Korean Scalp Treatment in Seoul: Everything you need to Know

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Want to try the Korean 15-step scalp treatment while you’re in Seoul? Here’s what you need to know…

Seoul’s beauty scene is HUGE – and getting bigger. It’s also pretty unique, featuring beauty trends like glass skin, colour analysis, and 10-step beauty regimes.

One new beauty trend that’s becoming increasingly popular (partly thanks to going viral on TikTok) is the 15 Step Scalp Treatment or “head spa” experience. But what exactly is it – and is it actually worth it?

I’ve covered everything you need to know about the treatment on this page – including a round-up of the best salons in Seoul to try it (with prices). Hope it helps!

What is the 15-Step Korean Scalp Treatment?

The Korean scalp treatment is a kind of head spa experience, featuring a series of different products and steps (usually 15 steps) to target specific problems like hair loss or greasy scalp. It’s a bit like a facial – but for your head instead of your face!

The 15-Step Scalp Treatment started gaining popularity after going “viral” on TikTok. Now, it’s one of the most popular K-beauty experiences to try in South Korea.

Seoul is one of the best places to try it, as there are a large number of salons offering head spas – many of which cater to foreign visitors and have English-speaking staff.

What to Expect

Treatments usually start with a diagnosis, often using a microscope to inspect the scalp. Let me tell you, seeing your hair follicles and clumps of oil or dead skin up close is pretty gross!

Good salons will then tailor the treatment to combat specific problems identified during the diagnosis.

The 15-Step Scalp Treatment is the most common option, although some salons also offer an 18-step version. I’ve listed all the steps later on in this post. It’s a long process, usually lasting around 1.5 hours.

Whether or not there’s much benefit to the treatment (beyond a very clean scalp), it’s an incredibly relaxing experience – and a fun insight into Seoul’s high-tech beauty culture.

How Much Does it Cost?

This scalp treatment isn’t cheap! Prices range from around ₩130,000 to ₩200,000; (£72- £110 or $89 – $137USD). I paid 180,000 at Eco Jardin by Parkjun for my treatment: there were 15 steps and it took 1.5 hours.

In the next section, I’ve shared the treatment prices at some of the top-rated salons in Seoul to help give you a clearer picture.

Where to Get the Scalp Treatment in Seoul

After a lot of research scrawling through forums, watching TikTok videos, checking reviews, and speaking to friends who’ve already tried it… I compiled a shortlist of salons in Seoul that A) offer the scalp treatment and B) accept foreigners and have English-speaking staff. This second point is important if you don’t speak Korean, so hopefully this shortlist will come in handy.

I contacted all of them to chat through my options, and ended up going to Eco Jardin as they were closest to my hotel and had been highly recommended.

What are the 15 Steps?

The exact 15 steps might vary depending on which salon you visit – but they’re mostly pretty similar. Here’s what they give you at Eco Jardin…

Part One: Diagnosis and Treatment

1. Microscopic Consultation and Diagnosis – they’ll use a special microscope camera for a super-close-up look at your scalp to diagnose any issues. Be warned – it’s pretty gross!
2. Neck Massage with Oil.
3. Neck Muscle Relaxation Suction Machine – a vacuum-like suction nozzle is used to give you some light cupping therapy. This is meant to enhance blood circulation and eliminate waste.
4. Hot Towel (in my opinion this really doesn’t need to be a “step” and they’ve only listed to bulk out the 15 steps!).
5. Cleaning & Exfoliating with Oil Massage – aromatherapy oils are massaged into the scalp, meant to help stimulate hair growth and prevent hair loss.
6. Galvanic Sealing Brush – this isn’t really a brush, but a small hand-held machine that shines red LED light onto your scalp. It’s meant to improve circulation and soothe open blood vessels.
7. Invigorating Scrub – made with cooling mint extract.
8. Therapeutic Steam Mist – like a mini-sauna for your head! Steam is directed straight onto your scalp to open up the pours (it’s also very relaxing).
9. Shampoo – this is done in your salon chair, before applying any water.
10. Y-Stick Treatment – once the shampoo is applied, they’ll use a special metal Y-Stick to massage it in. It’s meant to remove metal components like the ones found in chemical treatments.

Phase Two: Rinse and Results

11. Yume Spa Bed Relaxation – this was my favourite part! You’ll lie on a fancy spa bed (with built-in electronic massage) while a waterfall tap runs warm water over your scalp. They’ll cover your face with a towel and it’s super relaxing – you may fall asleep!
12. Microscope – head back under the microscope to see “before and after” images of your scalp. You can actually see the improvements before your eyes!
13. Hair Growth Tonic – the oil is tailored to suit your needs and applied directly to the scalp.
14. T-Stick Infusion – another special metal pole, used to massage the hair growth tonic into the scalp. Again, I feel like these could both be one “step” and have only been separated to make the list of steps longer!
15. Styling and Finish – the standard price includes a basic blow-dry, or you can pay extra for styling like curls or straightening.

My Verdict: Is the Korean Scalp Treatment Worth It?

OK, this is the big question. People RAVE about the 15-Step Scalp Treament; but is it actually worth it? Or is this just a very expensive hair wash?!

Did it work?

Well, I can confirm that my hair felt amazing afterwards – and it’s genuinely never felt cleaner! They show you the “before and after” photos under the microscope, and I genuinely saw a difference. The clumps of oil were gone, and the redness had gone down.

What I can’t say for sure is how effective it was at treating my scalp’s issues. I have an oily scalp and my hair usually starts feeling greasy about 1.5 days after washing. After my hair spa, it was quite a few days before my hair felt greasy or needed washing again.

But things were definitely back to normal again by the time I got back to the UK. In order to reap the benefits of the head spa treatment, I think you’d need to go regularly – which would be a very expensive habit!

As a one-off treatment, though, this can be a really nice way to revive your hair at the end of a week or two of travel. And it’s a fun, unique way to pamper yourself!

Is it worth the price?

I’m torn – because I think £100-odd is quite a high price for a hair treatment. BUT it was a really lovely, relaxing experience and – as I said above – it was fun to try something so unique.

One thing I’ll say is that the “15 Steps” title feels like a bit of a marketing ploy. The diagnosis counts as one of the “steps” – and a couple of steps happen simultaneously, so they don’t need to be counted separately. I’d say there are more like 12 steps of actual treatment.

That said, it is a genuinely lovely treatment: it’s relaxing, indulgent, and left my hair feeling amazing! If you like facials and spa treatments, you’ll probably love this.

Final Thoughts

In summary – I do think it’s worth trying the 15-Step Scalp Treatment on your trip to Seoul (as long as you don’t mind that £100-odd price tag). Just maybe don’t expect miracles!

This is a very indulgent and effective pamper session that has a lot of short-term benefits – but it probably won’t solve your more serious scalp-issues long-term unless you have the treatment regularly.

But – it’s fun to try and gives a bit of an insight into Seoul’s huge, unique and sometimes bizarre beauty industry.

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Have you tried the 15-Step Scalp Treatment in Seoul (or elsewhere)? Scroll down to share your experience in the comments!