“You can’t just bleach your hair because you’re bored, Vivian.” A notification popped up as I continued browsing for hair inspiration pictures on Instagram. That would eventually prove to be the most logical advice my friend has ever given me throughout our 7 years of friendship.
Being an adult has given me the autonomy to do many things — such as impulsively changing my hair colour as and when I wish. I’ve tried plenty of non-bleach colour variations, but have never gone bold enough to bleach my entire scalp blonde. While it looked really cute for the ‘gram, the aftermath of the “Instagrammable” look is a disaster.
Noticeable issues after bleaching my hair
Firstly, I struggled with immense hair loss. I would wake up to strands of hair on my pillow, and since my blond hair contrasts significantly against my black-haired family members, I can no longer lie to myself and pretend that it’s someone else’s hair.
Secondly, my hair is no longer as bouncy and vibrant as before. I’d have to blow dry my hair to maintain its volume, or it’ll stay flat and lifeless for the rest of the day. Besides that, my scalp has also become oilier and itchier. This is sometimes accompanied by white flakes on my hair and piercing screams from me in the bathroom as a side effect. “I paid money to look cute!” I lamented.
After multiple nights of self-contemplation and nightmare stories by hair care experts on premature balding, I was convinced that I had to make a trip down to a hair and scalp care centre, TK TrichoKare, for some TLC (tender loving care) immediately.
A much-needed trip to TK TrichoKare
“Nice music,” I thought to myself as I patiently waited in the private consultation room. Soothing zen music washed over me as I filled up a short questionnaire that was given to me. Unlike my initial expectations, I was surprised that they considered my lifestyle habits, and did not jump right into the diagnosis of my frizzy, blonde hair.
I bit my lip several times after realising the bad habits I’ve accumulated throughout my adulthood. It became apparent that hair bleaching was not the only problem for me. Other questions also prompted answers regarding current medication or allergies, to ensure customers’ health and safety.
Shortly, the hair and scalp specialist walked in. She greeted me brightly with a chirpy voice and briefed me through the process. Being a complete newbie in a setting like this, I appreciated her patience and thorough explanation through every step. It made me feel welcomed and assured that I was in the good hands of these Trichology experts.
Hair and scalp analysis with professional breakdowns
“We’re going to take a closer look at your hair follicles right now, okay?” My hair and scalp specialist replied before rolling a device (aka lens that magnifies up to 200 times) over parts of my scalp. With a confident smile, she then told me that my scalp was very dry.
“Dry? I thought my hair was oily!” I asked in confusion. My specialist must have done this plenty of times, but she still patiently explained how a dry scalp would secrete oil to replenish the lack of hydration, resulting in oily hair. This was why my hair was always slumping in grease. The impurities build-up also resulted in a flaky scalp, which explained my nasty dandruff situation now and then.
Most people, including me, live unaware that they have a dry scalp because of how oily their hair appears to be. Therefore, it becomes a toxic cycle, where the prolonged usage of the wrong hair care products worsens the scalp condition. Rather than self-diagnosing, this is why professional hair analysis is so essential.
With all these conditions, it resulted in a sad and malnutrition scalp which induced my constant hair fall. Each healthy, open-pore is supposed to grow about 2 to 3 strands of hair, but many of my pores were already empty or holding just a single strand. Some better performing pores are growing shorter and thinner strands.
I learned that my scalp simply could not hold or produce hair like it used to. The longer I take to rectify these problems, the worse it’ll become. While picking up a few strands of hair on the floor may seem minuscule, my specialist reminded me that it only takes 5 more strands to fall off on the side to give me a bald patch. Yikes.
European herbal remedies and technology
After the analysis, I was kindly ushered into the treatment room. This was where I would be pampered for the next 1.5 hours.
The hair and scalp specialist started by applying a customised European herbal hair masque on my scalp. This masque helps to clean out impurities, detox my scalp and remove excess sebum. As I was new to the ordeal, she patiently walked me through the steps and reasons why I was given this customised hair masque.
Since all masques are personalised with all-natural ingredients, there was no worry of incompatibility or having adverse chemicals eating into your scalp. In fact, the masque was so cooling and comfortable that I almost drifted off to sleep with the ambient music playing in the back.
TrichoKare also produces customised hair masques based on an individual’s hair problems to ensure the effectiveness of targeted treatment. Knowing this made me feel really special as a customer.
Premium care and revitalising hair bath
We let the masque sit for approximately 20 minutes before I was led to rinse it out. The hair and scalp specialist was considerate and asked me multiple times if the water temperature was okay. Like many who are sensitive to temperature and don’t shower with cold water, I truly appreciated the gesture.
The minty, herbal shampoo which she used was the holy grail to calm my overactive scalp and restore the sebum balance. She even gave me a relaxing scalp and pressure point massage when we were done.
Customised treatment for my hair and scalp
After blow-drying my hair, the hair and scalp specialist started applying the customised ampoule (peptides) on my scalp. She was careful to go through row by row of hair to make sure she does not miss out on any hair follicle. This customised ampoule helps stimulate the scalp and increases hair growth and thickness, a much-needed aid for my hair woes.
The customised ampoule also helps to reduce inflammation and damage, as well as delay scalp ageing. Since my hair and scalp have been damaged post bleaching, this step was highly essential for new hair strands to grow healthily.
After applying the ampoule to my scalp, the specialist goes over every spot covered with the OxyJet. This process helps to accelerate the scalp’s cell metabolism and improve blood circulation. It also helps in replenishing the lack of hydration on my scalp, which was a much-needed aftercare treatment. While my sebum levels have been restored by the masque and hair bath, it’s essential to maintain the moisture level.
As my hair and scalp require a lot of tender care, the specialist also included a high-technological Photodynamic Therapy for my condition. This is by far the coolest part of my hair treatment. It involves a helmet looking device with red laser bulbs in it. The laser light supports hair regeneration and targets areas of the scalp which effectively accelerates healing. While having laser light on your head may sound intimidating, you can rest assured that there is no pain or discomfort at all.
By the end of the procedure, my scalp felt clean and rejuvenated. I was experiencing soul-level contentment.
Immediate follow-up consultation
I met up with my hair and scalp specialist again for a follow-up review right after the treatment. Many would be skeptical of one-time sessions because they don’t do much for long term damage. However, through the macro lens, I noticed that my clogged pores were all freed up.
I could also see my scalp a lot better, including the cluster of blood vessels peeking underneath. These were not good indications as my nocturnal habits were stressing my scalp out. “Do you always sleep in late? I can tell from these blood vessels!” She teased me as I gave out a nervous chuckle. It seems like my checklist of bad habits keeps getting longer.
It was an amazing experience, and as much as I wished a one-time session would cure my issues, I know that regular visits had to be done to achieve a normal, healthy scalp. However, I look forward to my next visit with TrichoKare — I was treated like a princess anyway.
Limited time promotion
TrichoKare is now offering their Award-Winning Scalp Cleansing Treatment with Free $10 KOI card + Hair Care Kit + Hair Ampoule at only $45 nett (U.P. $755). This promotion only stands for a limited time. While I found this experience extremely therapeutic, don’t just take my word for it — go give it a try yourself!
Valid for new customers only. Strictly by appointment booking on a first-come-first-serve basis. Parental companion is required for those aged 20 years and below.
TK TrichoKare
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???? Clementi Mall #05-11, NEX #02-24, Ngee Ann City #05-22A, Velocity@Novena Square #03-19
