I could write the shortest review on record about this "heating heart". Sadly, the powers that be would not be happy. I have decided to write two reviews for your pleasure.

First Review: Read the other 35 plus reviews. Buy this. The end.

Second Review: This is a small soft plastic heart filled with a translucent red liquid. Floating around in the liquid is a small, textured silver disc about the size of a dime but much, much thinner. I do not understand the reason this works, but when you bend the disc--WHOOSH!!! The red liquid immediately turns milky and the heart warms up. Amazing. I wanted to do it over and over just to watch the magic! As the heart heats up it is necessary to squeeze and release, squeeze and release so that the heart will stay pliable. If you've ever kneaded bread dough that is similar to what you'll be doing to your heart.

Detailed instructions for use/reuse are clearly printed on the small box that contains the heart. As you have probably read in other reviews, find the disc floating in the heart (very easy) and bend the small disc (easy). Somehow, this causes the liquid to crystallize and heat right up. Knead the heart to soften the contents in the plastic. The entire process takes under 30 seconds. If you have sharp nails or piercings, proceed with caution because it would be easy to tear the soft plastic.

Over a period of 30 minutes or so, the heart will begin to lose its heat and the hardness will increase. It is necessary to squeeze it periodically during use to keep it flexible. If you are using this as a massage aid, you will be able to alternate the pressure as you move this around and that will ensure that the heart remains flexible.

When the heart is cooled down, or you are done with using it, you can store it away, as is, or prepare it so that it will be ready for the next use. To get it ready for the next use, the instructions are to place a towel in the bottom of a pan that you filled with water. Place the heart in the water and bring it to a boil. Continue to boil it for 10 minutes, watching carefully that the water does not boil away and that the heart does not come in direct contact with the pan. You don't want to melt your heart! You can store it at this point or reuse at this point, The only caveat is to be very careful--you have a pan of boiling water and a heart that has been boiled for 10 minutes. It will be hot! If you are going to reuse it, let the heart cool off until it reaches a comfortable temperature. The instructions suggest handling the hot heart with tongs. Then, start again by bending the silver disc and kneading as it warms up.

The box does not indicate how many times you will be able to use this. The only reference to reusing it is, "...it's re-useable over and over again..." I have used it three times. Once for a relaxing back massage and twice as a heating pad for my lower back. I'll try to count how often I use it and let you know in my follow-up.

These hearts are easy to clean. I just wipe them with a wet cloth before use. They are always boiled at some point after each use, so that takes care of most germs. You can store these anyplace, just make sure they do not come in contact with sharp object.

These are worthy of 5 stars but since they fail as a massager I must regretfully dock a star.

I bought four red hearts. Pink and purple are also available, but out of stock. The first time I used the heart, I prepared only one heart and used it to give my partner a back rub to relax her muscles. We do give each other rub downs now and then, but have never used anything other than some lotion or oil. I lightly massaged some lotion into her skin and then switched to using the heart. Although there is a strong scent to the plastic, it is only noticeable if you intentionally place it near your nose and sniff. It glided smoothly and had no drag, but neither of us were very impressed with using it for a massage. There is a sharp seam along the perimeter of the heart and I found it difficult to make sure that I did not scratch her. I did scratch her a couple of times, so I stopped using the heart to massage her.

When I used the hearts as a heating pad, it was much more successful. I used three hearts set as a triangle on my lower back. I lay on the bed with my back face up. We prepared the 3 remaining hearts and my partner placed them on my back. They felt a little too hot so my GF placed a small towel between me and the hearts.

As a child, I fell off a horse and have had back pain on and off ever since. I really liked the hearts and got some nice relief. The heating pad I have has a very short cord so I am limited to where I can use it--I need to be near a socket. The hearts are more portable, don't have a cord and don't need electricity. The down side to using the hearts "on the road" is that you probably won't be able to use them easily, if at all. Store them and when you get home you can prep them for the next time.

Something I want to suggest, which worked very well for us, is when you are using these to relax muscles, wet a towel and ring it out, leaving it damp, but not too dry. Place the moist towel between you and the heart and it will feel so nice. It feels both healing and relaxing. The moisture must help the heat go deeper through the tissue to the muscles. I highly recommend this method.

These are really helpful for my lower back. I use three of them almost every day--especially when I get home from work or even a night out of fun. Using a moist towel with these seems to work the best for me.