Pregnant and Pampered: Moms-to-be Splurge on Spa Treatments
Facials, belly massages, and yoga are among the indulgences of modern-day expectant moms.
When Kelly Kockos, 38, drove by Barefoot and Pregnant, a maternity spa in Sausalito, Calif., she knew it would be the perfect gift for her newly pregnant girlfriend. What she didn’t know was that she, too, would soon be enjoying the maternity spa.
Once Kockos became pregnant a few months later, she headed back to Barefoot and Pregnant for a facial and a belly massage. She returned during her second pregnancy as well.
“It was wonderful,” she says. “They laid me on my side with all these pillows, and it was probably the most comfortable I’d been in nine months. They know where to put the pillows and where to put the pressure, and it was so relieving and nice to have time to myself and to be pampered.”
Kockos is among a growing number of moms-to-be who are spending their pregnancies — or part of them, anyway — in the lap of luxury. Whether for pregnancy massages, facials, private yoga sessions, or the more traditional “mani-pedi” (manicure-pedicure) combo, women around the country are indulging in maternity spa treatments. Prices range from $15 -$75 for waxings to $195 for a “belly cast” — a mold of your pregnant stomach. Belly massages start at about $70 in most spas.
“When you’re pregnant, there are all these weird changes going on with your body, so massage gives you a chance to celebrate it,” Kockos says.”It’s something everyone should do.”
Enjoy the rest of this article by clicking here: By Annabelle Robertson WebMD Feature Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
What to expect from your first massage.
Thinking of getting a professional massage for the first time? You may have questions before you make the appointment.
Maybe you’re self-conscious about getting undressed in front of a stranger. Or you’re worried that the massage will hurt. Or you’re hoping it will cure a backache you’ve had for years.
To help put you at ease before your first massage, here are frequently asked questions and answers about massage. So stop fretting and just relax — that’s the whole point of getting a massage.
What type of massage should I get?
There are many different styles of massage. The most common is the Swedish massage, which is a whole-body therapeutic massage designed to relax the muscles and joints. Other popular types include deep tissue, shiatsu, hot stone, reflexology, and Thai massage. You may want to choose a specialty, like sports massage or pregnancy massage, if that suits your needs.
How should I choose a practitioner?
AMTA recommends that your massage therapist be certified by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB).
“Everybody has different needs,” says Kristen Sykora, LMT, massage therapist and AMTA member. “Every therapist practices differently. Keep trying different people until you find the one you like, because it’s very important to find a good fit.”
When should I schedule a massage?
Think about your day’s schedule before you set up your massage. For example, don’t eat right before or exercise immediately after your massage. “It’s best if you can try to chill out afterward,” Sykora says. “You want to take it easy after your massage so you can get the whole benefit of it.”
Can massage help with a medical condition?
Massage has been shown to have a range of health benefits, from lowering blood pressure to easing migraines. Research has demonstrated that massage may help relieve pain for patients with cancer, HIV, and Parkinson’s disease. Massage can also help lower stress, which is a good thing for your overall health.
“Research has shown that massage interfaces with the body’s stress function,” says Sandy Fritz, MS, NCMBT, author of a textbook line for therapeutic massage and director of the Health Enrichment Center in Lapeer, Mich. “It helps to dampen the flight-or-fight response and activates dominance in the rest-and-restore system.”
If you have a serious medical condition, you should clear a massage with your doctor first.
Will I be naked?
You only need to take off only as much clothing as you’re comfortable removing. You can leave your undergarments on if you choose, as massage can be done through clothing. The massage therapist will give you privacy while you undress or leave the room. During the massage, the therapist will use a sheet or towel to drape the parts of your body that are not being massaged.
Is the massage going to hurt?
It shouldn’t hurt, Sykora says. But you should keep the lines of communication open.
“If a therapist is pressing too deeply in an area,” Sykora says, “you should tell them, ‘That’s sensitive.’ Or ‘That’s a little too much. Can you lighten up?'”
“You should never have to endure a massage,” Fritz says. “You shouldn’t have to lay there and grit your teeth. It may feel significant, but not make you stiffen up.”
Should I talk during the massage?
It’s up to you. Some people like to remain quiet and listen to music during the massage. Others like to make light conversation. Tell your massage therapist your preference.
“Whether you like to talk or stay quiet, you should absolutely tell the massage therapist if you’re uncomfortable — if you’re too hot, too cold, or can’t stand the music,” Sykora says.
What if I fall asleep?
You may get drowsy during the massage, so don’t worry if you fall asleep. “That’s actually a good thing,” Sykora says. “I know they are relaxed. But I will wake them up at the end. Taking a few minutes to yourself after the massage is over is always a good thing.”
How will I feel after the massage?
