What scalp treatments do you need for your scalp problems?

So you’ve found some warning signs of a scalp issue. What’s next?

Instead of going for specialised haircare centres which often cost thousands of dollars for a single package, we listed down the different ala carte scalp treatments out there by hair salons that do NOT hardsell! This way, you can solve your scalp problems without breaking the bank!

All Scalp: Deep Cleansing Scalp Treatments

Whether your scalp is oily, dry or normal, your scalp would benefit from an occasional deep cleansing treatment. Think of it like an exfoliating facial. Your typical shampoo may be able to clean your hair sufficiently but there’s always that stubborn 20% of dead skin / hair products that clog your pores! It’s therefore useful to get a professional to clear up all the gunk from your scalp once in a while!

Do however note that deep cleansing scalp treatments are usually not recommended after a hair colour or even a perm / rebonding because the treatment may strip the hair of its colour (making it fade faster!) and make your perm / rebonding not as long-lasting. It’s also not recommended right before a chemical service because clearing the gunk may make your scalp more susceptible to the hair chemicals that follow and make it even more sensitive!

The best hair service to match it with is a haircut! If you are only going for a haircut anyway, it would be wise to opt for a deep cleansing scalp treatment to energize your scalp once in a while!

Here are some deep cleansing scalp treatments that we hear are good:

1. Art Noise Japanese Hair Salon Sparkling Scalp Spa ($50 add-on)

Sparkling Scalp Spa by Art Noise Japanese Hair Salon

Art Noise’s scalp spa stood out for us as they use in-house hair products which are gentle but effective in exfoliating the scalp! The price is $90 for a stand-alone scalp treatment but if you are going for a haircut at Art Noise, it costs only $50 to add on the scalp spa. Very value-for-money in our opinion!

Read more about Agent W’s experience at Art Noise Japanese Hair Salon.

2. 99 Percent Hair Studio Organic Peeling Scalp Treatment ($88)

99 Percent Hair Studio Organic Scalp Peeling Treatment

This is one of the first scalp treatments we were really impressed with because we could visually see the amount of dead cells from the scalp exfoliation! Among all the scalp treatments we’ve tried, we find the scalp peeling treatment at 99 Percent Hair Studio among the most thorough as the stylists really take the time to exfoliate your scalp as cleanly as possible. However, this scalp treatment may not be suitable for those with sensitive scalp as the scalp exfoliation may be too harsh.

For a one-hour scalp peeling treatment, the price of $88 is pretty value-for-money as well!

3. J7Image Hair Salon Organic Peeling Scalp Treatment ($117)

J7Image Hair Salon’s scalp treatment is very similar to that of 99 Percent Hair Studio as both uses the O'Right Scalp Peeling Gel. Although more expensive ($117 for Organic Scrub + Ampoule) than 99 Percent Hair Studi0, the price can sometimes be quite attractive during promotions!

4. AVEDA Scalp Detox Treatment at Gene by Ginrich ($150 for hair and scalp)

AVEDA Scalp and Hair Treatment

For $150, you can enjoy both the AVEDA Scalp Detox Treatment and AVEDA Hair Treatment here, making this one of the more cost-effective combinations we’ve seen. Agent G loved the scalp massage here at Gene by Ginrich and would recommend the scalp detox treatment for both men and ladies hoping to cleanse and energise their scalp.

Sensitive Scalp: Soothing Scalp Treatments

If you find your scalp itching uncontrollably and that there are areas of redness in your scalp, you are very likely suffering from sensitive scalp. Sensitive scalp reacts very easily to harsh shampoos and ammonia based hair chemicals e.g. hair colours, perm and rebonding lotions - any chemical that may touch the scalp.

The reason why your scalp is sensitive is possibly because the harsh products you’ve subjected your scalp to previously have caused your natural protective lipid layer on your scalp to be stripped off. The priority is therefore to rebuild this protective lipid layer AND relook your haircare / scalp care products (make sure that your newly rebuild protective layer is not stripped off again by harsh shampoos).

Although there are a few treatments out there that deal with sensitive scalp, these two stood out for us:

1. Revivre Scalp Treatment at 99 Percent Hair Studio @ Katong ($169)

Revivre Scalp Treatment at 99 Percent Hair Studio @ Katong

The scalp treatment at 99 Percent Hair Studio @ Katong uses Revivre, an excellent range of products dealing with sensitive scalp. A few of their best products contain exclusive ingredients like climbaplus, which cleanses even as it calms down the scalp. Actual customers who have tried Revivre Scalp Treatment say that it’s very effective in helping to control scalp redness. Agent SJ is one such customer who loves the scalp treatment here so much that she comes back every month!

Read about her scalp journey with 99 Percent Hair Studio here!

2. O'Way Soothing Scalp Treatment at Focus Hairdressing ($90)

O'Way scalp treatment at Focus Hairdressing basically consists of pure biodynamic helichrysum, zanthoxylum soothing gel, soothing hair bath and the soothing remedy. All the above contain the following active ingredients: chamomile, aloe vera, zanthoxylum, helichrysum, fennel and mmaranth. These ingredients work together to reduce inflammations, relieve irritation and counter delipidisation so that the protective layer can be rebuild.

As the treatment’s focus is on soothing the scalp (rather than exfoliation), it’s suitable to be applied after a hair colour or other chemical services that may irritate the scalp. This means that your scalp won’t itch that much after the hair service!

Focus Hairdressing is currently having a promotion with O'Way Soothing Scalp Treatment. If you are doing the ammonia-free hair colour at Focus Hairdressing ($90 -$110), you can add on the O'Way Soothing Treatment for $60 (UP: $90), which is a pretty good deal! It lasts only till end of October 2016 though.

