This is the first most annoying skin condition that causes concern for just about everyone. It usually starts when we hit puberty. The hormone fluctuations can cause elevated oil production and along with that, breakouts. These can range from mild to severe enough to be disfiguring. I urge my clients with teenagers to get them on a good skin care routine as soon as they see the breakouts happening, if not before. It is also a good time to start them on a visit to a facialist. A good acne preventive facial can clean out the blackheads and I can give them advice. Many times they will listen to my advice when they won’t listen to a parent.
Unfortunately for many, acne doesn’t stop in the teen years. I was one of those people who continued to have breakouts through my 20’s, and than again during peri-menapause. Acne can also happen after any large hormone event. Having a child, getting a divorce, losing a loved one, losing a job, starting a new job. Any number of stress events like these can cause a breakout to happen. Stress causes your body to release hormones, very like the ones prior to your period.
There are a few over the counter products to combat breakouts.
The two main ingredients in acne treatments are,
Salicylic Acid
(Also known as Beta-Hydroxy Acid)
It exfoliates the skin and can improve the texture and color of the skin. It penetrates oil clogged follicles helping with acne. It also has been found less irritating to many skin types then the more commonly used Alpha-Hydroxy Acid.
Alpha Hydroxy Acid
(Glycolic, lactic, tartaric, and citric acids)
Creams with these acids can help with fine lines, irregular pigmentation, age spots, and may help decrease large pores.
Only use a 5% to 10% concentration to start with. It is advisable to ease into this to avoid irritation. Starting with an every other day application until your skin adapts. I have found using Alpha Hydroxy acids can exfoliate dead skin cell buildup on the surface of the skin. Therefore helping with breakouts.
You can get a higher concentration applied by an esthetician. Many of my clients come in once a month or so to have this done. It can leave the skin with a glow and helps with cellular turnover. (The new formation of skin cells).
When using any type of acid it is advisable to wear a sunscreen. The exfoliating leaves the skin open to sun sensitivity. If you do not wear a sunscreen after these treatments you leave your skin exposed to possible sunburn and the resultant skin damage that goes with it.
Tretinoin (Stronger counterpart of Retinol, or Vitamin A)
Many Dermatologists prescribe this to help skin ageing, improve pigmentation, and clear up acne.
There are oral medications that can be used to help with severe acne or cystic acne. Only your Doctor can advise you on this course of action. If you do choose to go that way please be advised of the side effects. Also a good skin care routine always should go along with any oral medication.
I am prone to trying good diet and skin care before taking medications. Many times the oral antibiotics only improve the condition for a short time and then the body gets used to them. Usually doctors then prescribe a different one and the cycle continues. They can be helpful, but they also can have some down sides. If you have tried the RX route and find you are still having issues you should re-evaluate.
Been using certain skin care for your acne and found it has stopped working even though it worked great at first?
This is common. Our skin gets used to things. I advise to stop using the line of products for a couple weeks and then start using it again. This shocks the skin into reacting favorably to the product again.
The Products dry out your skin?
Again common with acne controlling agents. Use them every other day if this happens and use a good non clogging moisturizer.
I will be writing about a pulsating light treatment that can also be used to help with acne and other skin conditions in my next post.
Jan 26, 2010
Jan 22, 2010
Does our skin reflect what we eat?
YES!!!
I became a Vegetarian about 3 years ago. If was a dietary choice that I just felt I wanted to make for my own health. I do not think its right for everyone to not eat meat (as long as they eat free range hormone free), but it felt right for me.
Well at the beginning of this journey I decided to detoxify myself and eat raw for awhile. That is giving up sugar, flour, and all processed foods. I ate uncooked veggies and fruits, seeds and nuts. I ate like this for about 8 weeks. Well I lost a ton of weight and was pretty thin. BUT the first thing I noticed was that my skin was clear and looked so much younger!
I gradually adjusted my diet to include some lightly cooked veggies and added some cheeses also. I found it very hard to eat everything raw and I knew if I was going to continue to eat healthy I was going to have to modify to what I was comfortable with. Well this last year I gradually started to slip into some old habits. Like eating sugar and some processed foods again. Well what has happened? My skin lost that clear look it had when I was not eating sugar! I started to break out around the holidays, when I was eating my worst and I even looked a bit bloated.
So my goal for the year, besides this blog has been to get back on track again. Along with that vow was to purchase this,
I
This is a juicer. I used to juice many years ago and I really am not sure what got me away from it. I always felt full of energy while juicing and I looked great! So it arrived today and I have it all set up and ready to use. I will be stocking up on some veggies and starting this weekend.
