They’re all over your feed and look absolutely luxurious but have you seen any Black women try them? I’m talking about head spas, the Japanese scalp treatment that centers holistic wellness and energy healing for a one of a kind rejuvenation and relaxation experience. After years of fascination through screens, I finally tried one that caters to natural, textured hair. Here’s how it went.
What is a Head Spa?
Originating in Japan in the 17th century, a head spa is a holistic beauty and wellness experience that addresses scalp concerns while promoting overall energetic balance. They often incorporate traditional practices like shiatsu, a style of massage derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine that targets pressure points to increase energy flow and ease tension in the body.
Now popularized worldwide, many salons and spas offer them as a solution for scalp problems or just as a luxurious self-care moment. From aromatherapy, to scalp gua sha, to the viral waterfalls that have left many of us curious to try one, they ignite the senses for a mind, body and soul soothing ritual. With the incorporation of modern technology, specialists are able to target specific issues and provide customized treatments to best suit your needs and many will also refer clients to dermatologists for more in-depth medical interventions if necessary.
The State of My Scalp
As a girl who loves all things beauty and wellness, I was intrigued by the prospect of a treatment that addresses your scalp directly, because scalpcare is the new skincare. I’ve never had an issue with my scalp outside of a brief stint with a relaxer that left me with severe seborrheic dermatitis and the worst irritation and dandruff.
After years of trial and error, I’ve learned my fine textured hair and sensitive scalp are not fans of oil and grease. It often creates more issues than it solves, causing buildup. Instead, weekly cleansing keeps my scalp moisturized and flake free, only experiencing issues when I go too long between wash days or travel to a drier climate. Even when in a protective style like braids, I opt for water-based serums instead of oils to hydrate and soothe my scalp.
The Experience
I went to see Nic Cichoki at the Mark Ryan Salon and she recommends that anyone can benefit from a head spa, especially with the focus on overall well-being through massage and energy healing, but they are most useful if you are experiencing scalp issues like dandruff, psoriasis, excessive oiliness, dermatitis, or build-up.
The in-depth examination and customized treatment provide relief for ailments that can often otherwise be difficult to heal at home. Aside from skin soothing and healing, the energy healing Nic offers and overall relaxation is pure bliss, ideal for anyone looking for a luxurious self-care moment.
The best way to describe it is like a facial for your scalp. Depending on where you go, the treatment can be anywhere from one to two hours and feels like an extended shampoo bowl session. Nic began with a consultation, asking about the state of my scalp, if I was experiencing any issues and what my at-home care and styling routine entailed to best assess what my hair and scalp would need. She then used a microscope to examine my scalp on the follicular level. This was one of the coolest parts because I had never seen my scalp up close and she was able to point out areas where I had some dryness but also clogged pores which I wasn’t expecting.
After accessing my scalp, she began with some aromatherapy to set the mood of relaxation and also asked what desired feeling I wanted to achieve with my energy healing: bliss, calm, [other options] The actual treatment began with a gentle dry exfoliation, followed by a scalp scrub that she meticulously applied in small sections before massaging in. She followed with a gentle shampoo to cleanse before applying a hair mask with steam to address my specific hair concerns, dryness and damage due to color.
This is the part where I truly sunk into relaxation. The combination of massage and scalp gua relieved all tension in my body and allowed me to fully relax. It was truly pure bliss. She then allowed the mask to fully penetrate my hair with a steam treatment which my hair absolutely loved.
My eyes had been closed for several minutes at this point (I was on the verge of falling asleep I was so zenned out). Out of nowhere I began to feel so happy, I actually started smiling and giggling a bit. When I opened my eyes I saw that Nic was doing the energy healing portion of the experience. Hovering her hands above my body, any last bit of stress in me dissipated. I had tried reiki healing a few times before, and I still don’t fully understand how it works, but nothing was as euphoric as this. The final step was rinsing out the mask with the notorious waterfall we’ve all seen online. The combination of soothing water sounds and warm water running down my scalp took the relaxation to a whole new level. I truly did not want it to end. She finished with the waterfall and some additional energy healing to close out the session.
Is It Natural Hair Approved?
Especially with the heavy styling products, high tension and high heat styles many of us curly girls love, a specialized treatment to address scalp concerns and build up could do wonders for your hair. If you aren’t able to see Nic, I would call ahead and ask if the salon you are interested in has experience working with natural hair. Also check their socials, that’s the best way to see if there’s representation of your hair type.
Whether you are looking for a unique self-care moment or have scalp concerns that need to be addressed, a head spa is a great option for both. After seeing them all over socials for months, it was incredible to finally get to try it and have such an incredible experience where I didn’t have to worry about if they would cater to my textured hair. Beauty treatments should be accessible for everyone no matter your hair texture or skin tone.
