Changes of skin characteristics during and after local Parafango therapy as used in physiotherapy

Abstract

Background/aims: In physiotherapy, fango (mud) application is a frequently used heat therapy. The main therapeutic effects are due to the elevated temperature of the different tissues with a significant redistribution of blood towards the heated area. This may influence several cardiovascular parameters. There is only limited information on the effect of fango application on skin characteristics. It was the aim of the present study to evaluate the effects of fango application on skin temperature, perfusion of the microcirculation and skin colour. At the same time, cardiovascular parameters such as heart rate, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were recorded. Method: Eighteen healthy subjects (age 23.7 ± 3.8 years) entered the study. The skin characteristics and cardiovascular parameters were measured before, during and after a 21-min fango application at 44.5 °C. Results: Skin temperature and perfusion of the microcirculation increased significantly during fango application: from 35.5 ± 0.4 °C to 44.3 ± 1.2 °C for skin temperature and from 23.2 ± 8.8 to 197 ± 41 p.u. for the skin microcirculation. These two parameters remained elevated during the fango application and decreased slowly to baseline values within 21 min after fango removal. Skin colour (CIELAB, a* parameter) increased from 11.0 ± 2.5 to 17.9 ± 1.9 when comparing pre- with post-treatment values. At the end of the measuring period, the a* parameter did not return to baseline values (15.8 ± 2.1). Heart rate increased with 8bpm during the fango therapy and returned to baseline within 3 min after removal of the fango. SBP and DBP varied slightly during the fango application. They returned to baseline values within 21 min after fango removal. Conclusion: The skin parameters indicate a transient temperature effect with an increased perfusion of the microcirculation and a flooding of the superficial capacitance system. The cardiovascular parameters were only slightly influenced and remained in the physiological range. Fango application seems not to be too demanding for the cardiovascular system in healthy subjects.