Asian J Beauty Cosmetol. 2012; 10(4): 773-781.
Effects of Back and Face Massage on Changes in Sebum, Moisture and Skin Condition in Middle-aged Women
ABSTRACT
The present study aimed to find out the effects of different approaches of Swedish massage on sebum, moisture
and facial skin condition changes in 24 middle-aged women (back and face massage group: 12, back massage
group: 12). For the purpose of analyzing differences between groups and depending on timing, the paired t-test
was used. To sum up, the analysis found the following. In terms of the changes in the sebum U-zone, the sebum
decreased by 49.09% in the back and face massage group, whilst it increased by 76.53% in the back massage
group after the massage treatment. In the sebum T zone, the sebum decreased by 9.89% in the back and face
massage group whereas it increased by 19.84% in the back massage group after the massage treatment. There
were differences in mean values in both groups after the massage treatment for the sebum U-zone and T-zone
with no statistical significance (p>.05). As for the changes in the moisture U zone, the moisture increased by
2.47% in the back and face massage group after the massage treatment with no statistical significance (p>.05),
whereas it increased by 6.07% in the back massage group, which was statistically significant. The moisture in
the moisture T-zone increased by 2.64% in the back and face massage group after the massage treatment,
which was not statistically significant (p<.05), whereas it increased by 10.17% in the back massage group, which
was statistically significant. In respect of changes in skin condition after the massage treatment, the back and
face massage group showed decreases in hair follicles (2.45%), roughness (42.37%), keratin (52.48%), wrinkles
(0.92%), pigmentation (25.06%) and skin elasticity (12.87%). Notably, nothing but changes in roughness and
pigmentation was statistically significant (p<.05). In the back massage group, the massage treatment decreased
hair follicles (1.12%), roughness (12.68%), keratin (52.70%), wrinkles (3.37%) and pigmentation (16.23%), while
increasing the skin elasticity by 12.64%, which was not statistically significant (p>.05).
Keywords :
Middle Age, Back Massage, Sebum, Moisture, Pigmentation, Facial skin
