I went to a Japanese Head Spa - to see if the trending 'facial for your scalp' treatment is worth it
Over the past year there’s been a surge in people searching for lesser known spa treatments such as ‘Japanese head spas,’ non-invasive surgical treatments at ‘medi-spas’ and cryotherapy.
Our reporter Sophie Mei Lan Malin has tried some of the most popular treatments. On her latest expedition, she tries a Japanese Head Spa in Yorkshire.
I love to try a range of wellness experiences to see what works for me.
In recent times, I’ve been frozen in a standing cryotherapy chamber, I’ve been submersed into salty water during a floatation tank session and I’ve tried lying on the floor of a woods in Ilkley as part of a forest bathing meditation.
When I noticed people raving about Japanese Head Spas online, I knew I had to try it out.
Zizou Sanctuary in Wakefield, West Yorkshire has transformed from a hair salon into a spa focusing on Japanese scalp treatments with hair cuts as an optional extra.
Zizou is in the heart of Wakefield city centre, upstairs in an office block on the Bull Ring. I stepped inside this discreet spa, Zizou, which is decorated in turquoise and gold.
Its owner and therapist Luiza Dimitriu who welcomed me said that she’s always been more of a “hair doctor,” than “hairdresser.”
She told me: “When I trained to do Japanese head spa and I realised how beneficial it is for your hair, scalp and skin, I just had to share it with my clients.”
Luiza then poured me a fresh pot of herbal tea. I supped on my wellness brew while I filled out consultation forms. Luiza’s warmth immediately put me at ease although the prospect of the scalp scan she had mentioned, sounded worrying.
We headed inside to the treatment room where Luiza allayed any fears I had.
I sat in a barber shop style chair while she used an imaging scanner to look at my scalp and hair follicles in order to identify any issues.
The scan almost reminded me of an ultrasound scan they use on your stomach but this one was filming my scalp. From this Luiza could see I had a healthy scalp but had previously lost hair in the past due to illness.
As instructed, I then lay down on a massage bed with a sink lit with a blue light under my head.
Luiza exfoliated my scalp before giving me a scalp massage with aromatherapy oils. She then ceremoniously rinsed my hair for long periods with warm running water. It was all the best parts of going to the hairdresser.
The steam helps cleanse your scalp along with the light therapy.
Luiza then finished with some sound therapy.
I struggled to stay awake during the 45 minute treatment.
A Japanese head spa is a multi-sensory experience that is relaxing on every level. It’s several spa therapies all-in-one. You get light therapy, sound therapy, massage therapy and a scalp facial.
Before leaving Luiza gave me a blow dry as the end part of the treatment she offers.
Not only did I leave feeling relaxed but also refreshed and glamorous with my hair done.