Hair and Scalp Massage

Reap the benefits of hair and scalp massage. Here's how.

When you go to the salon and someone washes your hair and massages your scalp, don't you feel as if you've had a mini spa treatment? In fact, you have! Hair and scalp massages not only feel fabulous but are essential in maintaining beautiful, full hair and a healthy scalp. Here’s what you need to know about hair and scalp massage.

The Benefits of Hair and Scalp Massages

• They cleanse the hair and scalp of oils, dirt, and bacteria.
• They lubricate the scalp, making it healthy and promoting hair growth.
• They scrub the hair from roots to tip, stimulating growth and vitality.
• They help rid your scalp of prevent these conditions from developing.
• They soothe a dry, itchy scalp, especially after you’ve been sweating.
• They soften the hair, making it easier to style and more radiant.
• They make your hair resilient, better able to protect itself against severe weather, treatments, and overstyling.
• Some say that a proper hair and scalp massage can even relieve such ailments as headaches, lockjaw, whiplash, muscle spasms in the neck, tension, depression, mental fogginess, and more.

How to Give a Hair and Scalp Massage

• Do it yourself at home every time you use on your hair. Press your fingertips into the roots of your hair, rub and massage your head vigorously, comb through slick wet hair with your fingers, and tickle your scalp with your fingernails. Press your thumbs along the scalp areas behind your ears and slide them down to the base of your neck. Many techniques work — experiment to find the ones you like best.
• Try these massage techniques:
  • Friction massage: Use the pads of the fingers of both hands (not the fingertips) to make rapid circular movements firmly over the whole scalp, starting from the front of the head and moving back to the nape of the neck. Then, from the nape of the neck, use the same motion to move forward to the front of the head. Your scalp will tingle and feel totally relaxed
  • Kneading massage: Use the pads of the fingers of both hands (not the fingertips) and spread them out over the scalp. Press firmly and rotate the skin rather than the hands. Continue kneading slowly over every area of the scalp. This will boost blood flow to the scalp and energize you instantly.
• Add an essential oil to your hair and scalp massage:
  • Coconut oil will make hair fuller and silkier and will promote growth.
  • Tea tree oil will help combat dandruff.
  • Eucalyptus oil can enrich hair with minerals.
  • Olive oil tackles dry, brittle hair.
  • Lavender oil can soothe the skin and relieve tension.

Hair and scalp massages are easy, inexpensive, and work wonders for more than your hair. Make them a habit!