I am George Vallossian, and here is my answer to a simple question: what does a steam treatment do for your hair?
First, a small distinction. Steam is water heated until it becomes vapour; a mist is tiny liquid droplets of water rather than vapour. Salon mist devices such as Takara Belmont’s ultrasonic machines work at a lower temperature than steam. In the salon, either one is used to keep your hair damp while a treatment cream or mask sits on it.
The part that is well supported is the conditioning. Research written for dermatologists shows that conditioning products make hair smoother, more manageable and easier to detangle, and hair naturally absorbs water while it is damp. A steam or mist treatment is a comfortable way to keep a good conditioning product on your hair while it does its work - that is where the soft feel comes from.
It is also worth saying what steam is not. It is a conditioning step, not a cure. There is no good evidence that it repairs damaged hair or makes hair grow, and the effect of any conditioning treatment is temporary. If your hair is badly damaged, steam alone will not fix it.
At the salon, we offer steam and mist treatments - done properly they are warm and comfortable, never hot. Any product used with them should be used according to its own directions and the guidance for the device, because not every cream or oil is meant to be heated. In the salon we work with professional products including my own George Vallossian range and Keune oils and masks.
At home, you do not need a machine. The mask I recommend between visits is my own George Vallossian Repair Hair Mask, a leave-in mask. The directions are simple: wash your hair, skip the conditioner, towel dry, apply one or two pumps depending on your hair length, and leave it in - you can let your hair dry naturally.
If you are not sure whether a steam treatment would help your hair, come in, have a coffee, and we will look at it together - sometimes steam is right, sometimes a different treatment is better. We are at 16 Beauchamp Place and Jumeirah Hotel, or WhatsApp us any time - we answer 24/7.
