Hair Steamers

Introduction

Millions of women, and some men, go to hair treatment salons every day, all over the world. The need to recondition the hair using shampoos, oils, and moisturizers is ever-present. Over the years, the art and science of hair care and treatment has emerged as a significant component of the beauty industry. Professionals and artisans of all kinds are into the trade, ranging from hair-care product manufacturers, merchandisers, beauticians, stylists, medical consultants to investors. A casual visit to one of these salons will reveal an amazing array of hair treatment equipments, mostly electronic in nature. The one equipment that is likely to be found in every decent hair treatment facility is the hair steamer.

Hair Steamers: What Are They?

Hair treatment is a highly specialized, complex and extremely dynamic art and science. The hair is probably the most visible and cared for part of the human anatomy in the modern world. A healthy hair needs to be washed, aired, oiled, and moisturized, or steamed. Hair Steamers are the machines or equipments used to moisturize or steam the hair. Steaming gives your hair a healthy, bouncy look with an attractive sheen. Steaming also cleans and moisturizes the scalp removing the unhealthy dandruff. Hair steaming is therefore not just a beauty therapy. It is a healthy treatment as well.

Benefits of Hair Steaming:

These are numerous, and proven. Frequent and professional hair steaming will give you the following benefits

1. Scalp cleansing by removing dead skin and dirt
2. Improved air and moisture circulation in the scalp resulting in a fresh clean look and scent
3. Better and healthier hair re-growth after removal of dirt and dead skin from scalp
4. Improved health and looks for the existing hair due to moisturized roots, and shaft. Opening up of spores allows for assimilation of applied hair food.
5. Provides welcome relief for chronic and acute dandruff sufferers
6. Improves hair color (sheen) and texture by reducing dryness and breakages
7. Hair steaming can be extended to facial steaming.
8. The overall feel-good effect from hair steaming therapy is a welcome boost to your confidence.

Who Should Do It

Hair steamers are sometimes complex machines that need some level of user proficiency. Hair steaming is an art that need deftness, training, and expertise. Therefore, not anybody can effectively and safely use a hair steamer. In a fully fledged commercial salon need trained hair treatment specialists to ensure customer satisfaction and safety. However, there are simple domestic steamers with easy to follow user manuals hat you can use on your own. However, even though appropriate use of a hair-steamer is not rocket science, you must pay meticulous attention to product user guide and follow it to the letter. The question of how frequent or how long the treatment should be given is totally dependent on a peculiar set of factors and would be best answered by your personal beautician/stylist/hair-care consultant.

How To Use A Hair Steamer-Standard User guide

Although each steamer has its own user guide from the manufacturer peculiar to it, there are some standard set of procedures that must be followed for safe and effective use of any hair steamer. Some standard procedures include:

• Like in every other machine the world over, read the product user guide very carefully BEFORE commencing
• Always use distilled water for a longer operation life of the machine. This protects it from particle and chlorine damage. Purified water can also be used.
• Always have the water compartment full before turning on the hair steamer
• Change water every 20-30 minutes, depending on the type of steamer
• Never try to disengage client with the power still on. Most modern type steamers have inbuilt timers, switch off once the timer goes.
• Constantly check with the client while undergoing treatment to ensure they are safe and comfortable. Cases of injuries or fatalities, rare as they may be, have been reported.
• In case of a power outage, switch off and completely unplug the machine.

Types of Hair Steamers

These implements come in all sorts of colors, shapes, designs, and specifications. The varieties to be found in the world market are simply mind-boggling. The classifications may be based on the make, origin, design (whether portable, floor standing, counter top or wall attached), or function. Some of the common types available include-

1. Portable Domestic Counter top Hair Steamers with one steam processor  (placed on top of the Counter)
2. Portable domestic and commercial counter top with two steamers
3. Multi-functional Floor types
4. Mini Hair and facial counter top steamers
5. Hair steamers with style roller balls
6. Double heat wire commercial or professional wall attached steamer

The Components of a Hair Steamer

Despite their different structural designs, all hair steamers have some common or universal features. These are

• Height Adjustment column
• Water Tank
• Drain Tank
• Top Hood
• Hood Cover
• Neck rest
• ON/OFF button or key pad for time selection
• An in-build electrical heater or steam processor
• An automatic in-built timer

Hair Steamer Products:

The beauty about steam processors or hair steamers is that virtually any hair care product goes. You can use any hair treatment chemicals-dyes and oils, moisturizers, conditioners, etc-with the steam processors. However, the applicator must have a good understanding of each product so as to regulate the steaming treatment in such a way as to optimize the effect. For instance, oils that are slow to absorb may need moderate temperatures for longer.

Brands of Hair Steamers

With market liberalizarion and emergence of the China as a manufacturing powerhouse there has been a proliferation of brands. It appears like the old timers like Phillips, Sanyo, Sony Armco, Black & Decker, Ramtons and Hitachi have succumbed to intense competitoon from the East. Chinese, Taiwanese, Malaysian and Indian gadgets now dominate the international auctions haouses and the electrical hardware shops. The main reason is that products from the far East are relatively cheaper, albeit less durable. Accessibility and availability is another factor driving the market. Traders find it easier to acces and import Chinese wares and make better margins than the more established brands. A quick online search will reveal a conapicuous absence of the older brands from the global market.

Hair Steamer Prices:

Just like the brands, types, designs and descriptions, the prices also vary a great deal. For the year 2013, Hair steamer prices ranged from £30-£170, depending on the type. The best place to start a price search is online. You are also likely to get a list of international dealers as well as some local stockists, for whatevr machine you may want to buy.

Maintenance And Repair

Most Hairsteamers should be easy to maintain in good working order, and even easier to repair. Some come complete with simple repair kit and manual. However, in case of a fault, the local electrician should be able to fix you up. For some of the new models, the spares are not so easily available and may therefore be problematic to repair. Your local electrician may not be conversant with the new models too. Sometimes the cost of the replacement part requierd is so high that it makes better economic sense to just buy a new one.

Factors To Consider When Buying A HairSteamer.

Not every client is crazy about these machines. Given that some of them cost a good amount of money, you need to cosider carefully before making a purchase. The following need to be considered:

1. The nature of job for which you need the machine
2. Customer preference in your area and traffic
3. How common or rare the brand is
4. Consumer feedback on the brans available
5. Availability and user-friendliness