In brief
- A connective tissue massage is a firm massage of the layer under your skin. In your face it is about circulation and about tension you hold in your jaw, temples and forehead.
- Your face looks fresher straight away and feels looser. Your skin does not become permanently firmer from it.
- There is no downtime and you don't need to follow a course. You book it on its own, as often as you like.
- At Moons in Enschede a connective tissue massage takes thirty minutes, for face, neck and décolletage, with a cleanse and cupping. It costs €59.00. With LED therapy added it is €79.00.
Written by Nilay, owner and beauty therapist at Moons BeautyUpdated on
What is a connective tissue massage?
Connective tissue is the layer under your skin that holds everything in place: muscles, fat and blood vessels. In a connective tissue massage that layer is worked with firm grips. The skin is lifted, shifted and rolled between the fingers. That is something different from the soft, gliding massage you get during a facial.
The massage exists for the whole body. On the legs and stomach it is often done to make the skin look smoother. In the face the aim is different. There it is about circulation and about tension that settles around the jaw, at the temples, between the eyebrows and in the neck.
You build up that tension without noticing. You clench your jaw, you frown at a screen, you pull up your shoulders. After years the tissue there feels stiff. Often you only notice during the massage how tight it was.
What does it do, and is it nonsense?
You read big promises about it: a natural facelift, a tighter jawline, waste products being flushed out. There is no good evidence for that, and we don't make promises like that. Anyone who does expect them soon writes the massage off as nonsense.
What a connective tissue massage demonstrably does is simpler. Circulation in your skin increases, so your face gets more colour and looks livelier. Tense muscles and stiff tissue let go. You feel that, and in many people you can see it too: the face looks less taut.
That effect is temporary. It is comparable to a good shoulder massage: you walk out of the door looser, and after a while the tension builds up again. If you want to change something lasting about lines or firmness, microneedling is meant for that. For pigmentation and spots there are yet other treatments.
Before and after: what do you see?
The photos you see online are almost always taken just after the massage. This is what you can expect at each stage.
Straight after
Colour and glow
Your skin is warm and has more colour. Where firm work was done, it can be red for an hour or so. You can simply carry on with your day.
That evening
Heavy and loose
Your face often feels pleasantly heavy. A spot where there was a lot of tension may still glow for a while.
The days after
The effect fades
Your colour is back to normal. The looser feeling in your jaw and forehead usually lasts longer.
If you come more often
You notice tension sooner
If you come regularly, you recognise sooner when your jaw starts clenching again. That is often the biggest gain.
Does a connective tissue massage hurt?
It is firmer than an ordinary facial massage, and in places with a lot of tension it can feel intense. Around the jaw most people are surprised at how sensitive it is. It should feel firm, but not unpleasant.
A good therapist starts at the surface and only goes deeper once the tissue gives. Say so if it gets too much. Then the pressure goes down, and that takes nothing away from the result.
Lymphatic drainage, cupping or gua sha: what is the difference?
They are all ways of massaging the face. They differ in pressure and in what they aim to do.
| Topic | What it is | How it feels |
|---|---|---|
| Facial massage | Soft, gliding movements over the skin, usually as part of a facial | Relaxing and light |
| Connective tissue massage | Firm grips in which the skin is lifted, shifted and rolled | Intense, especially around the jaw |
| Lymphatic drainage | Very light, rhythmic pressure towards the lymph nodes. Also a treatment given by skin therapists | Soft, almost stroking |
| Cupping | A small cup gently draws up the skin and glides over the face | A pulling sensation that moves along |
| Gua sha | A flat stone you stroke over the skin with oil, often at home | Cool and smooth |
At Moons we combine the connective tissue massage with cupping. We don't offer lymphatic drainage as a separate treatment.
How often do you have a connective tissue massage?
As often as you like. There is nothing to build up and no downtime, so there is no fixed schedule. Some salons sell the massage as a course of a fixed number of sessions. With us you book it on its own, whenever it suits you.
Clients who hold a lot of tension often come once a month. Others plan it just before a party or a busy week, because it doesn't make you peel and you don't stay red from it.
Can you do it yourself?
A light version works fine at home, with your hands, a gua sha or a small cup. This is how to do it without irritating your skin.
Start with clean skin and something oily
Cleanse your face and apply an oil or a rich cream. Your fingers or your stone need to glide. On dry skin you end up pulling at your skin.
Work from the centre outwards
Stroke from your chin along your jaw to your ear, from your nose over your cheekbone to your temple and from your eyebrows to your hairline. Keep the pressure light.
Keep a cup moving
Never let a cup stand still on your face. The blood is then drawn to one spot and you are left with a circular mark or a bruise.
Leave irritated skin alone
Don't massage over spots, small wounds or a cold sore, and not on sunburnt skin. If your skin turns red and stays that way, it was too firm.