You should feel some relief after a massage, Sykora says. Sometimes you may experience 24-48 hours of soreness. But it should be “a good kind of sore, like you had a workout,” Sykora says.
After a massage, you should feel relaxed and mellow, a little bit like you’ve had a glass of wine, Fritz says. “That has to do with the changes in neurochemicals like serotonin and endorphins,” she says.
But don’t expect that a one-time massage will solve a lifelong backache or other chronic pain.
“A lot of people expect to be cured in an hour,” Sykora says. “I’ll ask them, ‘How long did it take you to get this backache and how long have you had it?’ For many things, such as a backache, it’s a cumulative effect and you may need several consecutive treatments.”
Source: webmd
Spa Treatments to Avoid
Going to the spa is one of the truly great pleasures of life. Day spas vary widely in the types of services they provide and products they use. Some specialize on your hair and face; others are focused on full body treatment and relaxation.
I suggest to my patients that they call the spa they are considering and ask questions about the treatments they want — what will be used and what to expect — before they make an appointment. And while it is always a good idea to get a personal recommendation, you must remember that each person will react differently to various treatments.
Most spas specialize in skin care and will teach you how to choose the right products for your skin type and how to use them. Having licensed aestheticians on staff is a sign of a good quality spa that is qualified to perform such procedures and treatments as microdermabrasion, facials and certain chemical peels.
Low-strength chemical peels to help rejuvenate the skin are appropriate to book at a day spa. But if you are looking for a more focused result for skin discolorations such as melasma, I try to steer my patients back to a dermatologist’s office where such a procedure can be done in a more controlled environment. The strength of the chemical peel required to achieve effective results should only be handled by medical personnel.
Similarly, if you are seeking Botox injections, find a licensed physician or other medical personnel who has been trained to perform the procedure. Check with your state’s medical board to verify training. Florida, California, Texas, and Oklahoma are a few states that allow someone other than a physician to inject Botox, but they do require the presence of a licensed physician to be on site to supervise.
A few other words of caution about spa treatments for individuals who suffer from a skin disorder like rosacea, eczema, or psoriasis. There are certain treatments that will only aggravate a skin condition rather than improve it. For patients with rosacea, I suggest that they avoid any procedure that is likely to aggravate their condition. In fact, you may wish to ask specifically if their aestheticians are experienced at dealing with patients with rosacea. Do not get a chemical peel or microdermabrasion. These are best done by a dermatologist.
However, a facial can be a wonderful pampering experience as long as they do not use alcohol, eucalyptus, fragrance, menthol, peppermint or witch hazel, as these are ingredients most likely to aggravate rosacea. You may also wish to avoid hot towel treatments to the face, facial steaming, steam baths and saunas as these all increase blood flow to the face and can trigger a flare-up.
Avoid spas that provide fat-dissolving treatments. In April of this year, the FDA said that procedures such as “lipodissolve, mesotherapy, lipozap, lipotherapy or injection lipolysis” which involve an unproven injection of drugs do not dissolve fat, and as such, are not approved by the FDA for the purposes of fat removal.
My last word of caution is to avoid the tanning beds. Tanning your skin is not the only way to look beautiful. Pampering your skin and your body with spa applications will help to bring out the natural beauty of your skin without subjecting yourself to harmful UV radiation. True beauty does not reside in the tanning of your skin, but in the luminous quality of nourished skin.
Choose your spa carefully and pamper yourself!
Source: webmd
Winter Skin!!! What to do about it?
For many people, the cold clear days of winter bring more than just a rosy glow to the cheeks. They also bring uncomfortable dryness to the skin of the face, hands, and feet. For some people, the problem is worse than just a general tight, dry feeling: They get skin so dry it results in flaking, cracking, even eczema (in which the skin becomes inflamed).
“As soon as you turn the heat on indoors, the skin starts to dry out,” Bonnie LaPlante, an esthetician with the Canyon Ranch resort in Lenox, Mass., tells WebMD. “It doesn’t matter if you heat your home using oil, wood, or electricity. The skin gets dry.”
Sound familiar? Read on to get WebMD’s top 10 tips for boosting your winter skin care regimen, so that your skin stays moist and healthy through the winter months.
1. Seek a Specialist
If you go to your local drugstore, you’ll be hard put to find a salesperson who can give you good advice. That’s why going to an esthetician or dermatologist even once is a good investment. Such a specialist can analyze your skin type, troubleshoot your current skin care regimen, and give you advice on the skin care products you should be using.
But that doesn’t mean you’ll be stuck buying high-end products. “Inexpensive products work just as well as high-end ones,” says David Voron, MD, a dermatologist in Arcadia, Calif. “In fact, the extra price you pay for the expensive stuff is often just for packaging and marketing. What’s most important is how your skin responds to the product — and how you like its feel, not how much money you paid for it.”
Click here to read the full article on webmd
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