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About
Spa What
Does A Spa Do
What Does A Spa Do
Massage,
Facial And Body Treatment Basics
Even the tiniest day spa can offer a dizzying number of services. Should you
get the aromatherapy or the purifying facial? A salt scrub or a mud wrap? Paraffin
or algae for your body wrap?
The most popular service and the best place to start is massage, the manual
manipulation of the body's muscles. Massage has been around for thousands of
years and has a number of health benefits. It improves blood circulation. It
prevents and treats muscle pain and spasm. It reduces tension and anxiety, calms
the nervous system and promotes a sense of relaxation and well being.
Massage therapy can be effective with pain management, but many healthy people
get massage regularly because it helps them maintain physical, mental and emotional
well being.
The second most popular service is the European facial, which involves skin
analysis, deep cleansing, massage, "extractions" (removal of blackheads
and whiteheads), toning, and moisturizing.
Body treatments are essentially facials for the whole body. The most popular
body treatment is a salt glow or body scrub, an exfoliating treatment where
the therapist rubs off the outermost layer of dead skin cells. This will leave
your skin feeling velvety soft.
The body scrub is often combined with a detoxifying or hydrating treatment.
Products like mud, algae, or seaweed are detoxifying because they stimulate
your blood circulation and lymphatic system. This aids your body's own ability
to carry away waste products. Rich cream or oil softens and condition the skin
, so it's a hydrating treatment.
Most spas offer manicures and pedicures, and spa/salons offer hair cutting and
styling services.
The
most important thing you can do to maximize your enjoyment is arrive at least
15 minutes before your treatment is scheduled to begin. That way you can check
in, change into your robe, and start to relax. If the spa has facilities like
a sauna, steam bath, or hot tub, arrive even earlier.
What happens at a Spa?
Destination and hotel/resort spas range from luxurious to rustic, from large
resorts with lots to choose from to intimate personal retreats, and in a variety
of locales from the beach to woods to the city to the mountains to the desert.
A spa day may begin with a refreshing morning walk followed by a selection
of exercise classes before lunch. In the afternoon you might enjoy a pool
class, play tennis or take a nutrition workshop. You can finish your day with
a healthy dinner followed by a soothing massage or relaxing aroma bath.
You can expect to interact with other interesting guests who have also decided
to take charge of their well-being, many with a spirit of adventure and discovery
or they wouldn't have tried a spa vacation. Many people develop new friendships
through their spa experiences.
