The inventive body care device (10) having a handle (14) and a treatment head (12), which is hingedly connected mechanically therewith, has a flexible zone (18) for enabling an elastic deflection of the treatment head (12) with respect to the handle (14) and a deflection sensor (54), 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 (10),