Who says you can’t treat your hair care like your skin care routine? Taking care of your hair just like you would with your skin is one of the biggest new beauty trends, and it’s been dubbed the “skinification” of hair. Hair care products are even being formulated with extra nourishing ingredients usually seen in skin care products. When your scalp and hair are healthy, your hair looks and feels its best. Hair treatments are one of the best ways to maintain healthy hair, but how often should you be getting a hair treatment?
From repairing damage caused by bleaching to enhancing the shine and smoothness of colour-treated hair, salon hair treatments can transform and give new life to your hair. Here is everything you need to know about hair treatments, including the different kinds offered at the salon, as well as how frequently you should be getting them.
What is a hair treatment?
Hair treatments are a salon service that involves using professional-grade products to improve both the health and appearance of your hair. There are a variety of different types of hair treatments you can get at the salon, depending on your hair concerns. Most hair treatments specifically target the strands themselves, delivering moisture and nourishment deep into the hair shaft.
If you have damaged, dry, coloured, or bleached hair, salon treatments can be especially beneficial. Salon treatments target the root of the problem to actually improve your hair health. This results in shinier and healthier-looking hair, and it also helps boost healthy hair growth.
You can also do at-home treatments, though the results aren’t as powerful as salon treatments, and it’s much more difficult to repair severe damage. For anyone with very damaged or dry hair, it’s highly recommended to visit a salon for a professional treatment.
How often should someone get a hair treatment?
Realistically, how often should someone be getting a hair treatment at the salon? Well, it ultimately depends on your hair’s condition, the type of treatment, and whether you’ve recently had a chemical service like colouring, bleaching, or a perm. For most people, a hair treatment is recommended every 3 to 4 weeks to maintain healthy, hydrated hair.
Haru, one of our stylists at PERFECT X HAIR, says: “If you have a perm or colour, we recommend doing a treatment every 2 weeks to help with recovery. For others with damaged hair, we recommend doing a hair treatment every 4 weeks.”
If your hair is healthy and hasn’t been chemically treated, you likely won’t need treatments as often. However, if you regularly colour, bleach, or perm your hair, more frequent treatments can help to replenish lost moisture, strengthen the hair, and prevent further damage.
The type of hair treatment also determines how frequently you should book appointments. Some hair treatments are designed to maintain your hair’s moisture and can be done more regularly, while more intensive treatments focus on repairing significant damage and provide longer-lasting results. Your stylist can recommend the best treatment for you based on your hair type, condition, and goals.
What are signs someone’s hair actually needs a treatment?
If you’re thinking about getting a hair treatment, you may have noticed signs that your hair isn’t looking or feeling one hundred percent. If you notice your hair has any of these issues, it may be a sign that you should book a hair treatment:
- Dry or dull
- Tangled or difficult to manage
- Frizzy
- Prone to breakage
- Split ends
Hair treatments can help to nourish and hydrate your strands to keep your hair smooth, healthy, and tangle-free. If you normally get perm or colour services done, it may be recommended to schedule regular hair treatments to rejuvenate and maintain your hair’s health.
Which hair treatment should I choose?
There are a variety of hair treatments available at salons, all designed to target specific hair concerns. Here is a quick summary of each of the treatments we offer at PERFECT X HAIR:
- Milbon Smoothing Treatment: For rough, tangled, or frizzy hair
- Milbon Extreme Moisture Treatment: For dull, dry, or dehydrated hair
- Milbon Damage Repair Treatment: For severely damaged or over-processed hair
- Olaplex Treatment: For repairing damage caused by bleach, colour, perms, or heat styling
- Keratin Treatment: For reducing frizz and creating smoother, straighter hair
- Scalp Treatment: For dry, itchy, oily, or flakey scalps
Types of hair treatments
Milbon Smoothing Treatment
The Milbon Smoothing Treatment is a Japanese 3-step deep conditioning treatment that immediately improves your hair’s texture, leaving it beautifully silky-smooth and soft. It’s ideal for anyone with textural concerns and low to medium levels of damage. Our stylist, Haru says, “A Milbon Smoothing Treatment is suitable for any hair type, and it’s especially great for anyone who’s done a perm.”
The treatment begins with a primer, followed by different products that help to smooth and hydrate the hair and seal the treatment in. It targets lifted hair cuticles and evens them out, instantly detangling your hair and leaving it shiny and silky-smooth.
The appointment doesn’t take too long compared to other hair treatments, which is great if you’re looking for a quicker service. Keep in mind that the results won’t last as long as the more intensive hair treatments, so you may want to book more regular appointments.
Milbon Extreme Moisture Treatment
The Milbon Extreme Moisture Treatment is a 5-step deep conditioning treatment from Japan, made to revitalize dull, dry, or brittle hair. It repairs dehydrated hair and boosts your hair’s ability to retain moisture. Plus, it helps to reduce damage caused by repeated chemical and colour services and heat styling.
The stylist begins by priming your hair, then applies a Moisture Repair Foam and Moisture Repair Cream to deeply nourish and hydrate your hair from the inside out. From there, the stylist will apply a Moisture Sealer and Cuticle Coat to lock in moisture and seal in the treatment.
“This is the treatment for someone who wants to moisturize and smooth things out,” says Haru.
