Massage Therapy Benefits for Women
With March celebrating Women’s History Month, we want to pay homage to the wives, mothers, sisters, and all female-identifying persons by discussing the benefits of massage for women’s health.
As a women-owned and operated business, it’s our top priority to educate our current and future clients on the benefits of massage therapy for their physical and mental well-being.
Female bodies undergo changes from girlhood to elder—menstruation, pregnancy, post-pregnancy, and menopause. Besides physiological challenges, women are more likely to experience anxiety and depression due to extreme societal pressures.
Let’s dive into why massage therapy can benefit women’s health!
Top 7 Benefits of Massage Therapy for Women’s Health
You’ve likely heard that massage boosts blood flow, relaxes muscles, improves posture, and alleviates stress. But massage therapy has positive and immediate benefits for women and people with menstrual cycles.
Massage Eases PMS Symptoms
PMS - premenstrual syndrome - refers to the disruptive symptoms that often happen a week or two before menstruation.
During this phase of our monthly cycle, our changing hormone levels lead to a range of health-related issues.
PMS symptoms include:
- Increased anxiety and depression
- Mood swings and irritability
- Cramps
- Headaches and migraines
- Insomnia and fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
- Joint and muscle pain
- Bloating and digestive upset
While the symptom list is long, and women experience this on a sliding scale of severity, massage therapy can help. How? By increasing mood-boosting brain chemicals (e.g., endorphins), relieving stress and anxiety, and reducing cramps and other pains.
Massage Therapy Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Every human feels stress, but according to the American Psychological Association, women experience stress at much higher rates than men. We’re more likely to experience the physical symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression too.
Massage reduces stress by calming our fight-or-flight response (aka our sympathetic nervous system) through the therapeutic touch. Massage can even lower heart rate, calm breathing, decrease stress hormones, and temporarily reduce blood pressure which are common physiological symptoms of stress.
Massage Therapy Relieves Period Cramps
Over 80% of women experience period pain, and nearly 10% experience menstrual pain so strong that it affects their daily life.
One study found that massage therapy reduces menstrual pain, especially for those with endometriosis. This study also found that massage can be more beneficial than over-the-counter painkillers.
Massage Therapy Improves Well-Being During Pregnancy
For those experiencing pregnancy, creating an entire human can be hard on your body. For this reason, some women choose to get regular prenatal massages to boost their health.
Prenatal massages help:
- Decrease back and leg pain
- Improve mood
- Ease depression
- Combat insomnia
When booking a prenatal massage, ensure your massage therapist is trained to work with pregnant clients. Using the correct techniques, they will know how to provide a soothing and safe experience.
Massage Therapy Supports Postpartum Health
So much of a mother’s time is spent caring for their newborn baby, but it’s also vital to incorporate self-care during those first several months. Be sure to get cleared by your OBGYN – typically, three months postpartum is okay – before getting a massage.
Postpartum massage offers plenty of health benefits to new mothers:
- Reduces stress while adjusting to recent life changes
- Supports healthy circulation
- Reduces swelling after birth
- Alleviates muscle tension
- Enhances emotional well-being
Massage Therapy Boosts Well-Being for Older Women
Women begin transitioning into the menopausal stage between the ages of 45 and 55. This stage can last between 7 and 14 years and affects our bodies in many ways and with varying severity.
Menopause causes hot flashes, aches and pains, mood changes, and sleep problems. Massage therapy, especially aromatherapy massage, can help women find some relief from menopause symptoms.
Massage Therapy Improves Sleep
Women are more likely to suffer from insomnia than men due to higher stress levels and hormonal changes. Massage wards off insomnia by increasing serotonin production (the hormone in our brains that produces melatonin), allowing you to fall and stay asleep easier.
Massage Now is Here for Women
At Massage Now, we’re dedicated to showing women that self-care is essential and necessary at all stages of life. Let us know how we can help you – call or schedule an appointment online today!
Facials 101: How They Benefit Your Skin
Facials 101: How They Benefit Your Skin
Facials are relaxing and invigorating services offered by licensed estheticians. Facial services are typically stand-alone treatments that last anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes, but sometimes they’re offered as a combination service with a massage.
At Massage Now, we offer a 60 and 90-minute massage and facial services combo performed by our very own massage therapist and esthetician, Caitlin Andes.
Click here if you’d like to book a massage+facial today.
Read on if you want to learn more about facials, what they do for your skin, and what you need to know before your appointment!
What does a facial do?
A professional facial service is designed to help you relax and improve the skin on your face, neck, and decollete that can help prevent and treat common issues.
Facials can also:
- Boost collagen production
- Remove dead skin cells
- Improve the appearance of fine lines and blemishes
- Clear your pores
- Moisturize and hydrate
The end result? Glowy, healthier, younger-looking skin!
What are some of the different types of facials?
There are tons of different facials out there, each designed for a specific type of skin or concern like:
- Deep cleansing facials
- Acne prevention facials
- Anti-aging facials
- Hydrating facials
- Lymphatic drainage facials
Make sure to speak with your esthetician first to see what they offer and recommend for your skin type.
How should you prepare for a facial?
Here are our best tips to prepare for a facial, especially if this is your first time!
- It’s essential to be knowledgeable about your home skincare so that you can tell your esthetician what you’re using–this helps them avoid using something that may counteract or irritate your skin.
- Skip harsh exfoliating products about four days before your scheduled treatment.
- For men, it’s best not to shave the morning of your facial.
- We recommend rescheduling your facial service if you have a sunburn.
- Leave your jewelry at home
How do you care for your skin after a facial?
After your facial service, some minor post-treatment breakouts and irritation are possible. But these are rare.
Follow the aftercare directions your esthetician gives you following a facial. Sometimes they recommend keeping your skincare to the bare essentials–a gentle wash and moisturizer–for the next few days.
Overall, it’s best to avoid hard cleansers, exfoliates, toners, and scrubbing 48-72 hours after your treatment.
What can you expect during Massage Now’s massage and facial service?
The massage will be the first service that happens. You’ll lay on your front for the massage first, then flip to your back for the rest of the massage. Once the massage is through, the facial service begins.
Here are the steps of our facials:
- Cleansing - Our esthetician will cleanse your face and neck with a gentle cleanser using gentle, moderate strokes, which also serve as a massage! Most of the time, your skin will be prepped during your massage with warm steam.
- Exfoliating - After cleansing, your skin will be treated with a gentle exfoliator. This step helps get rid of dead skin cells and other skin impurities. This will also be washed off before proceeding to the next team.
- Face mask - A hydrating mask will then be placed on your skin using a relaxing silicone brush to ensure full coverage.
- Face massage - Our esthetician will massage your scalp, neck, and decollete while the mask sits.
- Finishing up - After the mask is washed off, the end of the facial service will be a warm towel over your face and then locking in all that incredible moisture with a hydrating lotion.
What’s next?
A facial is a treatment meant to relax and invigorate your skin and can help improve specific skin issues like acne, aging, or dry skin. There are all different types of facials, so be sure to speak with your licensed esthetician for the one that’s right for your skin.
We hope that this blog answered any questions you had regarding facials. If you live in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and you’re looking for the perfect place to schedule a massage and facial service, book an appointment today.