Scalp Popping Hair Cracking

2020Viral challenge / body tricksemi-active

Published March 30, 2026

Also known as: Hair Cracking · Hair Popping · Scalp Cracking

Scalp popping (also called hair cracking) is the practice of twisting a small section of hair near the root and yanking it upward to produce a loud popping sound, similar to cracking your knuckles. The technique went viral on TikTok in late November 2020 after user erikabretado shared a video of her mother performing it as a headache remedy4. Despite claims that it relieves tension and migraines, medical professionals have repeatedly warned that scalp popping can cause hair loss, bleeding, and serious scalp injuries1.

body cracking memestiktok memesdangerous challenge memesasmr memeshealth trend memes

Overview

Scalp popping is performed by grabbing a small section of hair close to the scalp, winding it tightly around the fingers, and pulling upward with a quick tug. When done with enough force, the scalp produces an audible pop or crack. The sound is believed to come from the galea (a layer of tissue on the scalp) separating from the periosteum, the membrane covering the skull bone1. Others speculate it's the snapping of fascia release, similar to the sensation felt during deep tissue massage3.

The practice drew both fascination and horror online. Some viewers found the cracking sound deeply satisfying, placing it in the same category as knuckle cracking and ASMR content2. Others recoiled at the idea of yanking hair hard enough to pop the scalp. The hashtag #ScalpPopping collected over 6.5 million views on TikTok3.

Origin & Background

Platform
TikTok
Key People
erikabretado, Yana Semerly
Date
2020

The roots of scalp popping predate TikTok by a long stretch. A 2014 research paper in *Medical Anthropology Quarterly* documented a practice called "Chucaque" in the Peruvian Andes, where locals used a similar hair-pulling technique to treat headaches believed to be caused by sun exposure or stress2. The technique is also practiced in Turkish and Indian barbershops as part of a post-haircut head massage4.

On Reddit, a July 4, 2020 post to r/Esthetics described a user's experience at an Asian full-service salon where a stylist performed the hair cracking technique on them4. Commenters suggested the sensation was related to fascia release, comparing it to massage therapy techniques3.

One of the earliest videos of scalp popping appeared on YouTube on August 4, 2016, picking up over 120,000 views across four years4. A separate video of a barber performing the technique uploaded on October 12, 2019 reached over 369,000 views4.

The TikTok trend kicked off on November 21, 2020, when erikabretado posted a video of her mother popping her scalp, captioned "My mom's own Mexican Remedy for headaches"4. That clip pulled in over 1.8 million views within two weeks.

How It Spread

Five days after erikabretado's video, TikTok user Yana Semerly (yanasemerly) uploaded her own version on November 26, 2020, directly crediting erikabretado as inspiration4. Semerly's video hit over 5 million views in a single week2. On November 28, gizzybautista added another entry to the trend, racking up 925,000 views in six days4.

By early December, the media picked up the story. Health.com published an article on December 2, 2020 featuring a licensed massage therapist who backed the Mexican origin claim but cautioned that pulling hair incorrectly could result in pain and hair loss4. PopBuzz3 and The Daily Dot1 both ran pieces the following day, December 3.

The trend resurfaced periodically. In 2021, Dr. Ross Perry told Newsweek that scalp popping "should never be attempted at home or in a salon," warning it could cause subgaleal hematoma, a dangerous pooling of blood under the scalp1. In 2023, neurosurgeon Dr. Betsy Grunch posted a TikTok response explaining that the practice could cause alopecia and scalp inflammation, which might actually worsen migraines rather than relieve them1.

ASMR creators also embraced the trend, filming close-up scalp popping videos with high-quality microphones to capture the cracking sounds1. The crossover between body-cracking content and ASMR gave the trend extra staying power beyond the initial wave.

At some point, TikTok began displaying a safety warning when users searched for "hair cracking," "scalp popping," or related hashtags1. The platform typically deploys these warnings for challenges that encourage potentially harmful behaviors, putting scalp popping in the same category as the Benadryl and Blackout challenges1.

How to Use This Meme

Scalp popping isn't a meme template but a physical technique that people film and share. The typical video format involves:

1

One person sits while a friend or family member stands behind them

2

The person performing it grabs a small section of hair close to the roots

3

They twist the hair tightly around their fingers

4

They pull the twisted hair upward with a quick, firm tug

5

An audible pop or crack is heard, often met with a reaction from both parties

Cultural Impact

The trend sparked a minor debate about cultural origins. Multiple claims circulated online attributing scalp popping to Mexican, Turkish, Asian, and Peruvian traditions4. While little verifiable documentation exists for most of these claims, the 2014 academic paper on Chucaque in Peru provides the strongest documented link to a traditional healing practice2.

The medical community responded more aggressively to scalp popping than to many TikTok trends. At least three doctors produced public video responses warning about the risks, and TikTok's decision to suppress search results for the practice signaled that the platform considered it a genuine safety concern1.

Fun Facts

The popping sound may be caused by the skin separating from the skull, creating a vacuum effect "like pulling a suction cup off the shower wall," according to a massage therapist quoted by Health.com4.

An alternative theory suggests the sound comes from fascia release, the snapping of thin membranes surrounding muscles beneath the scalp3.

Turkish and Indian barbers have offered hair cracking as a routine part of post-haircut massages long before TikTok existed2.

Blogger Bev Potter tried it and described "a wave of relaxation cascade from the top of my head down my body" but cautioned about the potential harm2.

Frequently Asked Questions