New York City salon offers decades-old treatment for scalp health

UPPER EAST SIDE, MANHATTAN (PIX11) — The “Head Spa” treatment originated in Japan decades ago and has grown in popularity in New York City salons.

The focus is not just on your hair, but on the health and well-being of your scalp.

At Tomiko Shima Salon on the Upper East Side, Head Spa is one of the most popular items on their list of treatments. The salon’s owner and lead stylist, Tomiko Shima, learned the trade and was trained at a salon in Japan. “Head spa is a massage but more important, it’s a detox because many people have some buildup of excess oil in the scalp,” said Shima.

The use, or overuse of hair dryers, hot irons, styling products, and even the environment will affect the health of your hair and scalp.

“The scalp is everything, it’s all the trigger points,” Shima tells me.

I was told to not shampoo my hair for several days before coming in for the treatment. It all begins with a special camera that takes a microscopic view of your scalp and what Shima showed me was difficult to look at!  The camera analyzed the condition of my scalp and picked up what the naked eye cannot see.

“You don’t see the roots of your follicle,” said Shima. “That means that’s build up if you don’t see the roots, the buildup covers your follicles.”

Through the camera, you can see the oil and gunk on my scalp. Shima says if your hair still feels greasy after a shower and regular shampoo, it’s because of the buildup from hair products, sweat, the pollution of living in a big city and even natural oils. The circles covering the roots are the layer clogging my pores. Think of the hair spa as a deep cleaning, or perhaps a facial for your scalp.

The next step is to rub in a soft peel deep cleanser. Then, the massage, which Shima tell me is a big part of the treatment, to help prevent hair loss, improve blood circulation and reduce tension and stress.

After a rinse to wash out the cleanser, the next step is a shampoo. In my case, it was a gentle cleanser, tailored to my dry skin. Then comes the hair mask to moisturize the scalp. The mask is left on for up to 10 minutes.

Following the mask comes the steam portion of the treatment, in order to open up the follicles. The final step, applying a serum to activate the follicles.

When I was done, Shima took another look at my scalp using the special camera. What a difference! The roots are now clear, the follicles look spry and stronger and there was no more cloudy coating on my scalp.

“When you see your scalp, it has already changed because the color looks clearer,” remarked Shima.

The Head Spa treatments vary depending on the length of time – anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes. The prices range from $55 to over $100.

With my day at the spa coming to an end, I’m feeling refreshed and ready to head back to the office.

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