Effects of massage on the skin

Massage enhances the skin condition by improving the function of the sebaceous and sweat glands, which keep the skin lubricated, clean, and cool.  Massage helps you have healthy skin.  Massage is exercise for your skin. It works to skin improve blood circulation and relieve stress.  With age blood circulation diminishes. When blood circulation is improved with massage, sufficient oxygen and nutrients are transported to create a healthy epidermis and dermis. When it is remembered that the skin is an organ of respiration as well as perspiration, its increased activity must be regarded as one of the most valuable effects of massage.  It is also noticeable that massage of the skin increases its power to automatically react and so gives it increased ability to defend itself against changes in temperature, weather changes, etc.

Effects of massage on the skeleton.

Massage is capable of influencing such hard structures as the bones, ligaments, and cartilages.  A bone has essentially the same blood supply as its overlying muscles. It is for this reason that the same exercise, which causes increase in the size of a muscle, at the same time, encourages growth in the bone to which the muscle is attached. The bones and joints of people who are addicted to exercise are decidedly larger than those of people who do not use their muscles in excessive exercise. This is especially noticeable in comparing the large, strong hand and knotty knuckles of the man who performs hard labour everyday with the frail and straight, slender fingers of the man who works in an office.  It is known that the red matter of the bones is the blood forming tissue of the body. This gives a new importance to massage, since the acceleration of the circulation of blood through the muscles must improve the nutrition of the bones as well as of the muscles, consequently the blood-making processes are influenced both as regards the quantity of the blood produced and its quality.

Effects of massage on muscles

The blood supply to the muscle is increased during massage bringing fresh oxygen and nutrients and removing waste products such as lactic acid, so massage can help alleviate muscle fatigue.  The muscle is warmed because of the increased blood flow and, because warm muscles contract more efficiently that when cold, the likelihood of injury is reduced.  Massage helps to relieve pain, stiffness and fatigue in muscles as the waste products are removed and normal functioning is quickly restored.  The increased oxygen and nutrients aid tissue repair and recovery of the muscle.
Massage can help the breakdown of fibrositic nodules, also called knots, which develop in a muscle because of tension, injury or poor posture.  They are most commonly found in the shoulder area.  Massage helps to increase the tone of the muscles and delays any wasting away of muscles through lack of use.

Effects of massage on the hair

When massage is repeated on a regular basis, it will help to actually strengthen the roots of the hair, which will help hair growth.  Moisturized hair is less likely to split and break, which is a wonderful benefit.  Massage adds natural lustre and shine to the hair.  Regular massage can help protect hair from environmental toxins and other weather conditions by helping to strengthen the follicles.  In some cases, massage can slow hair loss conditions.  It can be combined with deep breathing for even deeper results.  In some cases, regular massage with appropriate essential oils can help to slow the onset of white or grey strands.

Taken from the online accredited course on “Learn Indian Head Massage”

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