The decision to introduce Head SPA at your salon almost always starts with one question: freestanding washing unit or Head SPA bed? Both options allow you to provide a complete scalp treatment, but they differ in installation, the amount of space required, and how clients experience the service. Below, we compare them based on what we see every day at our salon in Warsaw and at salons we’ve helped introduce Head SPA to.
The short answer
- Freestanding washing unit - if you cannot connect the equipment to water and sewage, want to get started quickly without renovations, or plan to offer Head SPA as an add-on to hairdressing services.
- Head SPA bed - if you can connect the equipment to the water and sewage system, have a separate room, and want to offer Head SPA as a standalone premium service.
Freestanding Head SPA washing unit - when is it a good choice?
A freestanding washing unit has its own clean and wastewater tanks, so it does not require a connection to the water supply. Place it anywhere in the salon, fill the tank with water, and you’re ready to work. After treatments, empty the wastewater and refill the clean water.
This solution is most often chosen by:
- salons in premises where new water supply and drainage connections cannot be installed (or are not worth the expense),
- salons renting premises where the owner does not agree to plumbing work,
- hairdressers and beauty therapists who want to try Head SPA before investing in a complete workstation,
- people who work on the go or move their workstation depending on the day.
Modern washing units also have features once associated only with beds: water massage with adjustable temperature, a steam sauna with a dome, and LED lighting. W In our range, these are the HP2S models (50 L clean water tank) and HP3S (60 L - premium version with wheel locks and a more ergonomic design). See freestanding Head SPA washing units and the guide how a washing unit works without a water connection.
What to keep in mind: one treatment uses about 20 liters of water, so the clean water tank is enough for 2-3 treatments, and the waste water tank needs to be emptied regularly. With a high number of treatments per day, you’ll need to plan short breaks to change the water. The client sits or semi-reclines in a separate chair, which is less comfortable than lying down for a longer, relaxing ritual.
Head SPA bed - when it’s the right choice
A Head SPA bed is a complete treatment station: a treatment bed, shampoo basin, steam sauna and lighting in one piece of furniture. The client lies down throughout the treatment, changing the service from "a head wash with a massage" into a full relaxation ritual.
The bed requires a permanent connection to the plumbing system - it has no tanks. Installation is simple and comparable to connecting a washing machine: a plumber does it using the instructions we include with the device.
A bed works best when:
- you can connect the equipment to the water supply and drain,
- you can dedicate a separate room to Head SPA - the client should be able to relax for an hour, and hair dryers and conversations at reception can easily get in the way,
- you want to sell Head SPA as a premium service. A 60-minute treatment usually costs PLN 300-400,
- you plan to offer combined packages, such as Head SPA with a body massage or foot treatment.
We offer beds in several options: from a simpler model with one shampoo basin, through beds with electric backrest adjustment and a foot basin, to a 2-in-1 model with built-in full-body massage. See Head SPA beds.
Quick comparison
- Water connection: portable shampoo basin - not required; bed - requires a connection to the water supply and drainage.
- Setup: portable shampoo basin - ready to use once the tank is filled; bed - installed by a plumber.
- Client position: portable shampoo basin - sitting or semi-reclining in a separate chair; bed - lying down for the entire treatment.
- Space: basin - can be moved around; bed - a fixed station, ideally in a separate room.
- Type of service: basin - great as an add-on to hairdressing services; bed - a standalone premium ritual.
Or how about a backwash unit with a Head SPA feature?
There’s also a third option, especially for hair salons: a backwash unit with Head SPA features. It works like a regular backwash unit day to day, and when a client books a treatment, the chair reclines electrically almost to a lying position, with a water massage and steam sauna at your disposal. It requires a connection to the sewage system, like any backwash unit, but doesn’t take up extra space. See the Head SPA HP5B backwash unit.
How to decide - three questions
- Can I connect the equipment to water and sewage? If not - the choice is simple: a freestanding basin.
- Do I have a separate room? If so - a bed lets you make the most of a premium service.
- Is Head SPA meant to be an add-on or a separate service? An add-on to coloring or a haircut - a hair-washing basin or backwash unit. A separate ritual costing several hundred zlotys - a bed.
Equipment is half the battle
Regardless of which setup you choose, the treatment technique is what determines whether clients come back. That’s why we offer Head SPA training with our equipment - in person at our salon in Warsaw or online. You can finance the equipment through leasing or installments. We’ve calculated the startup cost and payback period in a separate post: how much it costs to introduce Head SPA to a salon.
Would you like a personalized quote with a discount? Contact us or call: +48 570 111 791 - based on the size of your premises and the planned number of treatments, we’ll advise you on the best solution for you.
