The Hot Benefits Of Scalp Steaming Treatments

The hair of your dreams starts with a healthy scalp. When speaking about the effects your scalp can have on your actual hair follicles, medical director and dermatologist Dr. Sanusi Umar tells Healthline, "Your scalp is like the soil of a farm. Poor soil will directly affect the well-being of the plants growing in it." More people than ever are taking into account their scalp health when trying to get their best hair ever. Scalp steaming is the newest hair care fad and, lucky for us, it doesn't require you to change your entire daily routine or buy 50 new products.

Scalp steaming can make a huge difference in the way your hair and scalp feel and look. Simply doing this once or twice a month can also make all the difference in the health of your hair. We have curated a guide to the scalp steaming treatment along with the greatest benefits it provides.

Scalp steaming (AKA hair steaming) is the process of applying steam to the head with "products and vibrations, or massaging, being applied to the scalp during the application and steaming processes" according to New York-based hairstylist Derrick Keith in an interview with InStyle. The process can be completed at the salon or at home. At a salon, stylists will often put you under a hooded steamer or use a tabletop steamer. "My favorite is a hooded steamer because it encapsulates the whole head. The table-top steamer is more concentrated and blows the steam out, which is helpful for detangling hair," stylist Tish Clark told PureWow. 

The process is easy to complete at home as well. After you apply a treatment, you place your hair in a shower cap and wrap a hot wet towel around the head to create steam. You can also warm a deep conditioning cap in the microwave before placing it on your head. Though the least effective method, the most common way to do at-home scalp steams is simply standing in an extremely hot shower with no fan on. This will create a humid and steamy environment, but it will not be confined to your head to make as much of a difference as the other methods.

You have heard about steaming treatments to help unclog pores on your face, but did you know steaming also helps unclog pores on your scalp? Clogged pores or follicles on the scalp are more common than many people think, as they are caused by excess oil, dirt, dead skin cells, and not fully washing out your hair products. Hair follicles on the scalp being clogged may cause stunted hair growth and more dirty hair in general.

When your hair follicles clog, hair products cannot be completely absorbed into them, therefore preventing them from working. Ensure that your hair has room to grow and that your product has a better ability to work by regularly performing a scalp steaming treatment. Performing the treatment before washing your hair with a scalp-cleansing shampoo will leave you with open pores ready to be cleaned out, getting rid of clogged pores now and preventing them in the future.

Hair oils and moisturizers seep into the hair better with the use of steam. If you have dry hair, the extra moisture that these products provide is essential and can work even better when combined with the use of a scalp steaming treatment. Many times if you ask for a professional hair treatment at a salon, they will apply a deep conditioner to your wet hair, then sit you under the dryer, creating a humid environment that surrounds your head. These moisturizing products function best when warm, as the warmth sends the product deeper into the hair and follicles to repair damage and dryness.

If you get your scalp steaming treatment at a salon, they will apply these products during the steaming treatment. At home, apply your favorite hair oils and moisturizers before putting your hair in a shower cap and surrounding it with a hot towel.

The length of your hair and the rate it grows can be the direct result of less blood flow to the scalp. Heat increases blood flow when applied to any area of the body, even on the scalp. Improving blood flow to your scalp with a steam treatment directly increases the rate of speed at which your hair grows. According to Skinkraft, "Subcutaneous blood flow helps in the anagen phase of the hair, making them grow longer." Double this stimulation by also massaging your scalp as it steams. The health of your hair follicles may affect this.

Your hair follicles are the primary recipients of nourishment that causes the hair to grow. Luckily, the surge of blood flow to the scalp also improves the hair's ability to receive nutrients and oxygen. If you are using a product to add more nutrients to your hair, this will enable your follicles to better absorb those nutrients. Your hair will be longer and stronger in no time with a scalp steaming treatment.

Getting the perfect shine to your hair is easier when you regularly receive scalp steaming treatments. Toxins build up on our scalp and live deep down in our hair follicles, causing damage to the scalp. Every day, you are subjecting yourself to toxins and radicals in the air that attach themselves to your hair strands and follicles. Simply by going outside, you're exposing yourself to harmful sun rays and pollution. This will leave your hair dry, weak, and frizzy. While steaming is not the only thing you will need to do to remove these toxins from your hair and scalp, it can be a great addition to your monthly routine.

According to Healthline, antioxidants such as "vitamin E support the scalp and give your hair a strong base to grow." Combine your antioxidant-rich hair conditioner or mask with a steaming treatment to open your pores and give the antioxidants an extra boost when fighting the radicals attached to your hair follicles.

According to WebMD, "‌low porosity hair is human hair that doesn't readily absorb water and treatments." This is because the cuticle layer is dense and hard to open. Since low-porosity hair doesn't easily absorb treatments, it can make it a virtually impossible task to get the hair moisturized. Some people even struggle with washing their hair as even warm water is not hot enough to penetrate their hair. Since the products don't seep completely in, it can lead to product buildup on the scalp and strands. The overall result can be hair that looks greasy and heavy but is actually starving for moisture. 

The key to all low porosity hair issues could be steaming. It is hot enough to penetrate the cuticles and hair follicles without pouring boiling water onto your head. Steaming hair that has low porosity is a great and safe way to open up the cuticle and allow the product into the strands. Not to mention, the steam will help break up any current buildup and provide even more moisture.