Who it suits, and when to wait a while.
A good idea if
- You clench your jaw, grind your teeth at night or feel that your forehead is tight
- Your skin looks dull and you don't have the time or inclination for a course
- Your skin can't take acids or needles right now
- You want a treatment without downtime, just before an occasion
Check with us first
- Recent Botox or fillers. Ask the doctor who did them how long you should wait, and mention it when you book
- Inflamed spots, small wounds or a cold sore. Those areas are worked around, or you move the appointment
- A painful jaw or facial pain. See your GP or dentist about it first
- Pregnancy. Usually that's no problem. Mention it when you book, then we adjust your position and the products
- Skin with a lot of visible small blood vessels. Then the pressure should be lighter and the cup stays off
What does a connective tissue massage cost?
The price varies by salon and by duration. These are our prices, as they currently appear on the price list.
| Topic | Price at Moons | Duration | What's included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connective tissue massage | €59.00 | 30 minutes | Cleanse, massage of face, neck and décolletage, and cupping |
| Connective tissue massage with LED therapy | €79.00 | 50 minutes | The same massage, finished with calming light |
You pay per session, afterwards in the salon. You'll find all prices on the prices page.
And connective tissue massage for legs or stomach?
Many people look for the massage for their legs, bottom or stomach, often to make the skin look smoother. That is a different kind of treatment, with its own technique and often a device. We only do the connective tissue massage for the face, neck and décolletage.
If you're looking for it for your body, go to a massage therapist or skin therapist who focuses on it. The same applies there: you see a temporary effect on circulation and on how your skin feels. Anyone who promises lasting results is promising too much.
Lasting pain in your jaw or face?
A massage helps with tension. Pain that stays belongs with a doctor. If you have jaw pain, headaches that keep coming back, a clicking jaw or a numb feeling in your face, see your GP or dentist about it. If you get bruises after a massage that don't fade, tell the person who treated you.
Frequently asked questions about connective tissue massage
What is a connective tissue massage?
A firm massage of the layer under your skin, in which the skin is lifted, shifted and rolled. In the face it is aimed at circulation and at tension around the jaw, the temples and the forehead.
What does a connective tissue massage do for your face?
Circulation increases, so your skin gets more colour, and tense muscles and stiff tissue let go. Your face looks fresher and feels looser. That effect is temporary.
Is facial connective tissue massage nonsense?
The big promises are: there is no good evidence for a facelift without a procedure or for waste products that disappear. That circulation increases and tension lets go is something you do feel and see. Choose the massage for that, and it won't disappoint.
Does a connective tissue massage make your skin firmer?
Your skin does not become permanently firmer from it. Straight after the massage your face can look less tense and livelier, though. If you want to work on firmness, microneedling is a better fit.
Does a connective tissue massage hurt?
It can feel intense, especially around the jaw, but it shouldn't become unpleasant. Say so if the pressure is too high. Afterwards a spot may glow for a while.
How often should you have a facial connective tissue massage?
As often as you like. There is no downtime and you don't need to build anything up. At Moons you book it on its own. Clients who hold a lot of tension often come once a month.
How long does a connective tissue massage take?
At Moons thirty minutes, including a cleanse and cupping. With LED therapy afterwards the appointment takes fifty minutes.
What does a facial connective tissue massage cost?
At Moons in Enschede a thirty-minute connective tissue massage costs €59.00. With LED therapy added it is €79.00. Elsewhere the price may differ.
Can you do a facial connective tissue massage yourself?
A light version, yes. Work on clean skin with an oil or a rich cream, stroke from the centre outwards and keep the pressure light. Never let a cup stand still, or you'll get a bruise.
Does facial cupping cause bruises?
Not if the cup keeps moving. The circles you know from cupping on the back appear when a cup stays in one spot for a long time. On the face the cup keeps gliding.
What is the difference between connective tissue massage and lymphatic drainage?
The pressure. In a connective tissue massage the tissue is worked firmly. Lymphatic drainage is very light and rhythmic, towards the lymph nodes. The latter is also a treatment given by skin therapists.
Connective tissue massage or microneedling, which should you choose?
They do different things. The massage is for tension and fresh-looking skin, with no downtime. Microneedling is a course for lines, small scars and firmness, and it leaves you red for one to two days.
Can you have a connective tissue massage after Botox or fillers?
Wait until the doctor who did them says it's fine, and always mention it when you book. Then the massage stays away from that area, or the appointment is moved.
Can you have a connective tissue massage when you're pregnant?
Usually that's no problem. Mention it when you book. At Moons we then adjust your position and the products.
Do you also do connective tissue massage for the legs or stomach?
No. At Moons the connective tissue massage is for the face, neck and décolletage.
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