How to massage your scalp properly

Two honest reasons to massage your scalp. It feels good, which matters more than people allow in a routine you are trying to keep. And it puts your hands on your scalp regularly, which means you notice changes early rather than months later.

You will see stronger claims than that. Treat them carefully. Massage is a good habit with modest, real benefits, and it does not need overselling to be worth doing.

1. 01Sit somewhere comfortable. If you are using oil, warm a small amount between your palms first.
2. 02Part your hair into four or five sections so you can reach the scalp rather than the hair.
3. 03Place your fingertips flat against the scalp. Not nails, and not the very tips pressed in hard.
4. 04Move in small, slow circles, keeping your fingers in contact with the scalp and letting the skin move under them rather than sliding across the surface.
5. 05Work systematically: hairline, then crown, then the sides, then the nape. The nape and behind the ears are the areas people skip.
6. 06Finish by drawing your hands slowly from the hairline back to the nape a few times.

Firm enough that you can feel the scalp move, gentle enough that it never stings. If you are wincing, you are pressing too hard, and a scalp that has been over-worked can end up sore and flaky.

Five minutes is a reasonable target. Ten is pleasant. There is no benefit in grinding away for half an hour, and there is a real risk of irritation.

Both work. Dry massage is convenient and can be done any time, including at a desk. Massage with oil is more comfortable because your fingers glide instead of dragging, and it reduces the friction that dry massage can create between strands.

If your hair tangles easily, oil is the better option. Dry massage on long, fine hair can create a surprising amount of knotting.

• If your scalp is broken, sunburnt, or has open or weeping areas.
• If you have an active, painful scalp condition. Get it looked at first.
• Immediately after a chemical treatment, when the scalp is often sensitised.
• If massage consistently leaves your scalp sore, which usually means the pressure is too high.