Hair Treatment vs Scalp Treatment: Which do I need? (2025)

• December 17, 2024

Investing in good hair and scalp treatments is important because they play an important role in achieving a healthy scalp and luscious, thick hair. When your hair is left untreated, you can experience anything from clogged hair follicles to dry and dull strands that are prone to breakage.

In this article, we’ll give you the lowdown on what hair and scalp treatments can do for you, why they differ, and what would suit you best. Read on to find out more!

What is a hair treatment?

Hair treatments focus on improving the integrity of our hair strands in terms of texture, strength and appearance. They address issues, such as dryness, split ends and hair damage, often as a result from chemical treatments or overexposure to heat styling tools.

What is a scalp treatment?

Scalp treatments, on the other hand, refer to specialised solutions for scalp health. This, in turn, promotes healthy hair growth. They address issues such as dandruff, oily scalps, infections, and other treatments that can affect hair growth and lead to hair loss.

Hair treatment vs Scalp treatment: How are they different?

Here’s a handy table to help you when deciding on what treatment you need:

Types of hair treatment

Types of hair treatments available can be broadly classified into the following functions:

• Moisturising and hydrating hair treatments — hair treatments that restore and seal in moisture and elasticity to dry and brittle hair. This includes deep conditioning masks, hot oil treatments and hydration steaming for hair cuticles.
• Repair and strengthening hair treatments — hair treatments that utilise proteins such as keratin or collagen to strengthen weak hair strands. Bond-repair treatments can also reconnect broken bonds and prevent split ends.
• Smoothing and frizz-control hair treatments — hair treatments that smooth the hair and reduce frizz, such as keratin solutions and brazilian blowouts.
• Colour-enhancing hair treatments — hair treatments that help provide long-lasting colour while protecting hair strands and adding shine.
• Texturising hair treatments — hair treatments that chemically curl or strengthen hair, adding desired texture and volume to the hair.
• Volumising hair treatments — hair treatments that add body and lift to fine hair for a bouncier and fuller appearance. Thickening treatments also coat individual strands of hair to improve hair density.
• Protective hair treatments — hair treatments that protect the hair from environmental stressors, such as the sun’s UV rays and excessive heat.

Types of scalp treatment

Scalp treatments that help with hair growth and treating scalp issues include:

• Cleansing and detoxifying scalp treatments — treatments that exfoliate the scalp, removing excess oil, dirt, dead skin cells, and unclogs follicles.
• Nourishing and hydrating scalp treatments — treatments that revitalise the scalp by restoring moisture and providing nourishment for optimal scalp health.
• Hair-growth stimulating scalp treatments — treatments that involve growth serums or energy-based devices to stimulate hair follicles to promote and encourage hair regrowth.

TrichoLab’s Signature Microneedling Hair Growth treatment is specially designed to neutralise hair loss while promoting hair growth. It utilises a patented hair growth and hair-loss formula, with complex botanicals, peptides and growth factors, combined with a microneedling system to enhance absorption and stimulate collagen and elastin production.

• Soothing scalp treatments — treatments that reduce scalp flaking and inflammation using medicated or natural ingredients.

What concerns hair treatment can treat

Hair treatments are designed to address issues that affect the health and texture of hair strands, such as:

• Dryness and lack of moisture
• Frizziness
• Unruly hair textures
• Heat and chemical-damaged hair
• Weak and brittle hair
• Split ends
• Colour fading or dullness
• Hair that lacks volume
• Thinning hair strands
• Tangled or unmanageable hair

That being said, hair treatments aren’t always about fixing an issue — some hair treatments can be preventative and purely focused on enhancing your hair’s natural beauty and resilience. Regular treatments can improve its overall appearance, adding softness and shine for healthier, more luscious-looking locks.

What concerns scalp treatment can treat

On the other hand, scalp treatments can address the following issues:

• Dandruff and flakiness
• Clogged hair follicles
• Itchy and irritated scalp
• Excessive oiliness
• Hair thinning or hair loss
• Slow hair growth
• Dry or tight scalp
• Scalp acne or inflammation

Similarly, proactive scalp care with regular scalp treatments can improve blood circulation and nourish hair follicles, ensuring your hair stays in top condition and supports long-term hair health.

Get hair treatment from TrichoLab

TrichoLab specialises in tailored solutions designed to meet your unique hair and scalp needs, offering a variety of science-backed, professionally formulated solutions to treat various conditions, or simply to elevate your hair care routine.

Schedule a consultation with us today for a comprehensive hair and scalp analysis and a personalised treatment plan.