Someone said to us recently "Why would I massage my scalp? Seems incredibly indulgent" and it made us recoil in horror (maybe a slight exaggeration).
But it made us realise that not enough people know or understand the insane benefits you can get from a simple 5 - 10 minute scalp massage once a week.
besides, who doesn't want to indulge themselves on the regular? We all deserve a little indulgence, like, ALL the time 👑
What Is A Scalp Massage?
TBH, a scalp massage is exactly what it sounds like. Like when you go to the hairdressers, a scalp massage is simply using your hands or a specialised tool to apply pressure across your scalp.
It's important not to forget our scalp when we think about self-care. Our scalp not only provides the basis for healthy hair growth, it's also a part of our body where we hold a lot of stress and tension. It's easy to forget we have muscles across our head and the back of our neck that can become strained in the same way as muscles anywhere else.
These muscles benefit in the same way as other muscles in our body from a massage to increase blood flow and relax tension.
Benefits Of A Scalp Massage
Giving yourself a regular scalp massage has a huge amount of amazing benefits, of which the effects can often be seen very quickly:
- Promotes hair growth
- Reduces stress and tension, great for tension headaches and migraines
- Gently exfoliates to clear dead skin, product and oil build-up
- Strengthens hair from the root
- Helps with oily roots
- Makes hair thicker, shinier and stronger
Scalp Massage For Hair Growth
If you're struggling with thinning hair giving yourself a regular scalp massage is a no brainer. It may seem unbelievable, but there's plenty of evidence to support the claim that massaging your scalp can lead to an increase in hair thickness.
But how does it increase hair thickness?
Put simply, it increases blood flow and circulation to the scalp, which delivers oxygen and nutrients to the hair follicles. This makes your follicles more effective at growing and holding hair, a win win.
It also ensures your hair is growing through healthily from the get go. Ensuring your strands are growing healthily from the root means they're less likely to break early in the hair's life cycle.
Scalp Massage For Dandruff
Dandruff is incredibly common, with half the population struggling with symptoms such as: dryness, flakes, itching and redness. While some cases of dandruff are caused by other problems, such as seborrheic dermatitis, many are caused by product or sebum build-up clogging the scalp.
So what can you do to clear your scalp properly?
Look for a scalp massager (or shampoo brush) to use when shampooing your hair. A super easy swap to make, instead of working your shampoo into your roots with your hands, apply gentle pressure with your scalp massager and move it in circular motions across your whole head.
Not only will this ensure you're giving your scalp a proper cleanse, you'll also benefit from increased blood flow to the area speeding up the healing process for your scalp.
How To Massage Your Scalp
Massaging your own scalp couldn't be easier, we recommend aiming to massage your scalp at least once a week for 10 minutes. Although you'll get the best results by using a scalp massager every time you shampoo and giving yourself a longer massage paired with oil weekly.
You can use either your fingers, or a specialist massage tool. But if you're using your hands make sure you're using your finger pads rather than your nails to apply gentle pressure. You don't want to cause extra damage by using your nails or a massage tool with sharp, pointy bristles so look for a tool with soft silicone bristles such as our Oh-So-Soft Scalp Massager
- Use finger pads or a scalp massager to apply gentle pressure in circular motions across your entire head
- Aim to massage your scalp for at least 10 minutes every week
- You can massage your hair when it's wet or dry
- Pair your scalp massage with a scalp friendly oil to keep your scalp extra happy
