For the best part of 15 years, I've been worried about hair loss. It started with a few extra strands coming off in my hairbrush, and before I knew it, I was washing my hair daily in a bid to make it look thicker and spiralling about the clumps coming out in the shower.
Female pattern hair loss affects around eight million of us in the UK, and yet it remains a strangely taboo subject. While I am lucky to have regrown a lot of the damage (made worse by years of night shifts, stress and poor diet), I've lost half the volume of my original locks, and it's something I'm self-conscious about to this day. Enter Keravive's groundbreaking Hydrafacial treatment, which word on the street says is the ultimate non-surgical hair loss treatment.
After booking into the Natali Kelly Clinic in Chelsea, I was excited to put the treatment to the test. While I'm a big fan of the OG Hydrafacial, which uses innovative suction technology to remove impurities from your skin, I had never heard of a scalp facial before – but interest is definitely on the rise.
Clinic owner and aesthetics guru Natali tells me: "We've noticed a growing interest in scalp treatments, with Keravive by Hydrafacial being a popular choice. Many of our clients choose Keravive as part of a wider treatment programme, particularly with PRP (platelet-rich plasma injections on the scalp) to help maximise its effectiveness."
What is the Keravive Hydrofacial scalp facial?
The three-step process' core goals are to purify, nourish and boost natural hair growth. "Designed to go deeper than a hair wash," the 30-minute session essentially deep cleans your scalp.
If you picture a facial sucking out pesky blackheads and hydrating your face, the same applies to your scalp. The Hydrafacial tool removes any dry skin and pesky product build-up, leaving your hair follicles nourished and primed for growth.
Natali explains: "It removes product build-up and clears clogged pores, whilst purifying, nourishing, and boosting scalp circulation, through Hydrafacial’s iconic cleanse, extract, and hydrate protocol.
"The treatment also delivers growth factors and proteins to support the scalp’s natural keratin production, stimulate blood flow, and improve microcirculation."
What benefits does the treatment have?
It's a one-stop shop for a healthier scalp and, in turn, fuller-looking hair. "Excessive heat, over-washing and styling products can contribute to poor scalp health, leading to dryness, flakiness, and hair damage," Natali says. "Keravive helps reset scalp health, resulting in a well-nourished scalp, improved hair fullness, and healthier hair growth."
While results won't happen overnight, Keravive found that 75 per cent of patients saw improvements in hair fullness, with 82 per cent seeing healthier, shinier hair overall.
You'll also receive a special hair growth-boosting spray to take home containing all the much-lauded skincare heroes: niacinamide, a peptide complex, vitamin B5 and arginine.
To see the best results, however, you should book in for a minimum of three treatments spaced a month apart, which naturally costs a pretty penny.
This all seemed too good to be true and I was a little sceptical before embarking on my first treatment.
My review of the Keravive Hydrafacial
Nestled in the heart of Chelsea, the Natali Kelly clinic is an oasis of calm. I was immediately put at ease upon arrival (any cosmetic treatment, no matter how non-invasive, gives me anxiety about potential side effects) and guided through the process.
After taking some 'before' photos of my scalp and being shown the – rather futuristic-looking – Hydrafacial device, I braced myself for the treatment to begin.
My initial reaction was shock at how cold it felt. The first purifying stage saw the device applied all over my scalp, stimulating and opening hair follicles using light suction and exfoliation. While this wasn't unpleasant, it wasn't quite as relaxing as I was anticipating.
After two rounds all over my scalp, it was time for the nourishing phase: infusing cleansed follicles with peptides and hydration. This felt more relaxing as I eased into things and I was even treated to a mini scalp massage.
I was then handed my peptide spray to take home with me and shown the results of the treatment – a rather scary-looking jar of dull yellow liquid with skin flakes floating in it (yes, this was as gross as it sounds) – to see how well it had worked.
A word of warning; I hadn't realised I would need to leave the products to sit on my scalp for at least 24 hours, and was forced to rock the world's greasiest bun to work the next day.
My concerns were twofold – as well as general hair loss, I also suffer from psoriasis that flares up during winter and summer. I initially saw a reduction in my symptoms since my treatment, and the pesky build-up I had on the crown of my head seems to be less prominent. However, with the change of the season, the skin around my hairline has quickly returned to being sore and red.
"For those with psoriasis, Keravive can enhance scalp health by removing dead skin cells and build-up, easing symptoms associated with scalp disorders," Natali says, adding that it's advisable to discuss it with your doctor first.
I've also been using the lightweight peptide spray every morning for the past month before styling my hair. While I haven't seen a change in hair fall, I've noticed that my locks feel smoother and have a little more body.
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In my mind, the Hydrafacial session was just as beneficial as a facial. In the same way that you'd fork out for the privilege of emerging fresh-faced and glowy from a beauty treatment, why shouldn't you put the same care and attention into your scalp? I'll certainly be booking back in for a treatment.