steps Involved in a Hair Spa?
A good hair spa for women includes multiple processes which promise to nourish and hydrate your hair. However, depending on salon-to-salon these hair spa steps may differ from each other in terms of order and usage. Ahead, we have put together all the steps that may be involved in your soothing hair spa time.
Shampooing Your Hair Properly
The first step in the hair spa process is shampooing your hair. The in-salon haircare professional begins with this essential step because shampoo helps in cleaning your hair and scalp (3). Moreover, it may help in enhancing the texture of your hair by conditioning your hair (6). Hence, shampooing prepares your mane for the hair spa treatment ahead.
Applying a Conditioning Hair Mask
The second step involves applying a serum-like hair mask to your hair. It is necessary because the hair mask may help in nourishing and hydrating your hair. It also may help in reducing the dryness from your scalp and also strengthen the hair follicles for the treatment (3).
Massaging Your scalp
This may be the most soothing step in beauty treatment. In this, the salon professional massages your scalp so that the serum-like hair mask spreads evenly in every spot. But beyond this, a good scalp massage may also have a positive impact on your stress hormones, blood pressure, and heart rate (5). Research also indicates that it might help in stimulating blood circulation, increasing immunologic function, and maintaining body balance and harmony (5).
Steaming Hair for Faster Absorption
The next step in getting a hair spa is steaming. The salon expert will focus the steam on your scalp which may help in hydrating the skin and increase its permeability (7). Because of this, your hair and scalp might be able to absorb all the nutrients and hydration from the hair mask creams. This step will ensure that your mane gets deep conditioning and nourishment.
Rinsing Your Hair Properly
The last step in a ladies' hair spa is washing your hair properly to get rid of all the hair care creams and other products. This process ensures that your tresses are properly clean and nourished.
Things to Avoid After Getting a Hair Spa Treatment
To reap the best hair spa results, it is essential to consciously take care of your mane post-treatment. Here are some things that you may avoid to ensure that your hair remains nourished and smooth:
- Use a scarf or a hat to protect your hair from harmful ultraviolet sun rays and other environmental factors. While traveling your hair is susceptible to becoming dry, rough, and frizzy and hence, it is imperative to protect them properly (1).
- After a hair spa, avoid using heat to style your hair. Getting styling treatments such as straightening or blowouts may damage your hair shaft and make your tresses frizzy, dry, and rough (w), (8).
- Veer away from tying your hair in a ponytail or a bun as it may put pressure on your hair follicles. Doing this might cause harm to the overall health and strength of your hair.
- Ensure that you avoid washing your hair immediately after the hair spa. Rinsing hair with a shampoo at home (instantly after the treatment) may strip off tresses from the nutrients and hydration they acquired from the beauty service.
What Are the Disadvantages of a Hair Spa Treatment?
While a head spa may help in reversing the detrimental effects of the environment and lifestyle, it has its share of disadvantages too. Here are some limitations of hair spas:
- This beauty treatment may need to be done regularly as doing it just once may not give the desired result. You may have to do it either once or twice a month depending on the frequency of your traveling.
- A hair spa treatment might seem like an expensive investment. However, it is worth the price as it gives your hair the nourishment and hydration that it may be lacking.
- If you have colored or treated hair, getting a hair spa might fade your color from the tresses or reverse the effects of your hair treatment.
Just getting a head spa in a salon may not be enough to make your hair healthy, silky, and smooth. You might also need to follow a healthy diet and a proper hair care regimen to ensure a good, lustrous mane.
Conclusion
Whether you have a penchant for relaxation or simply like to ensure that your hair gets the extra TLC (tender loving care) it deserves, a hair spa may prove to serve every purpose. It promises to reverse the detrimental consequences caused to your hair by making your tresses soft, smooth, and lustrous. While a head spa may have its share of beauty advantages, some of its other benefits include improved blood circulation, stress control, mind-body harmony, and more. But before you decide on investing in a hair spa procedure, it is always considered wise to weigh both ? its pros and cons. This beauty treatment may be a safer option to choose rather than a chemical hair treatment that might cause extensive damage to your hair shaft and scalp. It is relaxing and also promises to change the appearance of your hair for the best.
Sources:
1. Hair and their Environment
2. Effects of Basic Massage Techniques in Head Spa on Mind and Body
3. Hair Cosmetics: An Overview
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4387693/
4. Standardized Scalp Massage
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4740347/
5. Effect of Scalp Massage on hormone
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27821918/
6. Shampoo and Conditioner
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4458934/
7. Warm Steaming
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15041584/
8. Hair Shaft Damage
ALSO READ: Hair spa is a miracle worker for damaged hair: Simple steps to do a hair spa at home
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