Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40439289›Full record

Trial reportJournal of cosmetic dermatology2025

Comparative Effects of Facial Roller and Gua Sha Massage on Facial Contour, Muscle Tone, and Skin Elasticity: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Sun-Hee Ahn, Ui-Jae Hwang, Hyo Sun Han, Jun-Hee Kim, Hyun-Joo Lee, Yu-Rin Jeon, Hyun Hwa Lee, A-Hyun Hwang

Abstract readRandomized Controlled TrialComparative Study
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Trial
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Sun-Hee AhnDepartment of Physical Therapy, College of Software and Digital Healthcare Convergence, Yonsei University, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea.
Ui-Jae HwangDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2050-5503
Hyo Sun HanDepartment of Beauty Design, Bucheon University, Bucheon, Republic of Korea.
Jun-Hee KimDepartment of Physical Therapy, College of Software and Digital Healthcare Convergence, Yonsei University, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea.
Hyun-Joo LeeDepartment of Physical Therapy, College of Software and Digital Healthcare Convergence, Yonsei University, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea.
Yu-Rin JeonDepartment of Physical Therapy, College of Software and Digital Healthcare Convergence, Yonsei University, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea.
Hyun Hwa LeeDepartment of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Dankook University, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea.
A-Hyun HwangDepartment of Information & Statistics, Korea University, Sejong-si, Republic of Korea.

Funding

Yonsei University Research Fund 2024-51-0064
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis study aimed to compare the effects of facial roller and gua sha massage on anthropometric facial contours, muscle tone, and skin elasticity parameters during an 8-week intervention period.

methodsThirty-four women aged 20-50 years were randomly assigned to facial roller (n = 17) or gua sha (n = 17) groups. Participants performed the designated massage technique for 10 min, five times per week for 8 weeks. Outcome measures included facial surface distances (subnasale-to-sublobular distance, mid-point distance, labrale superius distance, jawline surface distance), muscle tone parameters (oscillation frequency [F], dynamic stiffness [s]), and skin elasticity indices (gross elasticity [R2], biological elasticity [R7]).

resultsBoth groups showed significant improvements in facial contour measurements, with reductions ranging from 2.23 to 2.40 mm in the gua sha group (p < 0.001 for all measurements) and 2.75-3.26 mm in the facial roller group (p < 0.001 for all measurements). The gua sha group demonstrated significant reductions in muscle tone parameters (F: -2.02 Hz, p < 0.001; S: -56.46 N/m, p = 0.002), while the facial roller group showed significant improvements in skin elasticity (R2: 8.6%, R7: 7.5%, p < 0.001). The between-group differences were significant for both muscle tone (p < 0.05) and skin elasticity parameters (p < 0.05).

conclusionsBoth interventions effectively improved facial contours through distinct physiological mechanisms: gua sha primarily through changes in muscle properties and facial roller through enhanced skin elasticity. These findings support targeted treatment selection based on specific therapeutic goals in facial aesthetic practice.

Indexed as

Cosmetic TechniquesFacial MusclesMassageMuscle TonusSkin AgingAdultElasticityFaceFemaleHumansMiddle AgedSkin Physiological PhenomenaTreatment OutcomeYoung Adultface liftnasolabial foldrejuvenationskin elasticity

Identifiers

PMID40439289
PMCPMC12121324

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.