SCALPED!

SCALPED!

Corporate Bohemian Kage Gozun gets to the root of her dry scalp woes for Metro Magazine's March 2007 issue.

I am perpetually under the sun. Even before the weekend approaches, I am already plotting my next out-of-town beach trip. Snorkeling one weekend, surfing on another, it doesn’t matter to me so long as I am near salt water.

As with most of my friends, I have learned the adage “rays today, rasin tomorrow” and have long ago shunned suntan oils in favor of high-spf sun block lotions and zinc creams to protect my precious skin from UV rays. This comes complete with an after-sun regimen that includes moisturizers and regular bouts of exfoliation.

The one thing I seem to have neglected is my head. Sure, my hair has lovely natural highlights and is free of split end. Each strand is conditioned on a regular basis and does not resemble a witch’s broom.

But my scalp? It recently came to my attention that it is dry. Starting to flake kind of dry. The type of dry that could no longer be ignored. Little did I know that a healthy head of hair is reliant on a healthy scalp. Under our scalps exist a network of muscles and that bring blood, nutrients and oxygen to the hair root. And a collaboration of sun exposure, salt water and product residue had conspired to block these pores, giving me (literally) head full of woe. Left untreated, my precious hair was bound to suffer too!

Thankfully, Hairworks Salon has a range of treatments that target specific types of scalp trouble. Three L’Oreal products are the main features in this product line-up. A variety of scalp troubles is treated by mixing and matching these three. Everything from a flaking to itching to general dryness can be addressed.

Usually, only two of the three remedies are used on clients. For the purposes of my visit, we decided to use all three to see what magic they could work on my beleaguered scalp. First up was L’Oreal Soft Peel, applied between rows of my hair directly to my scalp. Tiny beads and massaging hands gently exfoliated the dry skin, leaving my scalp with a fresh, “breathing” layer of skin. A quick rinse and L’Oreal Sensi Post was up next. It was explained to me that even scalps need moisturizing and this nifty little tube was going to do the trick. I felt a soft tingling sensation. Although I am not sure if this was due to the treatment or blood rushing through my head and the moisturizer was massaged into my skin.

As a last step, my hair (and my body along with it) was transported back to the sink for another quick rinse. The final step of the procedure involved L’Oreal Power Clear, a leave on that was supposed to banish any dandruff I’d caused from my years of scalp mistreatment.

An hour later and I was left with a scalp that felt softer and refreshed. It is suggested that clients come in one more time after the initial visit for a follow-up check and another dose of the scalp care regimen. It takes more than one round to truly banish the baddies of itching, dryness and dandruff, especially if you’ve been disregarding scalp care in your day to day routine.

At home products such as L’Oreal Sensi Balance shampoo help maintain the scalp’s moisture while Sensi Balance leave on gives you protection all day.

Hairworks Spa is located on the ground floor of BSA Tower along Legaspi Street, Legaspi Village, Makati.