SKG Eye Massager Review: Heat, Cooling, and Compression That Actually Help Relieve Headaches

If my family had a crest, it would be a person holding a bottle of painkillers with one hand dramatically draped across their face. We are certified Headache People. So believe me when I say that an SKG eye massager is more than just a gimmick; it’s the difference between suffering and functioning!

SKG makes a lot of different eye massagers. I tested the KS700, which doesn’t appear to be a current model, but the overall experience should transfer to other devices from them. They’re constantly innovating and tweaking their massage devices, which is great, but it can make it a little difficult to pinpoint exactly which model you’re using!

A lot of my headaches come from sinus pain, and I was really nervous that the eye mask would make my sinuses angrier. But the SKG eye massager mask I tried has three different “zones,” and they’re laid out perfectly to ease a headache rather than worsen it. Across the top is a series of nodes that gently roll and press and do the traditional “massage” across your forehead. At each temple are compression modules that press in and provide just the right amount of pressure to ease some of the pain, and under your eyes are hot- and cold-temperature modules.

There’s an adjustable headband to keep it in place, and it’s generally pretty comfortable and easy to adjust to your head size. The model I tested has a window so you can see out while using it if you wish, but I found that it was more pleasant if I kept my eyes closed.

There are several different massage options, and you can rotate through them by tapping the power button. The massager I tested offered “cool compress” mode, “heating and cooling” mode, “vitality” mode, and “soothing” mode. Each has its own pattern and slightly varying time to run, ranging from about 8 minutes to a little over 10.

I found that the second option, “heating and cooling” mode, provided the right mix of pressure, hot and cold rotation, and massaging, all inside of about a 10-minute session. There is a rolling massage across your forehead, the compression at the temples kicks on and off, and the cold-hot-cold rotation never overstays its welcome on any temperature gradient.

You can use the built-in “soothing” music that the massager offers, or you can use Bluetooth to connect to your phone and pick your own playlist. The sound is surprisingly good — it’s not going to win any awards for outstanding audio, but as a tool to provide music that helps you relax, it’s pretty great.

My one complaint about the massager is that it is a little hard on the bridge of your nose. It took me a few sessions to get comfortable with how it sat on my face, and I found that the head strap placement makes a huge difference in how comfortable the whole thing is during a massage session. I also MacGuyver’d it a little bit, and after some trial and error, settled on placing a Band-Aid directly where it sits on the bridge of my nose. That tiny bit of padding makes a huge difference!

The SKG eye massager was fun to play with, but the true test was a few weeks ago. I came home from work late and had felt a headache forming all afternoon. It was one of those days where the headache snuck up on me, and so I hadn’t thought to grab Advil to head it off until I suddenly felt absolutely awful. I made it home, staggered up to my bedroom, turned off all the lights, and put on the SKG eye massager.

Two rounds with the massager, and I was functional enough not to go to bed at 7:30 at night! I still took meds, still took it easy, and still went crazy with my usual tricks of saline, a compression mask while sleeping, and a hot shower. But the SKG eye massager took the edge off the headache to the point where it didn’t lurch from sinus headache to migraine-esque experience.

My only complaint, besides the pressure on the bridge of the nose, is that I wish there were a way to create your own programs as well as the pre-programmed ones. I’d love one that spent more time on the temple pressure points, for example. But despite this drawback, the SKG eye massager is still a tool I keep on hand because it really does help take the edge off a headache! Again, the specific model we had might not be available, but check out their offerings on Amazon; chances are, one of them is exactly what you need!

After several weeks of use, the SKG eye massager proved to be far more than a novelty gadget. The combination of rolling massage, temple compression, and alternating heat and cooling genuinely helps take the edge off sinus pressure and tension headaches. While the fit around the bridge of the nose could be improved, and customizable massage programs would make it even better, the overall experience is surprisingly effective and relaxing. It’s not a replacement for medication or rest, but it’s a genuinely useful tool to have on hand when a headache starts creeping in. For anyone who deals with frequent headaches, it’s worth a look.

SKG Eye Massagers range in price from $59.99 to $99.99; they are available on Amazon.

Source: Manufacturer-provided review sample.

What I liked: Hot/cold system adds an extra layer of pain relief; Differing patterns and zones help target different areas; Helps reduce headaches; The ability to add your own music is a nice touch

What Needs Improvement: It would be nice to design your own massage patterns; The massager can be a little hard on the bridge of your nose; It’s unclear which models are available at any given time