Effects of Scalp Massage on Physiological and Psychological Indices

    January 2013 in “ Journal of S C C J ”
    Kunio Shimada, Mamoru Tsuchida, Hideo Ohnishi, Hiroko Nakano, Shun-ichi Daito
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    TLDR Scalp massage reduces stress, increases relaxation, and improves blood circulation.
    In a study from 2013 involving 30 healthy female adults aged between 28 and 58 years, scalp massage was shown to significantly reduce cortisol levels in saliva from 3.27±2.84 ng/mL to 1.37±0.98 ng/mL and increase secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) levels from 21.6±13.3 µg/mL to 110.2±45.1 µg/mL. Participants also reported feeling less physically fatigued and more relaxed, as measured by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and experienced a reduction in negative mood states according to the Profile of Mood States-Short Form (POMS-SF). The study concluded that scalp massage effectively reduces stress and enhances comfort, with an observed increase in skin temperature across the forehead, cheeks, and palms indicating improved blood circulation.
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