5 Skin Conditions Foot Reflexology Can Help

Beauty Benefits Of Foot Reflexology
I never understood why my husband loves foot reflexology. Just the thought of it would cause me to cringe with fear as the few sessions I’d experienced in Singapore were awfully painful and highly distressing. Maybe I simply didn’t know how to enjoy having my feet pampered (if you can even call it that) or I have no threshold for pain where my feet is concerned.

However, since last December, my feet have been aching considerably. It’s probably due to the excessive walking during my last holiday. I thought the pain would go away but it never did and it became painful to walk or even stand for too long. That was when I thought I needed some help and naturally, foot reflexology came to my mind.

Oddly, as I began to think of how foot reflexology was going to elevate some of my pain, I was no longer fearful and was even looking forward to having my feet rubbed and kneaded. Maybe the pain and aches got to my head? Anyway, my husband was very pleased when I suggested to get a foot reflexology together. In the past, I would go with him but never as a customer.

It took us two weekends before we could get our slots at Kensington Foot Reflexology in Kovan. I was bracing myself for a painful session but surprisingly, it turned out so much better than expected. In fact, it reminded me of the wonderful foot massages I’d in Bangkok, where the pressure was just right. I felt the pain at many points but the pain was actually enjoyable. o.O I finally understood what it means when some people say, “It hurts so bad, it’s so good!” LOL.

What is foot reflexology?
For those new to foot reflexology and have no idea what it is, here’s a definition of it taken from the web:

Foot reflexology is the application of appropriate pressure to specific points and areas on the feet. Reflexologists believe that these areas and reflex points correspond to different body organs and systems, and that pressing them has a beneficial effect on the organs and person’s general health.

Most people I know go for a foot reflexology session to relieve their feet of pain or aches. You can say it’s a bit of a feet pampering session. But some people take foot reflexology more seriously and deem it effective to help health concerns including anxiety, asthma, cancer treatment, cardiovascular issues, diabetes, headaches, kidney function, PMS, sinusitis and overall stress relief.

As most of skin problems are caused due to malfunction of internal organs, I thought that foot reflexology might help as it’ll stimulate and improve the function of the organs. At the basic level, foot reflexology will increase the blood flow and circulation of oxygen in the body. It will also help in removing waste material from the body which will result in better skin.

foot-reflexology

(Source of chart image.)

Interestingly, I came across information on how foot reflexology can improve various skin conditions from a book titled, Reflexology Research: Anatomy of a Reflexology Research Study by Bill Flocco. Here are some ways foot reflexology can help along with some research data:

1. Foot reflexology relieves acne
Most acne arise out of an internal balance. Apparently, foot reflexology can help.

Case study: In a study, 38 patients both male and female, 18 -29 yrs old, who had acne for 15 yrs, were treated with 10 sessions of foot reflexology 30-40 minutes a day. The adrenal gland, kidney, ureter, urinary bladder, pituitary gland, thyroid, parathyroid gland, genital gland, ovary, liver, lung, brain, face, pineal body, stomach, intestine, lymph of upper and lower body, neck lymph and spinal column reflex areas were treated. All 38 people were encouraged to eliminate fat, meat, hot peppers, garlic, onion, kelp, and hairtail. All were cured of acne. Some with persistent acne needed 7 more courses of treatment.

2. Foot reflexology treats melasma
I’ve always thought melasma cannot be treated easily and am so surprised to learn that foot reflexology can help.

Case study: Twelve patients, ages 25-40, with history of chlaosma for 1-12 years were given 20 minutes each of foot reflexology and facial massage. In 8 cases, after 10-30 sessions, the lesion were almost gone and the skin appeared normal. In 3 cases, the pigment lightened and the central area was somewhat normal, but still had discernable contour. In 1 case, the lesion was not changed, but after 10 sessions of both foot reflexology and facial massage, the lesion began to resolve. After 30 sessions, the lesion on the forehead disappeared. The lesion on the cheeks returned to nearly normal color. Nine months after the sessions were stopped, there was no relapses.

3. Foot reflexology heals eczema
It seems eczema can also be treated with foot reflexology because it is afterall a skin disease caused by allergies or internal imbalance .

Case study: Two cases, both male and female, with eczema were given foot reflexology and the “Jia Ji” (spine stimulating) method. Reflexology was done daily for 10 days. Results: 28 were cured, 2 improved, and 2 had no results. Curative rate = 87.5 percen Effective rate: 93.75%

4. Foot reflexology effective against psoriasis
The same goes for psoriasis.

Case study: A 9-year-old girl, with psoraisis vulgeris for three years, was treated with foot reflexology daily for 100 sessions focusing on the endocrine and immune systems. After 40 treatments, there was improvement; and when she was finished, the psoraiasis completely disappeared.  A 21-year-old college student with psoriasis for 14 years, was given 15 sessions of foot reflexology focusing on the respiratory, digestive and endocrine systems areas. All the scales and lesions on the body disappeared and the skin color returned to normal.

5. Foot reflexology treats alopecia areata
Alopecia areata is one type of hair loss that typically causes patches of baldness.

