Recently reported as one of the biggest niche haircare trends on TikTok, hair steaming is worth adding to your hair salon’s radar. At the time of writing, the hashtag #hairsteaming has accumulated over 12.2 million views on the video sharing app – and salons with their finger on the pulse are catching on.

Increasingly more brands and hair salons are capitalising on the trend, offering their own takes on hair steaming, from standalone head spa treatments to scalpcare add-ons.

What is hair steaming?

Despite its sudden popularity, hair steaming has actually been around for decades. Likened to a facial for your tresses, the process involves using moist heat to help open the hair follicle and lift the cuticle on the hair shaft, allowing treatments to better penetrate each strand and improve absorption of moisture. Steaming isn’t just for your hair either – it has incredible benefits for your scalp, opening the pores to remove impurities and product build-up while boosting blood flow and circulation.

Hair steaming can be of benefit to all hair types, although anyone suffering from severe scalp concerns, like psoriasis or dermatitis, should avoid steaming unless supervised by a scalp care professional or dermatologist. If sensitive scalps are exposed to steam for prolonged periods during the hair growth and skin shedding cycle, it could further disrupt the microbiome.

How to steam hair

Most commonly, a treatment oil is worked into freshly washed hair whilst applying steam. The condition of your hair will dictate the duration – for slightly dry hair, 10-20 minutes should do the job. If it feels very dry or damaged, leave it for 20-30 minutes. A scalp massage then further stimulates the scalp and product absorption. Finish with a heated towel and let rest for a few minutes before blow drying.

At home, TikTok users are experimenting with handheld devices or DIY techniques, like massaging hair treatments into the scalp while utilising steam from the shower, before covering with a shower cap for 30 minutes.