As someone who spends more time than I’d like to admit in front of a screen, I hold a lot of tension in my upper body. I can feel it when I turn my head or when a headache creeps up after I’ve spent too many hours hunched over my keyboard. I always found the best relief from massages, though I would ask the same thing every time: “Can you focus on the shoulders up?”
Then I discovered head spas, where you can get a spa treatment just for your head and neck. The session combines elements of a massage and facial with the heavenly hairplay you get at a high-end salon. I gave it a try, and after the first wash, I almost fell asleep right there on the bed.
A modern trend with traditional influence
Modern head spas evolved from Japanese practices that date back centuries, where massage and herbal tinctures were combined for therapeutic purposes, according to an article from the Associated Press. In recent years, viral social media clips of people wearing eye masks as a halo of warm water moves over their scalp have created more demand for local spas, like RoyCé Spa in Fort Collins, to invest in the equipment and technique.
“People come in all the time wanting to know what this is,” says Amanda Sandoval, head spa manager at RoyCé Spa. “They will drive far. We get a lot of clients from Wyoming, and some from Nebraska.”
A typical head spa experience starts with an eye mask or hot towel over the face as the client enjoys a dry scalp massage with a special hair oil—often rosemary, which stimulates hair growth and reduces inflammation, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Then comes the infamous water ring, which gently wets the hair and rinses it between shampooing and conditioning.
Scalp exfoliation, neck massage and a mini facial are often included, along with a facial steam to induce a deep sense of relaxation. Depending on the spa, clients can add in-depth facial treatments, more extensive massage or a blowout once the service is complete.
RoyCé Spa in Fort Collins.
Hair growth and other benefits
Sandoval was a hairstylist before managing RoyCé’s head spa, so she understands the appeal of hairplay. The scalp holds a lot of tension, she says, which is why it feels so good to have someone wash and brush your hair. Not only does this relieve tightness and help stave off headaches, but it also improves circulation and promotes hair growth.
“A lot of girls say, ‘My favorite part of getting my hair done is the scalp massage,’” Sandoval says. “Everybody loves their hair played with.”
Showering with hard water can create a buildup of stiff, dry gunk on the scalp and hair, which isn’t uncommon in Colorado. That buildup sometimes turns blonde hair yellow, Sandoval says, and when it is removed with a clarifying shampoo, the hair feels much softer and healthier.
“Sometimes we can squeeze the color right out of it,” she says.
Oftentimes our dry climate causes dead skin to block the hair follicles, making it harder for hair to grow, says Erin Mann, an esthetician and owner of Dragon Head Spa & Skin Rituals in Fort Collins. A deep cleanse and scalp exfoliation can help clear that up, especially for people with dandruff, dry scalp or psoriasis, she says.
Anyone going through hormonal changes affecting their hair can also benefit from a scalp reset, Mann says. That includes teenagers with dandruff or an overproduction of oil as well as people facing hair loss as they age.
“Sometimes it’s genetics [causing hair loss], but there are a lot of things you can do for circulation and stimulation to help,” Mann says. “I like to think of head spas as a facial for the scalp.”
Since so many people enjoy the experience, both RoyCé and Dragon Head Spa started offering treatments for couples, friends or moms and daughters. Mann does them with her husband, Ryan, who is a cosmetologist of 10 years and has the locks and facial hair to show for it. He also has his own line of beard products and is working on incorporating a beard facial within the head spa.
“Men love this service when they get it,” Ryan says. “When it comes to men’s grooming, there are barbershops, but there aren’t a lot of places that offer an experience for men to relax as well.”
Relaxation is most clients’ goal when they go to a head spa, Mann and Sandoval say. There’s usually a point during the treatment when they can feel a client’s tension disappear.
“We’re always on the go, and our nervous systems are so high strung,” Mann says. “If I can do anything to help take that away for an hour or two, I’m happy to do it.”
