5 Hot New Spa Treatments - Brief Article

Vegetarian Times, March, 1999 by Ronni Sandroff

Go ahead, indulge yourself

Like the best restaurants, spas are constantly updating their menus, offering intriguing new services to pamper their clients. We checked out five of the hottest new treatments that definitely put the "ahhh" in spa. Look for them at a day spa or resort in your area.

PARAFFIN PEDICURE

Feet are smoothed with an emery board-style buffer. Then, after being wrapped in steaming towels, cleansed and moisturized, they are dipped in paraffin wax, leaving skin baby-soft.

UNDERWATER MASSAGE

Like an aquatic Shiatsu, Watsu[R] is a relaxing, back-to-the-womb experience designed to release tension, boost energy and remove blockages from the body's energy channels. (According to Eastern medical philosophy, such blockages are believed to contribute to illness.) During treatment, a spa therapist keeps you afloat in fi body-temperature pool for 45 minutes while pressing on acupressure points and helping you stretch and perform range-of-motion exercises. Watsu is particularly helpful for people with chronic pain, like arthritis, since the water's buoyancy makes it easier to move without discomfort.

GINGER BODY RUB

Warm essential oils and freshly grated ginger, a warming herb used in Ayurvedic medicine to increase body temperature, are rubbed all over your skin. Then you're wrapped in a heated blanket for 20 minutes to sweat out the toxins in your system. After you're cleaned off, you're treated to 100 minutes of deeply relaxing massage.

BODY SUGARING

A warm mixture of sugar, lemon and water, body sugar can remove hair from the eyebrows, upper lip, bikini area, legs and underarms. Like waxing, sugaring removes hair at the root so that it grows in finer and the skin stays smoother longer. But, because the sugar mixture is all natural and goes on warm, it's less painful than waxing and leaves the skin less irritated.

OXYGEN FACIAL

After the cleansing, steaming and exfoliation that accompany most facials, your face is sprayed with ozone, which increases circulation and creates a warm, healthy glow. Oxygen facials may prevent breakouts, diminish fine lines and buffer the effects of environmental pollution. They're said to be particularly beneficial for smokers.

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* Use aromatic candles and music or relaxation tape's to create a calming atmosphere.

* Replace your shower head with a pulsating one or buy a hand-held spray attachment to give yourself a water massage,

* Fill a basket with bath brushes, exfoliating massage gloves, essential oils, bath salts and perhaps some bath toys, and keep it-handy near the tub.

* For relaxation, use essential oils like chamomile or marjoram. To boost your mood, try clary sage or grapefruit oils. Add a total of 6 drops to a tub of water (after filling, so the oils don't evaporate) or sprinkle oils in all four corners of the shower stall when taking a shower and breathe in the aroma.

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Trendy spa treatments may come and go, but massage is everlasting. This hands-on therapy which relaxes the body, eases muscle tension associated with injury and stress and helps eliminate toxins from the body, continues to be one of the most requested treatments nationwide.

The International Spa and Fitness Association in Lexington, Ky., estimates that approximately 75 million Americans take advantage of a trained massage therapist's healing hands each year. But with so many kinds of massage available, it can often be hard to choose one. Here's a rundown on some of the popular varieties.

SWEDISH. Its deep, slow strokes, punctuated by kneading and occasional pounding, is what generally comes to mind when we think of massage. The vigorous rubbing improves circulation and releases "feel-good" brain chemicals known as endorphins.

SPORTS MASSAGE. A variation on Swedish massage, this technique targets the muscles used during athletic events or workouts. Pregame massage warms and stretches muscles; post-event massage purges muscles of lactic acid buildup, which causes soreness. Organizers of sporting events (amateur and pro) often employ on-site sports massage therapists to assist athletes; therapists can also be booked for individual sessions off the playing field.

ACUPRESSURE. Based on the Chinese medicine principle that illness results from stagnant energy in the body, acupressure (also known as Shiatsu)involves applying direct pressure on specific physical points along the body's energy channels (or meridians) to remove blockages and release the body's natural painkilling endorphins.

AROMATHERAPY MASSAGE. Basically, this is a Swedish massage using therapeutic essential oils, which have various healing functions. For instance, lavender relieves tension; rosemary boosts alertness and eucalyptus increases energy.

To find a certified massage therapist, contact the American Massage Therapy Association (312) 761-2682. --Tracy Epp