T&C Tried & True: This Facial Massager Has Been a Godsend for My TMD Pain

Here at T&C, we pride ourselves on our discerning eye for quality. With Tried & True, our editors will give you an inside look at the pieces they simply cannot live without.

For those of you who live comfortably without nagging jaw pain 24 hours a day, seven days a week, consider yourself lucky. I, however, am one of the millions who has suffered with incessant discomfort and tenderness around my jaw area for the better half of 15 years. It doesn’t help that I am naturally high-strung and often stressed out. Relax? I wouldn’t know where to start.

Since I first began experiencing tension in the lower half of my face, I’ve uncovered various methods and tools that have made my TMD at least more tolerable, like sleeping with a special night guard every night, avoiding chewy foods like gum and sandwiches, self-buccal-massage, and using my favorite hot stone massager to soothe tension. But what my routine was truly always missing was a percussive device designed specifically for this issue.

Enter: Therabody’s new ThermaFace Massage. It’s essentially a smaller, less-powerful version of the brand’s beloved massage guns, but safe for the face and neck area. In other words, an absolute game-changer for fellow TMD sufferers or anyone who just needs to chill out.

Now for those familiar with Therabody’s tools, specifically the brand’s TheraFace Pro, you might be wondering what makes this difference. The ThermaFace Massage was simply made for facial tension, whereas the TheraFace Pro is multitasking device that also treats several skincare concerns with the addition of LED therapy, microcurrent, and a cleansing head.

The ThermaFace comes with four different heads, each designed for specific tension points, with three power settings. The heated percussive massage attachment, my favorite, helps melt away jaw and neck tension with the addition of heat; the dampener offers gentle massage and is great for all-over use; the wedge, which has a bit more of a pointed design, is ideal for sweeping movements across the face and neck; and finally, the cone targets tension in smaller areas of the face, like around the eyes and nasolabial folds.

Before I even had a chance to try it, I knew the facial massager would be key in my routine just by looking at it and hearing the concept. I think anyone who also deals with persistent jaw pain can agree, because all we really crave is a deep massage to relieve discomfort whenever we want. But now that I’ve put it to use over the last month, I can attest to its benefits. It’s the perfect morning treatment after a night of clenching in my sleep but is also just as effective post-work when I am sitting on my sofa and want to relax. I was recommended to use the tool three minutes per day on each side, and it takes everything out of me not to use it longer. The heated head feels so good hammering against my jaw. The more I’ve used it, the more I’ve noticed the relief. I’ve found it’s great for travel, too, as I naturally tense up when I am on a plane. It’s like a little masseuse in the palm of my hands. Gosh, I love this thing. And the fact that it’s ridiculously easy to use too makes the device even more desirable.

Therabody also offers customized tailored routines through its app, which is great and helpful, but if I am being honest, I much prefer to follow my own routine without staring at my phone. Personally, it’s just one less step in my already jam-packed beauty routine.

If you’ve also been struggling with jaw pain and tension headaches and looking for an at-home solution, the ThermaFace Massage is an absolute must-have in your routine.

Sophie Dweck is the Shopping Editor for Town & Country, where she covers all things fashion, beauty and lifestyle, shares her expertise on the most worthwhile luxury products, tests and writes in-depth reviews on the very best essentials worth investing in, as well breaking news about the latest launches, and of course, reports on the biggest sales and deals to shop no matter the day. Some of her favorite items to date are Gwyneth Paltrow's ski trial cardigan, the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser, and ZIIP’s microcurrent device. When Sophie isn't testing state-of-the art beauty tech or breaking down TikTok aesthetics, she loves indulging in BonBon sweets (Sorbisars, for the win!) and finding the next trend before it goes viral.

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