title: A comparison of head-out mist bathing, with or without facial fanning, with head-out half-body low-water level bathing in humans--a pilot study.
abstract: To reduce the risks of Japanese-style bathing, half-body bathing (HBLB) has been recommended in Japan, but discomfort due to the cold environment in winter prevents its widespread adoption. The development of the mist sauna, which causes a gradual core temperature rise with sufficient thermal comfort, has reduced the demerits of HBLB. We examined head-out 42 °C mist bathing with 38 °C HBLB up to the navel to see if it could improve thermal comfort without detracting from the merits of HBLB, with and without the effects of facial fanning (FF). The subjects were seven healthy males aged 22-25 years. The following bathing styles were provided: (1) HBLB-head-out half-body low bathing of 38 °C up to the navel (20 min); (2) HOMB-head-out mist bathing of 42 °C and HBLB of 38 °C (20 min); and (3) HOMBFF-HOMB with FF (20 min). HOMB raised the core temperature gradually. HOMBFF suppressed the core temperature rise in a similar fashion to HOMB. Increases in blood pressure and heart rate usually observed in Japanese traditional-style bathing were less marked in HOMBs with no significant difference with and without FF. The greatest body weight loss was observed after Japanese traditional-style bathing, with only one-third of this amount lost after mist bathing, and one-sixth after HBLB. HOMB increased thermal sensation, and FF also enhanced post-bathing invigoration. We conclude that HOMB reduces the risks of Japanese traditional style bathing by mitigating marked changes in the core temperature and hemodynamics, and FF provides thermal comfort and invigoration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, 480-1195, Japan, s_iwase@nifty.com.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwase
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawahara
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Rumiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miwa
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kataoka
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shigaraki
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takada
authors.forename: Yoriko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001494:Baths / Q000379:methods*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001831:Body Temperature; D006257:Head; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply; D029002:Steam Bath; D013546:Sweating; D013697:Thermosensing; D014556:Urine; D014867:Water; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014867:Water