Besides causing major itching and discomfort, dandruff also hits one’s self-esteem – hard. Few things are as devastating as being seen in public with an avalanche of scalp flakes scattered around your head and body. Dandruff treatments in Singapore are a dime a dozen, but we were in search of something which actually targets the problem at its source.
Our colleague, Rainier (30), has been plagued by dandruff since his teenage years. Having sunken a sizable portion of his savings into pricey dandruff treatment packages as well as anti-dandruff products to no avail, we brought him to PHS Hairscience to experience the new H2 ASRT – the elevated version of their Advance Scalp Repair Treatment, now enhanced with the antioxidant power of Molecular Hydrogen.
The treatment process starts with an in-depth consultation and scalp scan, where your assigned consultant gets to the nitty gritty of your scalp and dandruff woes.
You might think that this simply entails surface-level questions like, “How bad is your dandruff?” and “How long have you had dandruff?”, but the consultant delves deep into questions about your lifestyle and habits – and all this ties back to the root causes of your scalp problems.
Rainier was quizzed on things like his stress levels, sleep patterns and diet habits. Don’t be afraid to get personal with your consultant here, as honest revelations like frequent OT-ing and late nights, plus a diet high in sodium levels and low in vitamins and antioxidants, for example, would be able to give your consultant valuable insights to your scalp health.
Offering solutions and advice beyond the treatment session, the consultant also doles out nuggets of wisdom like how the 11PM-2AM window of sleep should not be missed – as that is the time where our body conducts heavy-duty cell repair. Skip that too often, and the pH levels of your scalp will be imbalanced, leading to nasty effects like dandruff and greasiness.
Besides gaining a deep understanding of your scalp condition from the inside-out, the scalp scan allows you to see the state of your scalp up-close. Dandruff sufferers are used to seeing pieces of their scalp coming undone, but seeing magnified visuals of your noggin is a whole other ball game.
From the scan, Rainier was able to see what the consultant had already predicted based on the questionnaire – that he had a highly sensitive scalp. This insight was crucial as it meant that, instead of aiming to banish his existing dandruff flakes and hope that they don’t return, the specialists at PHS Hairscience could tailor his treatment to combat scalp sensitivity specifically.
To kick-start the H2 Advance Scalp Repair Treatment, Rainier was treated to a scalp massage to get the blood flowing, followed by a relaxing double cleanse.
The first round uses a potent nutrition shampoo which strengthens and nourishes both the hair and scalp. This is followed by a shampoo specially chosen to suit each customer’s scalp woes, which in Rainier’s case, was a formula targeting his sensitive scalp.
A Hydro Cleanse water jet is then used to thoroughly clean out hair follicles and blast through any stubborn build-up. You might think that this would warrant some discomfort, but Rainier assures that it was nothing more than a slightly ticklish sensation.
After the hair and scalp is squeaky clean, the specialist makes use of the Aqua Peel Suction tool to clean out scalp pores. For those who have been to facial treatments where they run a vacuum suction tool along your face to draw out the sebum, this is the scalp version. This helps to extract impurities residing deep in the follicles, and reduces clogged pores.
Freeing the scalp of icky build-up creates a clean slate for the treatment application, and allows for better absorption. The specialist then applies a deeply nourishing scalp mask formulated with products that will target the customer’s specific diagnosis.
An infrared lamp will be beamed upon your head to help your scalp soak up the nourishing effects.
After the mask was absorbed, Rainier enjoyed another soothing hair wash before getting to experience the latest technology at PHS Hairscience: the Hydrogen Spray.
“Why hydrogen?”, you might ask. As the smallest molecule, hydrogen is able to repair cell damage that many antioxidants of a larger molecular size can’t access, neutralising harmful free radicals and preventing premature scalp ageing and dreaded greying hair.
Hydrogen also improves blood circulation to enhance the delivery of nutrients, boosts immunity, and improves natural cell protection. In the case of this treatment, a nozzle is used to deliver a highly concentrated blast of hydrogen directly to the scalp, penetrating deeply past the dermis and right into the hair follicles to stimulate cell purification.
Now that the hair follicles have been awakened and activated, an ampoule packed with hydrogen and a mix of other potent antioxidants, as well as botanical extracts is sprayed onto the scalp. Notice how a specialised nozzle is being used, as opposed to simply rubbing the potent ampoule onto the scalp, so that the delivery is more targeted and the product is able to penetrate more deeply.
Next up, a tool administering galvanic currents makes it round across the scalp. Little electric currents help to strengthen hair follicles so they remain healthy even after you leave the salon, and the zaps further trigger product penetration and absorption.
Don’t worry, this part is pain-free as well. In fact, the gentle massaging sensation was apparently so relaxing that Rainier nodded off for a short snooze.
Following the hydrogen-administering aspects of the treatment, the specialist will apply a serum, treat you to an acupressure scalp massage, blow-dry and style your hair for you, and have you on your way to check out the treatment results.
A before-and-after scan of Rainier’s scalp showed that one treatment session was enough to see a marked difference.
The redness, thinness and fragile nature of his sensitive scalp had greatly improved. The deep-cleansing of the scalp and hair follicles also paved the way for a clearer, healthier-looking scalp with way less flaking areas.
There are four PHS Hairscience hair service centres* in Singapore, and we visited the Wheelock Place outlet which boasted a bright, open space with floor-to-ceiling windows granting an unobstructed view of the Orchard area. Great for people-watching as you get your crowning glory well taken care of.
*Located at Wheelock, Ngee Ann City, Plaza Singapura and Bedok Mall.
There is also a counter at Takashimaya which sells products only.
For those who don’t mind topping up to experience more privacy and luxury, there’s also a VIP space where the entire treatment will be conducted in a cosy cubicle, away from everyone else.
There’s even a plush massage chair for you to sink into while watching Netflix – talk about feeling like a celeb!
After your treatment, you can also conveniently pick up some PHS Hairscience products expertly recommended by the specialists to cater to your needs.
A top tip that Rainier gleaned from his consultant was that a gentle cleansing shampoo would suit his sensitive scalp best. He also learnt that, despite the scalp dryness which leads to dandruff flakes, he should use moisturising products only on his hair and not his scalp, to prevent clogging his hair follicles and throwing off the pH levels.
Besides dandruff issues, the H2 Advance Scalp Repair Treatment is also available in variations which specifically combat other issues, namely dry scalp, sensitive scalp, oily scalp with acne, pH imbalance, and scalp ageing. If you’d like to swing by for a trial session, PHS Hairscience is offering a special rate of $48 (U.P. $297) for this treatment.
One session lasts for roughly 100 minutes, so you don’t have to dedicate too much of your day to pamper yourself and sort out persistent hair and scalp woes. Since the outlets are either within the town area or at the busy Bedok hub, you’ll be able to get some shopping and dining settled too, sporting your fresh and revitalised locks straight out of the salon chair.
This post was brought to you by PHS Hairscience.
Photography by Doreen Fan.
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