I've got the Shemala Finger & Thumb set, and while I haven't worked with them extensively yet, my massage therapy mentor (who's been in the biz 15 years and still going strong!) swears by them. No shame in saving your thumbs...

They're easy to hold and they deliver strong pressure, but the plastic is soft enough that apparently folks don't even know you're using it -- it feels a lot like a regular finger. :)

Down side? They look kinda kinky... lol...

massageproducts.com/

As a follow up, the Hand-l tool mentioned in my post above is excellent, especially for the neck and shoulder area of the body. My clients says it feels like a finger or thumb, so they can not really tell when I am actually using it, and it does allow for more direct pressure, ideal for TP therapy.

I sold my trigger point manuals. Why? Because it's an outdated model.

Where you find a trigger point you find a body with a necessity to have a trigger point. There is no dysfunction or compensation that is not there due to necessity. The only way to really change the trigger points is to change the necessity. That rarely includes manual work directly on the trigger points, especially ones that are active (the pain is almost never where the problem is). It typically involves new movement patterns being learned and stress management methods being applied.

Putting a client into pain or even discomfort is counter productive, there is no reason to assume that pain, even subtle pain, is a good thing. The only time my clients experience any pain in relation to my work is when one pain is alleviated and another pain that has been gated becomes apparent.

Softer is deeper, no need to tear or strip tissue as it tends to change of it's own accord when you give it the right input and feedback.

So the main drawback to tools is that you lose a ton of sensitivity when you use them. The main factor in changing tissue without damaging it is in sensitivity itself. Try simply becoming aware of the shape of a trigger point, that tends to do the trick.