Image Source: krakowmasaze.pl.
1. Slow it down –
This goes for all massage in general; for so many reasons it leads to a much better experience for all involved. It also helps you regulate the pressure – on the scalp, a light pressure is really all that’s needed. The slow pace also makes it more soothing and calming, which is especially great for anyone who is stressed (ie, all of us).
2. Change it up –
Keep some variety and get creative! Here are a few ways that you can change it up:
take the skin
Moving through smaller ranges and taking the skin of the scalp with you will produce a unique sensation that encourages any residual facial expressions to be relaxed. Often we don’t realise that we are still holding a small amount of effort in our resting expression, and this technique will help to release that.
glide
In contrast to taking the skin, you can also glide over it. This tends to be a little more energizing to receive, and produces its own unique feeling.
different shapes and patterns
Instead of constantly retracing your massage each time, it’s nice to vary your shapes and patterns to give the full scalp some attention. Changing it up in this way also helps to prevent it from becoming too intense – going over the same spot repeatedly, even with light pressure can eventually become too intense due to nerve sensitisation.
3. Hair traction –
Now don’t get carried away! This is not permission to pull someone’s hair the way you’d normally think of it. It’s a gentle traction of the hair in order to draw on the scalp. Emphasis on the gentle… If done right, it should feel really great, and might even feel a little bit like what you’d imagine a face lift to feel like.
4. Sweep –
The best way to finish a scalp massage is to sweep slowly and with a full palm. It’s soothing and possibly one of the most nurturing sensations to receive.
So take 5 minutes out of your day and give someone you love a divine scalp massage! There’s a video below that we recorded in Costa Rica at our centre. The sounds of the jungle will help to soothe and calm 😉
If you want to learn more Thai massage at home – we have an online course that gives you the tools to provide a skillful massage to family and friends. There’s nothing quite like having the ability to help one another de-stress and release tension.
Click here for more information on our online course:
You might want to edit something 😉
Under Slow it Down: “for so many reasons io tlea much better experience for all involved”
Cheers!
Thanks Melanie!! ??
I have been waiting to see this one 😉 a gentle I practiced on kept begging me for a scalp massage ! Now can take him up on his request ; love the option to take the skin vs glide and can’t wait to see the response to the change in sensations . Thanks for posting !
I love, love, love to both give and receive scalp and face massage. I find it the most relaxing of anything and so do the majority of my clients, in fact, I do have a number of regulars who see me primarily for neck, head/scalp and face massage – headaches, TMJ dysfunction, and sinus issues or just sheer relaxation and pleasure!
Slow it down is probably THE most important factor here, but I also love the glide vs moving the skin for variety. Reminds me of when we do s’mircles in the neck massage, the get a little bit of the hair along the hairline in there too, even the sound is soothing!
Head massage is one of my favourite things to receive and very much over looked. I’ve found it super helpful with recovering from whiplash as the trauma from the injury is not localized to the neck. There is a ton going on in the head and of course, down the chain.
Thanks Drew.