Case study: A 47-year-old female was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata in various hospitals. External and internal medicine had no obvious effect. After inquiring, the author realized that the inducing factor was mental disorder due to her anxiety in finding a job for her son, which caused worries and irritability. At this point she found a lot of hair loss, which suggested that her disease was induced by mental factors relating to endocrine dysfunction. Treatment was a combination of foot and hand reflexotherapy and acupoints. Each session lasted 40-45 minutes; 10 sessions made up one course. The treatment brought about satisfactory effect. After 10 sessions, the symptom of hair loss was relieved and stopped after 2 courses. Three courses later, the lesions were covered by new hair.

Are you convinced that foot reflexology can do so much for our skin and hair? I don’t know about you but reading all just make me wanna go for more foot reflexology sessions! Maybe I should just sign up for a package and do it more often!

Comments

  1. Fann says:

    Was expecting to see a foot reflex place recommendation in Singapore..haha. I’ve been wanting to try it, just couldn’t find a decent place coz I’m worried about hygiene issues and stuff. I now soak my feet in hot water with Chinese herbal bags at night, and it seems to help my body get rid of the heat&dampness and I kinda feel healthier.

  2. Sesame says:

    I went Kensington, which is a heartland outlet. For better hygiene, probably the swankier spas have better offerings but then again, price is also “better”.

    Like your idea of using the Chinese herbal bags…where did you get the bags from?

  3. Andreea says:

    Interesting subject. Actually there are many books on the matter that show you how to perform self-treatment using foot reflexology – you only need the discipline to do it.

  4. Fann says:

    Thanks for the recommendation =) I bought the footbath bags at Yue Hwa store@jurong point. The package looks very similar to this https://www.naturalhealthyherbs.com/image/cache/data/601-700/ai%20ye%20cao%20pao%20jiao-500×500.jpg

    They have other herbs like ginger and safflower, but Ai Cao seems to be most popular.

  5. Sesame says:

    Yeah, I read some of those but it’s not so easy to do on your own. I can’t endure even for 5 minutes!

  6. Sesame says:

    Thanks for sharing the source! I’ll like to check them out. ?

  7. Charmystique says:

    Your post convinced me, I’m definitely going to book a foot reflexology appointment soon. Maybe a whole body massage since I’m at it!

    http://charmystique.com/
    Charmystique last post is: Best of NYFW Fall 2015

  8. Sesame says:

    Ah yes, go for it! You totally deserve it!

  9. Angela Waterford says:

    Wow, the chart showing all the pressure points on the feet was really amazing to look over. I had no idea the feet were so connected to the rest of the body. I can definitely understand better now why reflexology could be so helpful to overall physical well-being.

  10. Christian Milano says:

    Great share and post…
    Foot Reflexology massage can be a deeply relaxing and therapeutic modality for those suffering from plantar fasciitis, ankle injuries or even everyday work and play.

    Benefits of Foot Reflexology-
    Relieves stress
    Encourages relaxation
    Helps manage pain
    Relaxes muscles
    Improves flexibility and range of motion

  11. Farber @ Foot Pain Relief says:

    Great article here, Reflexology has been a wonderful addition to my life! It has relieved the pain in my legs and throughout my body in many ways. Among all the benefits, it also relieves constipation, stress, and muscle pain. I just think it is wonderful!

  12. Ray says:

    alopecia? really? I had no idea – will definitely be booking more reflexology sessions. ? Thanks so much for posting this.

  13. Sesame says:

    It is said but no guarantee.

  14. Christina says:

    The case studies are very interesting. The fact that they range from hair to more illness issues does kind of refer back to the idea that they are based on toxin reduction.

  15. aronwy says:

    Informative post! Thanks for writing. I’ve known about many of the benefits of reflexology for a long time (my husband is a Rwo Shur practitioner) but we never really paid attention to the skin-related conditions that it can have impact on. We’ve been more interested in organ function and fertility (it worked on me).

    He’s running a freelance business from home now, if you’re interested to try. Location is central Queenstown. ?

  16. Grace Cabrera says:

    Thank you for this. This is really helpful for those having skin problems. This was very informing and also an eye opener that certain reflexology routines can help you to treat certain skin disease.

  17. Matt @ Pickleball says:

    Great recommendations! I’ve tried foot massage but never really reflexology…had no idea it could clear up skin issues.

    Taking care of your feet is a priority, a lot of people focus on healthy lifestyle (exercise and diet) but then just ignore their feet! It’s important to remember that feet are the foundation of the human body. From experience I know that if we neglect them it can definitely lead to other health issues.
    Matt @ Pickleball last post is: Wilson Pickleball Paddles and Equipment Reviews

  18. Alice Mcguire says:

    Amazing! Does Foot reflexology really work? Does it help to get rid of acne permanently? Then I would like to try it.

  19. diana brown says:

    This is the kind of foot massage I got! It was nice. I want to start doing it more..thanks for sharing this post.

  20. Karen Nance says:

    Thanks for sharing such a valuable piece of information with us. I use the best foot massager for myself at my home.
    Karen Nance last post is: Best Foot Massager of 2019 Reviews with Comparisons

  21. Miko says:

    Great post! Foot reflexology is really amazing that helps to get the better relaxes. Thanks for sharing this great thinks that is really helpful and informative. I appreciate it.

  22. Evan says:

    Thank you for writing such a valuable piece of content. My wife just recently booked an appointment for reflexology and i was curious to understand the benefits of it and your post has answered majority of the questions and thoughts in my head.

  23. Monirul haque says:

    Really looking for this kind of article. thanks for shaing.

  24. Best Self Massage Tools says:

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  25. Martin Jackson says:

    I have heard some important information from your post. thanks

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