The inventive body care device having a handle and a treatment head, which is hingedly connected mechanically therewith, has a flexible zone for enabling an elastic deflection of the treatment head with respect to the handle and a deflection sensor, which is capable of generating an electric signal as a function of the elastic deflection. This signal can be used to control an automatic start and/or stop function, a use counter and/or operating states of an electric vibrational element integrated in the body care device.