| Condition | Core concept | Massage reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Psoriasis | Immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease | Not contagious. Avoid cracked, bleeding or very irritated plaques. |
| Eczema/atopic dermatitis | Inflammatory itchy skin disorder | Modify around inflamed/excoriated skin; products may irritate. |
| Contact dermatitis | Irritant or allergic skin inflammation | Avoid triggering product/contact; local avoidance if active. |
| Tinea corporis/pedis | Contagious dermatophyte fungal infection | Avoid affected region and prevent cross-contamination. |
| Impetigo | Contagious superficial bacterial infection | Postpone/local avoid depending distribution; hygiene and medical treatment matter. |
| Cellulitis | Bacterial infection of deeper skin/subcutaneous tissue | Do not massage infected area. Systemic symptoms increase urgency. |
| Herpes simplex active lesions | Contagious viral lesions | Avoid active lesions; hand hygiene/standard precautions. |
| Herpes zoster/shingles | Reactivation of varicella-zoster virus | Active lesions and pain require caution; transmission can cause chickenpox in susceptible people. Avoid affected region and follow infection-control guidance. |
| Warts | HPV-related skin growths | Avoid direct friction over lesion; prevent contamination. |
| Acne | Inflammatory pilosebaceous disorder | Avoid aggressive friction over inflamed/pustular lesions. |
| Burn | Thermal/chemical/electrical tissue injury | Acute burns are not massage targets. Healed scar work depends on healing, sensation and training. |
| Pressure injury | Localized skin/tissue injury from pressure/shear | Do not massage damaged tissue; repositioning/medical wound care are different interventions. |
| Suspicious changing lesion | New/changing pigmented or nonhealing lesion | Do not diagnose. Avoid traumatizing and recommend appropriate medical evaluation. |
Increasing warmth, redness, swelling, pain, drainage/pus, fever or spreading streaking can suggest infection/inflammation. Massage therapists recognize concerning presentation and refer rather than deciding the organism.