... but when I go to the hairdresser I do not want a head massage!

[frankie3]

I went to the hairdressers yesterday and while washing my hair they put the conditioner on and then started a very slow, intense head massage. I was not in the mood for this! And I am not into massage anyway. I felt that I could not ask her to stop as that would have been insulting to her.

....urgh makes me feel all shivery to think of it.

Or am I unusual to not like this?

Sounds horrible, i'd hate this! I hate people touching me like that, hand massage, face massage, any massage! Yuck!

I've only had my hair washed at the hairdressers once ever though, my friend cuts my hair and i go to hers with freshly washed wet hair so she doesnt have to do it.

Agree. I find it excruciating ;-( I hate any massage tbh (at least when delivered by a stranger!). The salon I go to nowadays will ask beforehand, so I just say No Thanks. Several times they have said I am the first person to ever refuse! If they just started without asking I'd be too embarrassed to tell them to stop too, although I don't think that's rational. They probably couldn't care less. Anyway, you are not alone!

What drives me NUTS is the chat.

The. Sheer. Inane. Shallow. Chat.

I've been to dozens of different hairdressers and can't understand how they lack the basic skill of reading a social cue and understand I don't want to talk.

Massage stimulates blood flow which helps keep your scalp healthy. For anyone insisting on no drying, you're ruining the end of the haircut as the hairdresser can't check it is all definitely lying properly and no wee bits that will need tidied once it is styled.

"Please do not massage my head, I find that very uncomfortable."

Not insulting to her. Not difficult to say.

YANBU, that's why I get a mobile hairdresser to dry cut my hair at home. There's no crappy conditioner, no uncomfortable sink, no head massage, no blow drying, limited small talk and it's much cheaper than a salon.

God, the head massage is the best part of the otherwise very tedious process! I loveeeeee it. Can’t stand having my back massages though.

Er.. ..this thread was in 2010!

No I don’t I think they should ask first so I’m just going to say I don’t want one now as I’m not too sure if they may have to train or something
May be wrong

I'll have yours!!!

OMG!!!

ZOMBIE!!!

I HATE all that feathery strokey bollocks just fecking wash it will you. Wash it, cut it, preferably in silence.

I'd honestly rather go to the dentist than the hairdressers.

It's been standard at every hairdressers I have been to? I love it - best part of the whole thing.

I am asked first and say no. It’s awful not to ask you first.

Just had my hair cut today and my lovely hairdresser always does a head massage with lovely smelling oils at the chair before you get it washed and then the bonus ball, you have a short second massage during the conditioning stage.
BLISS.

Oh fuck I've been ZOMBIED! My New Year's Resolution was to look at the date of the opening post too. Hangs head (unmassaged) in shame.

Not to worry fourquenelles, it's an interesting thread.
I like the head massage but unfortunately my scalp objects strongly to having conditioner massaged into it, so I just say "No massage, thanks" when they're about to put the conditioner on.

I was never all that bothered about the massagey hair wash but then I started going to a different place when I move and found the joy that is having your hair washed by a man. Big, strong hands is so much better than women's hands! Now it's definitely the best bit!

I really hate going to the hairdressers. It's so bloody noisy! They are echo chambers of hell - hairdryers, people shouting over the top of them, music, news channel on telly, more echo, more shouty people chattering about holidays and hairdressers asking if they are going out that night, more chatter, more noise and a major stress for me and total sensory overload. Absolutely the only thing that chills/calms me down and stops me from running the hell out of there is the head massage and the heated massage chair.

I hate the head massage bit too.
If I let them do it it's usually to firm & hurts and the often pull my hair while doing it.

I love the head massage its the best bit for me

WHY
Don't you say before hand that you don't like it - don't make an issue of it just mention it
Most hairdressers would be very pleased to hear this as it takes up less of their time.

There was one salon I used go to where they did head massages, but not only that, they shared a building with a beauty therapist and if she was free she’d come into the hair salon and give hand massages either while you were getting hair washed or while you were in front of the mirror. I fucking hated it. I don’t like strangers touching me and especially touching my hands. Ugh.

I would not mind the head massage if my hair was actually washed properly, but the back of my head, low down near the neck is rarely touched.

Really don't see what the problem is, just say you don't want one.
How is it insulting?

They generally ask first in my hairdressers. I can usually tell by the time I've been shampooed whether I'll say yes to the 'would you like a head massage?'. Some of them feel like they're grinding into my skull which is an instant no thanks from me