Physiological and psychological effectiveness of facial massage in women: A randomized crossover trial

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of facial massage, as a nursing technique, in alleviating stress in healthy women using physiological and psychological indicators. Methods: A crossover design was employed; participants were 22 healthy females between the ages of 20 and 22. Participants were assigned to Sequence 1, wherein they received a 3-minute facial massage in Period I and 3-minute rest in Period II, or Sequence 2, which employed the reverse order. Participants' blood pressure (BP), pulse rate, salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), Profile of Mood States (POMS), "Relaxation level," "Comfort level," and "Wakefulness level," as measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), were assessed before and after the facial massage or resting intervention. Results: Between the two groups, changes in systolic BP increased in the facial massage group, but there was no difference in pulse and sAA. While there was no difference between the two groups in the POMS, VAS scores revealed an increase in the "Relaxation level" and "Comfort level" in the facial massage group. Facial massage participants reported feeling "refreshed," whereas the control group reported feeling "sleepy." Conclusions: The 3-minute facial massage increased relaxation with respect to psychological measures; however, BP change could not explain stress reduction. (This study was enrolled in the UMIN as an intervention study and as a prospective randomized crossover trial. The trial registration number is UMIN000033939.)