5 Myths About Head Spas That Hold Back Both Clients and Salons
The short answer
A head spa isn't just for people with hair problems, doesn't require a fixed water connection, and can be fully learned in a two-day training course for €750 excluding VAT. Most myths that discourage salons simply aren't true when compared to the facts.
Over the past few months I have had many conversations with salon owners who were unsure whether a head spa would suit them. Not because they were not convinced of the treatment itself, but because they had heard something that made them hesitate. Sometimes from a colleague, sometimes from a client, sometimes just a feeling they could not quite place.
What struck me: many of those doubts come back to the same five misunderstandings. And each of them can be verified. Below, I'll lay them out one by one against the facts.
Myth 1: “A head spa is only for people with hair problems”
This is the most common misconception, and also the most damaging to your customer base. Because if you think a head spa is only relevant for people with dandruff, hair loss, or an oily scalp, then you will also market that treatment that way. And then you'll miss out on the majority of your potential customers.
A head spa is first and foremost a wellness treatment for the scalp. The combination of warm water, steam, a light massage and, depending on the device, phototherapy stimulates circulation, relaxes the muscles around the skull and gives the scalp the space to recover from daily stress. That is useful for anyone who has had a busy week behind them, not only for those with a diagnosis.
Compare it to a facial: you don't go to an esthetician because you have a skin condition. You go because it's pleasant, because you're taking care of yourself for a moment, and because the results are visible. A head spa works in the same way.
The clients who most frequently return for a head spa treatment? Often people who didn't initially come for a specific problem. They came because someone recommended it to them, they were curious about it, and then they noticed they felt genuinely different afterward.
Myth 2: “A head spa always requires a fixed water connection.”
This used to be partly true. The first generation of head spa beds did indeed require a direct connection to the water supply, which was a barrier for many salons. Renovations, hiring a plumber, obtaining permits – that's off-putting, and rightly so.
But that image is no longer accurate for the current market. A large portion of the appliances available today work with internal water tanks. The Mobile Head Spa (60L Water Tank) has a 60 litre tank and needs no water connection. The Mobiele Headspa Pro works with a 50 litre clean-water tank and a separate 15 litre waste-water tank, which means used water stays neatly separated. The Mobiele Headspa Deluxe (new in 2026) adds phototherapy and steam to that, with a capacity of 60 litres clean and 30 litres waste water.
| Model | Water connection | Price incl. VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile Headspa (60L) | None — internal tank | €1.295 |
| Mobile Headspa Pro (50L + 15L) | None—two tanks | €1.495 |
| Mobile Headspa Deluxe (60L + 30L) | Nothing — steam + phototherapy | €1.895 |
| Japanese Head Spa (large equipment) | Direct water connection | €1.595 |
| River Headspa Pro (height adjustable) | Direct water connection | €4.695 |
If you don't want a renovation but still want to start, a mobile device is perfect for you. You lose nothing in terms of treatment quality for a basic treatment.
Myth 3: “Customers in Belgium aren't ready for it yet”
I hear this less than I used to, but it's still around. The idea that the head spa trend is still in the US or Japan, and that Belgian customers don't know what it is yet.
The reality is different. Search volume for terms such as “head spa Belgium”, “scalp treatment” and “Japanese head spa” has risen sharply over the past two years. People see it on social media, they hear about it from friends, and they actively go looking for it. The question is no longer whether they are ready for it, the question is which salon they will find when they search.
“The question isn't whether your clients are ready. The question is which salon they find when they start searching.”
Salons in Antwerp, Ghent, and Brussels that were early adopters are now noticing that their waiting lists for head spa treatments are filling up faster than expected. This was different two years ago. The demand is there—for many salons, capacity is the bottleneck, not customer interest.
Myth 4: “A head spa is too complicated to learn quickly.”
Some salon owners think they need a long training, or that they need to build years of experience before they can offer a good head spa treatment. That's not how it works.
The Head spa training at MediRelaxa lasts two days of six hours — not necessarily consecutive. After those two days, you will receive an official certificate and a practical basis to offer treatments. The training is 1-on-1 or in pairs, takes place in Geel (Grotesteenweg 81c), and costs €750 excl. VAT.
This is not a course where you independently follow a video and read a PDF. You work on real models with personal guidance. Technology, protocols, product selection, client communication – it all comes up. Most participants feel ready to start afterward.
Is it a learning process? Yes. You get better with more treatments, just like with anything in this profession. But the barrier to entry is lower than many people think.
Myth 5: “The return is too low for the investment”
This is the most rational doubt, and also the only one that truly needs to be calculated—not assumed based on feeling.
Imagine: you invest in a Mobile Headspa Deluxe for €1,895. You charge €65 per treatment (common in the Belgian market). You will have recouped your investment after 30 treatments. At two treatments per week, that's 15 weeks. With four treatments per week, it's less than two months.
That's the basic calculation. On top of that comes the effect on customer loyalty. Customers who regularly return for a head spa treatment are often more loyal with their other appointments too. They see the salon as a place of well-being, not just a functional stop. This translates into a higher customer lifetime value.
For those who still feel the investment is a barrier: leasing is possible via Grenke, for a fixed monthly fee. This allows you to spread the cost and start generating income while you're still paying it off. More information about business purchases can be found at MediRelaxa's business purchasing page.
What type of salons is a head spa less effective for?
For the sake of completeness: a head spa is not the best choice for every salon at this moment.
If your schedule is already too full and you have no extra staff or space, then you add pressure to a system that is already under strain. A head spa treatment typically takes 45 to 60 minutes per client, plus preparation and cleaning. If that does not fit into your current operation, it is better to wait until you have the capacity.
Even if your salon specializes in a niche with little overlap with wellness or hair care, the overlap with your existing customer base may be limited. It may then take more effort to attract a new target audience.
But for most salons that deal with hair, skin, or wellness — and have room for one extra treatment in their week — the combination of demand, readability, and return is strong enough to consider seriously.