Milbon Damage Repair Treatment
The Milbon Damage Repair Treatment is a 4-step deep conditioning treatment from Japan designed to strengthen and rebuild severely damaged, over-processed hair. It involves more steps and products than the Milbon Extreme Moisture Treatment, so it does take longer, but the results also last much longer.
“For anyone concerned about damage from colour or perm services, or even heat styling tools, it’s best to do a Milbon Damage Repair Treatment,” says Haru. She also recommends it if it’s your first time getting a hair treatment, or if you don’t do them often.
The treatment normally takes around 45 minutes, during which your stylist will cleanse and prep your hair, apply the treatment products, and give you a fresh blowout. The treatment products specifically repair your hair strands from the inside out, and a 10-minute heated mist helps the ingredients to fully penetrate deep into the strands.
Olaplex Treatment
The Olaplex Treatment is a 3-step hair treatment that repairs and prevents damage, leaving your hair looking luxurious and revitalized. If you have existing damage from chemical services like bleach, colour, and perms, it’s an excellent choice. It’s suitable for all hair types and textures, and it’s a great option even if you don’t have a lot of damage.
The ingredients in the Olaplex Treatment products restore the broken bonds in hair caused by heat, chemical, and mechanical damage, repairing the hair strands at a molecular level. The first two steps can only be done in-salon, as the products need to be applied by trained professionals to deliver the best results. The third step can actually be done at home, using the same Olaplex products available at beauty and drug stores.
The Olaplex Treatment is a great add-on to your colour or bleach service to help prevent additional damage, and it doesn’t add much time to your appointment.
Keratin Treatment
The Keratin Treatment provides deep conditioning and frizz elimination for up to 4 months, and it’s especially helpful for anyone with frizzy or wavy hair.
The Keratin Treatment process does take some time, but the results last much longer than other hair treatments. According to Haru: “The Keratin Treatment can take around 2 to 3 hours, as we straighten the hair section by section. The process is very similar to a straightening perm, and it lasts a long time.”
“After the Keratin Treatment, we use a flat iron to straighten the hair. It won’t be the same results as a rebonding or straightening perm, but it leaves you with straight hair,” says Haru. If you want to keep your curly hair, we recommend doing the Milbon Smoothing Treatment instead.
Scalp Treatment
If scalp health is your main concern, then our Scalp Treatment is perfect for you. When your scalp is clogged or irritated, it affects how your hair grows out and how your hair looks in general, and can lead to inflammation, oily roots, and hair loss or thinning.
The Scalp Treatment is formulated to treat dry, itchy, oily, or flakey scalp. This 3-step treatment purifies and replenishes essential moisture to the scalp for healthier hair growth. Plus, you get to see your before and after results through a microscopic lens, so you see that it’s working in real-time.
The first step involves a deep cleansing, followed by exfoliating any buildup clogging the hair follicles, then finally hydrating and replenishing essential moisture to the scalp. The Scalp Treatment provides instant relief for anyone who suffers from scalp issues.
How do at-home treatments compare to salon treatments?
You can do at-home treatments using products from beauty or drug stores, though the results will not be as long-lasting and deeply-penetrating as salon treatments.
“At-home treatments usually only involve one product, while at the salon, we have many steps, with each one targeting a specific concern and involving different products,” says Haru, “When you use at-home treatments, you leave it in your hair for 10 or 20 minutes and wash it right off. The results don’t last as long, and you don’t get the full benefits. At the salon, we apply the products, then use a steamer for 10 to 15 minutes to help the products fully absorb into your hair. The ingredients in everyday products are made for convenience, while salon products are professional-grade and more effective for the hair.”
To maintain healthy hair at home, you will want to use at-home treatments in combination with salon treatments to help keep your hair nourished and moisturized.
Is it possible to do too many hair treatments?
We recommend doing hair treatments regularly, though we don’t recommend doing them too often. Hair treatments at the salon can help to restore and maintain healthy hair, but they typically use heavier products that can weigh your hair down.
“If you have fine hair, it’s better not to do treatments too often,” says our stylist, Haru, “Too many treatments may lead your hair to become greasy, because of the amount of moisture and oil in the products.”
If you’re not sure how often you should be getting hair treatments, consult with your stylist and they’ll let you know the best timeline based on your hair type and condition.
How much do hair treatments cost?
The cost of hair treatments depends on the type you get, as each one involves different products and processes. Here is a closer look at how much hair treatments at PERFECT X HAIR cost:
- Milbon Smoothing Treatment: $89
- Milbon Extreme Moisture Treatment: $89
- Milbon Damage Repair Treatment: $109
- Olaplex Treatment: Starts at $40
- Keratin Treatment: Starts at $250
- Scalp Treatment: $99
Book your hair treatment at PERFECT X HAIR
Whether you colour, bleach, perm, or heat style your hair regularly, your hair will naturally lose moisture and become more susceptible to damage over time. Regular hair treatments are one of the best ways to keep your hair healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.
If you’re not sure which hair treatment is right for your hair, book a consultation with one of our expert stylists at PERFECT X HAIR. We’ll assess your hair’s condition to create a personalized treatment plan to help you achieve your healthiest hair yet. With multiple locations across Toronto, we’re here to help you keep your hair looking and feeling its best.
