Hair Spa and the lesser known side effects
Overview
Who does not love a hair spa ? The soothing feeling of the massage is so delicious! Not to mention the glow that it gives to your hair. Living in these stressful times, a little bit of pampering is so required to boost our spirits and relax us. What is a hair spa, you ask. Well, a hair spa is a type of therapy for your hair, where the hair is thoroughly washed and an intensive hair massage is also given. This gives us a feeling is instant relaxation and rejuvenates us. It has been found that intensive hair care treatments can reduce stress and increase our focus as well as make us more productive. We feel relieved of any stress and clearer in our thoughts. The hair becomes smooth and silky and hair growth is generated. Our blood circulation improves and all impurities and pores are unclogged from the scalp.
As they say, there are two sides to every coin. So also there are some side effects of hair spa too. Let us see the not-so-good effects of hair spa.
1. Frequency
The hair spa treatment lasts for around 15-20 days. So that means almost every other month you need to get a treatment done. You cannot just get one session done and forget all about it. You have to be consistent in your sessions otherwise your hair will become dull.
2. Expensive
The hair spa treatments are not very cost-effective. The use of imported hair products and equipment and the best salon does notch up the price of a treatment session. This added to the number of sessions does become a tad expensive.
3. Color Fading
If you regularly colour/dye your hair and then go for a hair spa treatment, the colour/dye will fade much earlier. So now you have the additional cost of getting your hair coloured/dyed too!
4. Hair Loss
There may be some chemicals in the products used for the hair spa treatment like shampoo, hair masks, and serums. These products may be unsuitable for your skin and result in severe hair loss. Frequent exposure to chemicals may also decrease the volume of your lustrous tresses.
5. Dependance
It is not advisable to depend only on a hair spa routine to maintain your tresses. Eating healthy nutrients like avocados, nuts, oats, greens like spinach, and green peas, and other food containing iron, Omega-3 fatty acids, beta-carotene, etc. should be maintained.
6. Time Consuming
These treatments are time consuming involving you to sit on a chair for longer period of time as the entire process take about two to three hours. Not to mention the waiting time to await your turn despite the prior appointment taken. For a working professional or anyone for that matter, it may be difficult to invest so much time in one session, including the waiting.
7. Health Issues
The hair care products often contain chemicals that may trigger allergic reactions and respiratory problems. Redness, burning sensation, itching, and spots, could be some of the resultant symptoms.
8. Breakage
The frequency of the treatment may lead to hair breakage given the chemicals present in the hair care products. The quality of your hair can diminish over a period of time. It can strip your hair of natural oils which can led to dryness and breakage.
9. Low Cost Spas
Opting for low-cost spas may prove expensive in the long run. These spas may use hair care products with a high content of harsh chemicals thereby ruining your hair instead of hydrating it. Such “low-cost” spas make your hair dull, dry, and damaged.
10. Excess Treatment
Too much of anything is not good. Excessive or very frequent hair spa treatments result in product build up on the hair and scalp thereby making it greasy or weighed down. You will only end up getting a bad look. So moderation is the key.
11. Brittle Hair
The use of excessive heat styling or prolonged exposure to heat may affect the protein bonds resulting in damage to the cuticles which will make the hair dry, rough, and brittle over a period of time.
12. Scalp Irritation
The improper techniques used like vigorous massage, incomplete washing, or improper application of hair care products can give rise to irritation of the scalp, sensitivity, or inflammation.
13. Dermatologist advice
Hair spa treatments are generally not recommended for persons having scalp related issues like scalp psoriasis etc. It is recommended to take medical advice from your dermatologist regarding getting a hair spa treatment done. Often, these medical conditions get elevated in the case of hair spa treatments.
14. After Care
Many factors must be taken care of after a hair spa session. Given the time crunch we face, it may be difficult to manage this after routine.
15. Professionals
Hair spa treatment, if carried out by beauticians/persons who are not well versed or professional, can lead to hair-related problems like dullness, breakage, damage, hair loss, skin allergy, irritation, etc. Though you may feel it is cheaper to get the treatment done by such unversed persons, it is not a good idea! On the contrary it will prove to be expensive, what with the added cost of the dermatologist/medical professional.
16. Increase of dandruff
It has been noticed that sometimes the chemicals present in the hair care products can react with the scalp oil giving rise to dandruff and dead hair cells.
17. Results
It is possible that you may not be happy with the outcome of your hair spa treatment. The transit time to reach the salon, the waiting period, the expensive hair care products, the actual time taken for the treatment, all the effort put in by the beautician or all the effort by you to remain glued to that chair for a long period, may not be as you had envisaged. So there is a certain risk too.
Conclusion
All said and done, just doing a regular hair spa is not the only solution. A balanced diet, proper hydration, exercise, sound sleep, mindfulness, meditation, and Yoga, all culminate in a healthy you. All these factors together can be beneficial to your mind, body, and hair, of course! it is important to maintain your physical, emotional, mental, spiritual wellness always. Ceasing bad habits like smoking, alcohol, and substance abuse contribute to our wellness. After all, we do not want a “hair today, gone tomorrow” situation! 😊 So, let us “hair it up” for a healthy you (including your lovely tresses).
Informative article!