Dandruff & Oily Scalp: Gentle Exfoliation and Oil Control Scalp Treatments

Check the scalp of 10 random people along Orchard Rd and you’ll probably find 9 out of 10 of them having oily scalp issues to varying degrees. This is not surprising given Singapore’s hot and humid temperature!

However, some people have oily scalp issues that are a lot more serious than others. It sounds really bad but you can literally see droplets of sebum when you check Agent G’s scalp. Agent S on the other hand, has serious dandruff and itching issues due to her oily scalp!

Although our first impulse is to exfoliate the skin to get rid of the dandruff and oil, that isn’t always the ideal solution. Similar to our face, harsh exfoliation can actually trigger the scalp to emit more oil, make it even more oily!

The ideal scalp treatment for this condition should therefore include some level of gentle exfoliation combined withmoisturization and oil control treatments. Exfoliation will help to remove any dandruff or dead skin that may be blocking the follicles. Moisturization is essential because sebum is usually secreted in response to an underlying dryness of the scalp (once again similar to your face). If your scalp is properly moisturized, oil secretion will naturally slow down. Finally, the treatment should also contain some elements of oil control to further reduce sebum production.

So far, a scalp treatment we’ve tried that fits the bill is the Salon Vim Renewal Light Therapy.

Salon Vim Renewal Light Therapy ($185)

This scalp treatment is very well-rounded and includes a variety of machines and scalp products to treat individual scalp condition. Agent G and Agent S, both of whom tried the treatment, liked the fact that the scalp exfoliation is rather gentle but effective as it uses both a high-quality scalp exfoliant from a well-known brand as well as sonic cleansing machine to further exfoliate the scalp gently. In particular, Agent S’s dandruff were removed very thoroughly without irritating her scalp. On top of exfoliation, it also includes an ampoule and a laserlight treatment after the exfoliation to make sure that the scalp is adequately moisturized and nourished to protect against oily scalp.

Read more about our experience at Salon Vim here.

Dry Scalp and Dry Flakes: Moisturizing Scalp Treatments

Itching and dry flakes are common symptoms for those with dry scalp. Hair that grows from a dry scalp also tend to be more lifeless, frizzy, dull and brittle, eventually leading to hair loss if left untreated!

Although not as common in Singapore, there are quite a few of us experiencing dry scalp due to 1) harsh haircare products 2) stress 3) lack of sleep. In fact, you may find yourself having oily scalp in some areas and dry scalp in others if you have “combination scalp”.

Moisturization is the key to resolving dry scalp in the long term. Other than including regular moisturization in your scalp care routine, you can consider going for a moisturization scalp treatment like the one below:

Salon Vim Texture Balancing Collagen Treatment ($125)

Texture Balancing Collagen Scalp Treatment ($125)

The Texture Balancing Collagen Scalp Treatment includes a special clarifying treatment gel that exfoliates the scalp gently with collagen and other ingredients that adds hydration and moisture, as well as replenishes the scalp with a protective layer. This basic hydration scalp treatment is best for customers with relatively minor dry scalp issues. For more serious dry scalp issues however, we still recommend Salon Vim Renewal Light Therapy for its more holistic approach.

Hair Loss: Proper Diagnosis and Scalp Revitalizing Treatments

Of all the scalp issues out there, hair loss is possibly the most complicated to treat. This is because hair loss can result from a variety and combination of causes, which include excessively oily scalp or dry scalp that weakens follicle growth and results in hair loss. Thus, it’s important to have a knowledgeable and experienced scalp therapist to go through the journey with you to combat the scalp issues one by one and then work on hair loss problems.

No matter who you choose to help you, remember that regaining your hair is a journey that requires much work and involvement on your end to use the right scalp products diligently. There is NO shortcut to solving hair loss and anyone who suggests otherwise should be further questioned!

You have our word that the following two salons will be honest with you throughout the process and are sufficiently knowledgeable to plan a treatment catered to your scalp needs.

1. Picasso Hair Studio Kerastase Double Scalp Treatment ($199)

Kerastase Double Scalp Treatment at Picasso Hair Studio

With an ex-Kerastase manager from L'Oreal and ex-haircare specialist on hand, Picasso Hair Studio stands out for their systematic way of approaching hair loss issue starting with a comprehensive consultation and detailed explanation along the way. They also bring in the full range of Kerastase products so that they can use what’s best for each customer.

Expertise aside, we love that the scalp therapist here is extremely honest with the customers and prefers to work around the customers’ own products rather than hardselling customers on new ones. If you’re facing hair loss issues, we would suggest the double scalp treatment, which as its name suggests includes two scalp treatments in one session for faster resolution of your scalp conditions!

2. Salon Vim Double Scalp Atelier ($250) or Salon Vim Scalp Revival Spa ($350)

Cold Laser Scalp Treatment at Salon Vim

Among the many hair salons we’ve been to, Salon Vim ranks as one of the best equipped and most knowledgeable for scalp treatments. With Cold Laser, Laserlight, Microcurrent, Sonic Cleansing and other machines available at the outlet, the experienced therapists (most of whom come from specialised scalp care centres) are able to use the latest technology and top-quality treatment products to help customers deal with numerous scalp problems and promote hair growth. There’s also no pressure-selling here, so each session here is enjoyable!

For more serious hair loss issues, we would recommend the Double Scalp Atelier or the Scalp Revival Spa which consists of double scalp treatments and uses the more sophisticated equipment to promote hair growth!

If you are keen to improve your scalp condition, consider asking some of the local hair salons if they offer complimentary hair diagnosis! (We hear that Salon Vim offers that but the rest probably do too!)

You don’t have to go for an actual scalp treatment with them if you are not comfortable! Just go for the diagnosis so you know which treatment you should go for later! (That’s cheapo Agent G talking!) :P

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