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What Is Indian Head Massage and Its Benefits?

Indian head massage (or champi) belongs to the ayurveda tradition from India and is based on using oils to massage the head and care for the hair.

Because the roots of hair connect to nerves in the scalp, head massage can have many benefits. The massage and oils calm your nervous system as they nourish your hair. The oils used in India were often blended with essential oils or otherwise medicated to provide additional benefits.

What is Indian Head Massage?

Champi focuses on balancing the body's energy system. Specific techniques vary but commonly include:

Circular massage motions on the scalp to improve circulation
Kneading the scalp gently to release tension
Long, soothing strokes along the hair and neck
Pressure point massage on the head, neck, shoulders, and upper back to relieve stress.

Pressure points in ayurvedic massage are called marma points, and they are located along the nadis (energy lines). Marma points are junctions where two or more types of tissue meet. Of the body's 107 marma points, 37 are located on the face and neck. In ayurvedic marma therapy, the head is the most important area of the body, and massaging the head can affect the entire body

Champissage

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In the 1970s, Narendra Mehta, author of Indian Head Massage: Discover the Power of Touch, developed a dry version of champi massage called Champissage™ that combined massage of the face and ears, chakra balancing using color and sound, and scalp massage.

Mehta studied head massage across all the Indian traditions. He concluded that including the face, neck, shoulders, and upper arms and adding chakra balancing greatly enhances the treatment, according to Indian Head Massage in Essence by two of Mehta's students. Mehta introduced Champissage in the United Kingdom in 1981, and its popularity quickly spread around the world.

You sit, fully clothed, in a comfortable chair, and the massage typically takes about 30 minutes. Some therapists massage the scalp and face before going onto to the shoulders and upper back. Others begin by deeply kneading the neck and shoulder muscles and then work with the scalp, squeezing, rubbing, and gently tapping. More information is available at the LCIC International Ayurvedic Centre.

Although Champissage is a dry massage, therapists may optionally apply oils at the end of the massage. Different oils have different properties and may be used for specific purposes. Carrier oils commonly used in ayurveda include almond, coconut, mustard, neem, and sesame, and are selected based on hair type. Essential oils or herbal infusions may also be added to the carrier oils.

Indian Head Massage Benefits

Indian head massage balances the upper three chakras (crown, third eye, and throat) and in the process may have the following benefits:

Improve blood and oxygen flow to and lymphatic drainage in the head and neck
Reduce pain in the head, neck, and shoulders
Relieve tension headaches and reduce the onset of migraines
Lessen eye strain
Relieve sinus issues
Clear the mind, reduce mental strain, and improve focus and concentration
Reduce stress, anxiety, and depression
Improve quality of sleep
Create a balanced feeling of peace and harmony in the body

Like all massage, head massage has contraindications (reasons not to receive massage), including recent head or neck injury, recent surgery, skin conditions or infections on the scalp, and certain medical conditions. Let the practitioner know about your medical conditions.

Other Types of Indian Head Massage

Other types of head massage include four traditional ayurvedic approaches:

Shirobhyanga involves anointing the head with oil and massaging the head, neck, and shoulders.
Shirodara or shirodhara involves pouring warm oil onto the sixth chakra located between the eyebrows. This profoundly affects the nervous system, creating deep relaxation.
Shiropichu applies medicated oils soaked in a sterile cloth or cotton pad to the head.
Shirovasti uses some type of holder, which has an opening at the top, on the head. The holder is filled with warm, medicated oil and left for usually about 30 to 45 minutes. The oil penetrates deeply into the scalp and head, nourishing tissues, calming nerves, and promoting overall relaxation.