아로마 요법과 두피경락마사지가 중년여성의 탈모와 두피개선에 미치는 효과에 관한 연구

Abstract

Female population between the ages of 40 and 60 years in Korea has long been over 5 million. Menopause usually occurs between the ages of 48 and 55, but undesirable circumstances such as early menopause and hair loss, are becoming frequent due to changes in the diet, increase in instant food consumption, and stress. When humans are stressed, problems occur in the transition layer between the basal layer and cornified layer of the scalp; such problems may also occur due to environmental and genetic factors, including abnormalities in the sebaceous gland or nutritional imbalance. Systematic meridian massage of the scalp stimulates the scalp surface, connected meridian, and meridian points, and directly stimulates the nervous system of the area, leading to muscle relaxation, increased circulation, and appropriate changes in blood pressure, heartbeat, muscular stiffness, skin temperature, and skin moisture. Further, the control of sebum excretion by scalp meridian massage affects the clarity of skin pores, changes in pore size, hair health during adolescence that eventually affects changes in hair loss. An experiment involving aromatherapy with essential oil blends and scalp meridian massage by using meridians and acupoints was performed after a 5-month data collection period, from May to October 2012. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS Win 15.0, and the general characteristics were described using descriptive statistics, including real numbers, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Appropriate frequency and regression analyses were used, and the results were as follows.

1. When the level of satisfaction on scalp condition according to general characteristics was compared, a significant difference was observed in only the level of education, with high school graduates showing 3.96 and university graduates showing 3.71 (t = 2.586, p = 0.013).

2. When the level of satisfaction on scalp care after a healthy diet and aromatherapy was compared, the level of satisfaction was higher when sleeping time increased (t = -2.664, p = 0.011) and in meat-eaters than in vegetarians (t = 5.019, p = 0.004).

3. The level of satisfaction on scalp condition after a scalp and hair meridian massage did not affect the level of physical stress (t = -0.110, p = -1.429). In addition, the combination of aromatherapy and scalp meridian massage did not affect the level of physical stress (t = -1.429, p = 0.159).

4. The level of satisfaction on scalp condition after a scalp and hair meridian massage did not affect the level of emotional stress (t = 0.996, p = 0.324). However, the combination of aromatherapy and scalp meridian massage significantly affected emotional stress (t = -3.667, p = 0.001).

This study shows the methods for maintaining healthy scalp through healthy hair management, which makes humans healthier and more valuable, considering that in today’s world, especially among middle-aged women, hair-related problems, such as hair damage, dandruff, hair loss, are due to stress, anxiety, and depression experienced at work, home, and social communities. Further, it shows that aroma therapy, a psychological therapy technique, can help relieves stress and improve mental and physical homeostasis, and that systematic scalp meridian massage scan result in effective hair health management, thus, improving the lives of middle-aged women.