Nobonita Chowdhury
The Brazilian hair trend of Velaterapia involves twisting a small area of hair and then slowly burning the worn out ends with a candle. Sounds like a cult ritual, right?
In fact, this relatively dangerous trend went viral thanks to Victoria’s Secret models Alessandra Ambrosia and Barbara Fialho. Both models posted about this so called “treatment” on their instagram accounts, which won over many followers. The treatment can be done in salons, taking about two hours to complete. Experts recommend repeating it every three months in order to maintain the hair condition.
Being offered in several salons, it’s obvious that Velaterapia has now become a mainstream hair treatment. But trichologist Penny James of Penny James Salon in NYC warns against it. “There is no barrier between the split end and the rest of the hair,” she says. This means that every time a person is going through the Velaterapia treatment, she is at a risk of having her entire hair go up in flames.
With the risks involved, regular trimming of your hair and using leave-in conditioner is definitely a better alternative. At least this way, you don’t risk burning your entire hair every time. If you’re really that desperate, just avoid doing it at home. Find a well reputed salon that has had experience in offering the treatment.