I tried a scalp massager and here’s what happened

For the first time in a really long time, I actually have no complaints in the hair health or growth departments. It’s been almost four years since my platinum strands basically broke off a few inches from the root, which was followed by going back to my natural color for intense rehabilitation. Fast forward to today, and I’m back to my standard highlighted blonde, and my hair is the longest it’s been in quite a while (hair supplements do work!).

I’m much more diligent about being gentle on my hair now, which means minimal heat styling, weekly deep-conditioning treatments and using an Aquis wrap instead of a standard towel to dry my hair after showering. And let’s not forget copious amounts of dry shampoo to stretch time between shampoos. This habit has yet to be problematic in terms of MY hair health (although studies have shown a connection between product build-up on the scalp and optimal growth). More than anything, too much dry shampoo just feels yucky after a while and sometimes a double-shampoo doesn’t deliver the deep clean my hair and scalp need.

You’ve probably read a bit about the benefits of scalp massage, which include improved circulation, exfoliation (yes, really!) and removal of aforementioned product build-up—so naturally I had to try it. As a first-timer, I wasn’t about to spend $20+ on a tool that might only get used once, so I got a $2 cheapie on Amazon—and then things got interesting.

My first attempt was a disaster. After working my shampoo into a rich lather, I slipped the tool on my middle finger and started massaging in a circular motion. Let’s just say this resulted in a massive tangled mess. Feeling utterly defeated, I doused my head in conditioner to comb out the knots—and gave the tool dirty looks every time I showered for the next week.

I finally worked up the nerve to try it again, but this time I used it more like a comb which went a lot more smoothly. While certainly not as soothing and relaxing as a spa massage, my scalp definitely felt energized and my hair was cleaner than ever when I blow-dried afterwards. I’ve used the scalp massager a few times since, reserving it mainly for when I’ve gone a bit too far between washing and I feel like my hair needs the extra cleansing effort.

Am I obsessed with massaging my scalp? No. Will I keep the tool? Yes. Should you try scalp massage? Maybe…