According to the NHS, it’s normal for an average person to shed up to 100 hairs a day, but if you feel you’re losing more than normal, you may be looking for ways to stop it falling out.
While there may be a deeper medical reason for hair loss, there are times when your scalp just needs a little TLC. Using a hydrating oil the night before wash day can help, boosting moisture to the scalp and aiding circulation as you work the liquid around your roots.
Then there are volumising haircare products that can help make your hair appear fuller as you wait for new roots to come through.
One of the best things you can do though is start incorporating a scalp massager into your routine.
What is a scalp massager?
A palm-sized brush typically packed with thick silicone bristles, these little tools can be used on dry hair to work in oil or in the shower to help shampoo break through product build-up (like mousse, hairspray, dry shampoo and heat protecting sprays) and get your head squeaky clean. The gentle spikes are also more effective than fingers at massaging the scalp, exfoliating, boosting blood circulation and helping new follicles push through, resulting in thicker hair over time. It doesn’t work for everyone, but if you’ve tried everything else, it’s worth a shot. They’re even safe to use on coloured or treated hair.
We’ve looked at some of the most effective scalp massagers on the market to help you on your journey to thicker hair and better scalp health.
See our favourites below
Ceremonia The Scalp Power-Duo
Ceremonia’s scalp massager comes with a little friend, the Aceite de Moska Heritage Scalp Remedy Oil. This elixir is made to enhance growth and add shine to locks using Aloe Vera, Babassu Oil, and Castor Oil in its light formula. Use the massager to work in the scalp oil and make sure it’s distributed evenly all over your head.
Buy now £38.00, Net-A-Porter
Briogeo Scalp Revival Stimulating Therapy Massager
Fan of head massages? Then you’ll love this handheld stimulating scalp massager, fitted with rubber tips to deliver firm but gentle kneading across the head. Use it on a dry scalp or while bathing alongside shampoo, conditioner or hair masks, applying medium pressure to encourage blood flow and support hair follicles.
Buy now £16.00, Space NK
Stemgro Trichology Silicone Scalp Massager for Hair Regrowth
Fitting comfortably in the palm of your hand, this white and mint-coloured scalp massager deserves a permanent place in your shower caddy. There are 23 rubber tips placed across the brush, each working to get blood circulating around follicles, feeding them with everything they need to grow thicker and stronger. Suitable for all genders, massage in small circles with medium pressure across wet or dry hair, with or without product.
Buy now £7.99, Amazon
Lee Stafford Shampoo Massage Brush
Haircare expert Lee Stafford is one of the leading names in the industry, with a product range that spans shampoo, conditioner, hair masks, styling products and grooming electricals. This palm-sized hero is designed to give your locks a boost, leaving you with the sort of swishy, healthy hair normally only seen in commercials. The soft silicone tips are perfect for removing build-up and stimulating the scalp.
Buy now £4.80, Boots
Tangle Teezer The Scalp Exfoliator and Massager - Pretty Pink
With a brand built around sliding through tangled hair like a hot knife through butter, Tangle Teezer naturally also has an in-shower option in this Scalp Exfoliator and Massager. The thin pink design has sharper tips than the other iterations featured in our list, offering pinpoint pressure and massage before and during the shampoo stage. The wellness tool has been recommended by The International Trichology Congress.
Buy now £6.40, Lookfantastic
Coco & Eve Shampoo Brush
Hair is delicate and shouldn’t be washed too often, but if you find you’re not getting the squeaky clean feeling after your allotted shower day, product build-up may be the culprit. Coco & Eve’s shampoo brush helps break up and lift excess hair products off your scalp, returning it to a completely natural and naked state. Made to use in the shower, the flexible bristles have enough give to bend with hair so you’re not tugging at fragile strands. It also helps shampoo lather to a rich foam, helping remove debris and encouraging hair growth.
Buy now £8.66, Sephora
GRO Revitalizing Scalp Massager
Adding a scalp massager into your routine isn’t just about hair growth; it’s a nice chance to practise a little self-love too. Give your head the treat of a routine massage with Vegamour’s massager, fitted with easy-clean plastic bristles to get to the nitty gritty.
Buy now £15.00, Sephora
Champo Shampoo Brush
Based on ayurvedic practices, Champo created this Shampoo Brush to help massage through shampoo for a deep and revitalising cleanse. Take a few extra minutes to gently massage the scalp with this handheld tool as the first or mid-step in your hair wash routine and say hello to revitalised hair free of product build-up and deep-rooted dirt.
Buy now £14.50, Harrods
Centred. Squishy silicone scalp massager
Small enough to pack for a trip away, this 100 per cent silicone scalp massager is suitable to use on all hair types. The tips offer a deeply relaxing massage and clean to dirty hair.
Buy now £14.00, Selfridges
Aethera Fionnuala Jade Gua Sha Scalp Massager Comb
A comb, not a brush, Aethera’s Fionnuala Jade Scalp Massager brings a sense of luxury to routine hair washes. The teeth gently stimulate the scalp while helping to remove product excess, dandruff and dirt. Bonus: the handle side can also be used as a Gua Sha tool, giving you even more uses from one tool.
Buy now £56.00, Wolf & Badger