A new wellness fad is raking in business in the Miami area: paying someone to lightly scratch your back, scalp and arms for pure relaxation.
"I think it's a very weird thing," Tomi Lahren said on Outnumbered on Aug. 29 in response to the trend.
"I guess good for them for making a business out of it, but why am I not surprised that something like this has gone viral on TikTok?"
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The family-run Scratcher Girls brand bills itself as purveyors of "professional back scratching," operating a studio in Miami Gardens and a weekend booth at Hollywood’s Yellow Green Farmers Market.
Based in Miami, the service offers relaxation in the form of arm, back and scalp scratching. (iStock)
The company calls itself the first of its kind and says clients come for "mood-enhancing scratch therapy."
Online booking shows pricing at $74.99 for 30 minutes and $129.99 for an hour; couples sessions run higher. Clients are asked to arrive clean, and staff can do a scalp check if "hair play" is requested.
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The Scratcher Girls, the company behind the viral wellness trend, charge $75 to $130 for professional scratch therapy sessions. (Fox News)
"I think the criminal attorney in me just sees this as like, DNA transfer, and a whole lot of opportunity for other stuff," Emily Compagno joked as the hosts discussed their hesitation.
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Part of the surge in popularity comes from social media. Scratcher Girls’ ASMR-style TikTok clips have pushed the niche service into the mainstream, sparking hundreds of thousands of followers and millions of likes, and turning the simple act of a soothing scratch into viral content.
Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a "previously unstudied sensory phenomenon," according to the National Institute of Health, in which individuals experience a tingling, static-like sensation in response to specific audio and visual stimuli.
"I will say, my boys, they have my mom scratch their back … they love it … they melt, they fall asleep," co-host Tiffany Smiley added as an example of the appeal.
Part of the surge in popularity comes from social media, as Scratcher Girls’ ASMR-style TikTok clips have garnered millions of likes. (iStock)
"There is science that backs the dopamine release and what it does to, you know, your mental health and your relaxation," she added.
Scratcher Girls, for its part, has leaned into demand with a summer tour schedule and regular market pop-ups, allowing people to "try before you buy."
The brand’s site touts "over 20 years of experience" and a mission built on gentle, calming touch.
"I think the only people who should be scratching your back are your partner, your loved one, your parent — I don't think that's for anybody else to do," Lahren said.