What the Heck is Velaterapia? the Brazilian Hair-Burning Treatment That's Getting Tons of Buzz Right Now

by Beth Shapouri

Flying in the face of conventional wisdom that heat is enemy number one when it comes to your hair, apparently women in Brazil are turning to a treatment called velaterapia. Vel-a-what? What was that? Well, according to the folks at Fashionista, which reported on it earlier in the week as a link to the World Cup, it's a procedure where "a hairstylist uses the open flame on a lit candle to burn off split ends and essentially 'cauterize' hair to keep moisture in."

See more: The Ultimate A-Z Guide to Excellent Summer Hair

Since the story went up, the idea has slowly started to make the rounds on the Internet--or caught fire, if you will. And a quick search on Instagram for the hashtag #Velaterapia seems to prove this is indeed, something people do in parts of the world, and it's all over the pages of Brazilian fashion magazines. Unfortunately, the articles on it are in Portuguese, so they can't quite clear up for me how people handle the burnt-hair smell that's surely got to be an unfortunate side effect. But if I ever make it down to Dios Spa, one of the major spots for velaterapia in Brazil, I'll let you know.

Have you ever heard of this treatment? Have any of you ever tried it? If so, tell us below. It would be fascinating to hear!

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