The treatment I tried
My providers
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Sumner A. Slavin and medical aesthetician Larisa Rabkin
Why I tried it
I’ll let you in on a personal secret: I’ve had seborrheic dermatitis for the past four years, and I’m still dealing with it every day. This skin condition leaves me with red, scaly patches of skin on my scalp, making it look like I have excessive dandruff at times. Before I got it mostly under control, my condition was so bad that my boyfriend would often pick at my hairline, trying to remove all the nasty flakes framing my face. Eventually, it got to the point where I couldn’t stand his hands in my hair any longer, so I finally got a medicated shampoo from my dermatologist—which has, thankfully, helped over the past few years.
I try my best to prevent my seborrheic dermatitis from flaring up, but the frigid, dry, blistering winters of Boston (my new home) aren’t doing my scalp any favors. That’s why I was relieved to try a new treatment called HydraFacial Keravive, which promises improved scalp health, at board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Sumner A. Slavin’s office in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
What the treatment was like
Similar to the original HydraFacial, the new HydraFacial Keravive scalp treatment works to exfoliate and hydrate the skin; however, this version focuses specifically on the scalp, to tackle the signs of poor scalp health—mainly, dry skin, clogged hair follicles, and thinnings—all of which I suffer from.
On the morning of my treatment, I showered and washed my hair with a mild shampoo. I arrived at Dr. Slavin’s office, later that evening, with a clean, dry scalp, and Larisa Rabkin, the medical aesthetician, asked me to lie down faceup on the examination table.
After inspecting my scalp, Rabkin began sectioning the top half of my hair into rows so that she could easily apply the treatment. After the sectioning was complete, she attached a special scalp exfoliation tip to the HydraFacial machine. Similar to the regular HydraFacial process, the pen vacuumed up all the dirt, oil, and impurities from my scalp, using HydraFacial Vortex Technology (essentially a method of suction), while helping to promote circulation and blood flow. “Your scalp is getting pink—just what I wanted to see,” Rabkin said. As she suctioned up the grime from my scalp, row by row, I noticed that the process wasn’t the most relaxing experience but wasn’t painful or uncomfortable either.
Next up was the boosting treatment. Rabkin switched out the tip of the pen, to administer the HydraFacial Keravive Peptide Complex Solution onto my scalp, row by row. After she finished a row with the pen, she used her finger to gently rub the solution into my skin, to make sure it was distributed evenly. “I just want to make sure it really penetrates in there,” she told me. Rabkin explained that the solution was formulated with growth factors to help my hair appear healthier and thicker, which I apparently needed. “I notice that you have a thinning area right around your side part on the right side—the growth factors in this solution will definitely help with that,” she explained. The formula also included panthenol (a vitamin B5 derivative), to help condition and moisturize the hair and scalp, and arginine, which helps build keratin and collagen proteins.
That portion of the treatment also took about 10 minutes and felt the same as the exfoliation, albeit a lot wetter. My scalp was drenched from the solution post-treatment, and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to attend a birthday party that evening because of greasy, wet-looking hair. Once Rabkin was done, she told me not to wash my hair for a few days so that the Keravive solution would really work its magic and soak into the scalp. She also sent me home with the HydraFacial Keravive Peptide Complex Spray, which I was to use daily on my scalp, post-shower, to help enhance the benefits of the in-office treatment. This spray has similar ingredients to the solution used in the office—including panthenol and arginine, to continue nourishing and hydrating the hair follicles.
I walked out of the office looking a bit crazy, with the hair close to my scalp wet but also sticking up straight. I swept my hair into a somewhat normal-looking bun and prayed to the hair gods to fix my damp, messy hair before the party. It turns out that my prayers were answered, because my scalp was completely dry by the time I arrived home, 20 minutes later.
The verdict
I didn’t wash my hair for about two days after the treatment—which was unlike me, considering that I usually wash my hair daily (it gets too itchy and flaky if I don’t). I was amazed by how clean and non-itchy my scalp felt, even after not washing it for multiple days. It felt so clean, in fact, that my scalp almost felt “lighter,” as if it had lost weight after the exfoliation process. Since my treatment, I’ve been using the spray most days, and while I haven’t noticed a huge change in my slight hair thinning yet, I’ve noticed a lot less flaking and buildup.
Although it will vary from office to office, the price of HydraFacial Keravive costs between $500 and $700 for one in-office session and the take-home spray. It is recommended that people receive the in–office treatment once a month for three consecutive months with continuous daily use of the take-home spray throughout. For those with thinning hair, this treatment can be used in tandem with PRP, Rogaine or Propecia (or any other at-home hair-boosting products, for that matter). Just be sure to consult with your doctor before combining your at-home regimen with your in-office treatments.
