What is Scalp Popping? Should You Try It?

Young woman shows her gray hair roots
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Life is all about taking careful risks. By deciding to do nothing and sit on the couch you’re still taking a risk. Risk is good when it’s a calculated risk.

However, many people around the world have been known to take stupid risks. And with the advent of social media sites like Snapchat and TikTok, those seeking attention for their ridiculous acts can go viral within minutes, gaining several thousand followers in the process.

One such risky trend that has gone viral on TikTok is scalp popping. So, what is scalp popping?

Read on to find out why this trend is something you definitely don’t want to risk.


Contents

What is Scalp Popping?

Scalp popping is a TikTok challenge that saw many young people doing something with their body that may look funny and harmless, but that has the potential to cause serious injury to the scalp, as well as hair loss.

Scalp popping is a TikTok challenge that saw many young people doing something with their body that may look funny and harmless, but that has the potential to cause serious injury to the scalp, as well as hair loss.

The challenge started gaining popularity at the end of 2021 when TikToker @yanasemerly posted a video of herself and her friend grabbing her hair, twisting it, and then pulling it so hard that it made a loud popping sound.

And hence, a new challenge was born.  

And although many people posted similar videos of themselves doing the challenge, apparently with no ill effects, this isn’t something that you should be doing to the delicate area of your scalp.

Hair loss is just the tip of the iceberg that can happen as a result.


The Issue With The Tissue

If, for example, you try this trend and your hair is pulled too hard or it is twisted in the wrong way, then there’s a big risk that you will damage the skin covering your scalp.

And while this may not seem like such a big thing, it can be very serious.

This is because the soft sheet of fibrous tissue that connects your scalp and extends over your skull, which is called the galea aponeurotica, contains blood vessels that have the potential to break.

If this happens, the blood that’s released can drain and bleed into your eyelids.

It’s a great look, trust us.

Internal bleeding such as this can then cause further damage to your body, such as extreme pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, and an unregulated heart rate, among other things like shock and death of the tissue infected — and that’s not cute.

So, as you can see, the scalp popping challenge isn’t a trend you want to be doing with your friends to create a funny noise. Especially since it also has the potential of causing internal bleeding that can build up in your eyelids.

It also has the potential of causing internal bleeding that can build up in your eyelids.

Just don’t do it!


Other Popular TikTok Trends to Avoid

Other ridiculous TikTok trends that have shown just how risky people can be when they don’t use their brains to think out the risk properly.

And although these scenarios might seem funny at first, following such a trend can cause some real damage to your body.

The Baby Swing challenge

The challenge here involved people getting stuck in the children’s swings at the playground. Many of them had to be rescued by emergency medical services and firefighters, who quite frankly, have much better things to do with their time like rescuing people from fires and saving lives.

The Dry Scoop Challenge

This involved people eating a dry scoop of protein powder, which is usually mixed with water and drunk as a shake before or after exercise.

However, consuming the powder on its own will cause you to choke, and even saw one challenger end up in hospital after suffering a heart attack for her idiotic attempt.

The Gorilla Glue Challenge

A woman called Tessica Brown became viral famous when she used Gorilla Glue to lay down her edges when she ran out of the product she normally used.

The result?

Her hair was stuck to her skin for more than a month.

Another guy went viral after ending up in a hospital emergency room having to have a cup removed from his face that he had adhered to it using Gorilla Glue.

Don’t try this with Krazy glue and fake nails, either!


Final Words on Scalp Popping

So yes, life is all about taking risks. However, something like trying a new recipe you’ve never cooked before, hitting a tanning bed, or even booking that skydive you’ve been wanting to do will all give you more satisfaction and than risking your health because of a stupid TikTok challenge like scalp popping.

META DESCRIPTION: If you’ve been wondering what is scalp popping, then we’ve got the answer for you. Click here to find out why you should never try to do this viral craze.


Written by Kayla Young

Kayla is the founder of LuxeLuminous. She has worked professionally in the tanning industry for years. She has been interested in esthetics since childhood, and has tried every hair, skin, and makeup product ever produced (more or less).