So to answer the question. Does our skin reflect what we put into our bodies? Yes. Our skin can tell us allot actually. If we are sick or if we have allergies. So when we wonder why we are breaking out in a rash or why that batch of pimples is on our chin we need to look inward as well as outward for the reasons. If we are not taking good care of our health and eating well our skin will reflect this. Many people with food allergies have problems with their skin. It is well known in the industry that one of the most common skin conditions, Rosecea is affected greatly by diet. I will be addressing Rosecea in a post all its own sometime in the future.
So to sum up. Eat healthy! We can slather on all the expensive creams in the world but if we are not eating healthy our skin will not look its best!
Jan 20, 2010
Vitamin C-Does it really work?
Continuing with my posts on skin care ingrediants I felt the need to address Vitamin C. You see it all over the place. How good it is for us,how it can repair skin and how it can improve the health of your body.
Potentially Vitamin C can benefit the skin in two ways
1. It is essential for the synthesis of collagen.
2. It is an antioxidant and can help reduce damage caused by free radicals (air pollutants ect)
If Vitamin C is introduced in the correct way it has the potential to dramatically improve wrinkles and skin texture.
THE PROBLEM
Vitamin C is relatively unstable. Unless it is in its dry form. In the presence of air or other oxidizing agents (such as creams, serums, ect) Vitamin C breaks down and loses its effectiveness. In fact once it oxidizes it can actually cause harm to the skin.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
How can I get Vitamin C into my skin the best way?
I feel the best way is to have it applied at a salon or spa that does Vitamin C repairing facials or treatments. Having a technician open the vitamin C right before using it on you and further using a galvanic machine to help the product penetrate quickly is one of the best ways. That way there is little time for the Vitamin C to oxidize and you will be getting the most benefit.
When using Vitamin C serums at home they should be stored in a dark area that is cool, the fridge is fine as long as it is kept away from light.
Throw product away if it has gotten heated and is over 6 months old.
There are some new forms of Vitamin C (Vitamin C derivatives) that they are finding work really well and do not go bad as quickly as the most commonly used form .
The names of these derivatives are,
Ascobyl Palmitate
Tetrahexyldcyl Ascorbate (this form is looking especially promising)
Magnesium Ascorbyl phosphate
If you see any of these derivatives on any of the Vitamin C serums you buy ,you can be assured that they should be effective.
***********************************************************************************
There is a website that gives a formula for making your own Vitamin C serum at home. I am attaching the formula if interested. this actualy sounds fairly easy to make. BUT if you choose to do this ,PLEASE follow all the directions they give you to a T. Vitamin C can be irritating to some skin types. So take care to use it the way they recommend. Again I stress to please follow all directions carefully .
Make your own Vitamin C serum
The recipe makes an approximate 10% concentration of vitamin C serum, using simple ingredients you can buy from your local Chemist store. The advantages of doing it yourself – apart from the obvious – ‘it will save you a lot of money’ is that you can make it fresh, store it in your refridgerator and know that it will not have oxidised- so in fact you will get fresh active product onto your skin. It is best only to make up small quantities at a time, to ensure it is always fresh and unoxidised.
Take care- these are active ingredients At this concentration it will have a relatively low ph, and in some people this will be too irritating for the skin. If this is the case, try making a half or even quarter concentration to start with. Use this for a week or two until you know you skin is tolerating this, and then slowly increase to a higher concentration. If after you apply it, you find your skin is tingling excessively, wash off immediately.
The recipe is divided into active ingredient, the one that has been shown to stimulate collagen, reduce fine lines and wrinkles and protect against sun damage and a simple base formula. Any product you buy over the counter with active ingredients consists of this.
Vitamin C serum Active Ingredient : 1-1.2 grams Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) (approximately 1/4 teaspoon) (The active ingredient must be L-ascorbic acid, not vitamin C tablets, or calcium Ascorbate) This can also be purchased from Skin Actives.
Base Ingredients. 5 ml glycerine (1 teaspoon) 5ml water (1 teaspoon) You should be able to buy both the L-ascorbic acid and glycerine from your chemist store. (or Pharmacy)
Process. 1. Dissolve 1gram of L-ascorbic acid in 5 ml of water (preferably distilled), in small glass container using a stirrer. Make sure it is fully dissolved before proceeding to next step.
2. Add 5 ml of glycerine and mix.
3. Put in a sealable jar, (not clear glass as this allows light in, and light degrades vitamin C.) Store in cool dry place.
Voila – your own fresh vitamin C serum. Apply to skin once per day to start with (preferably at night), and increase to twice daily if tolerated.
Post note This serum is published to illustrate that it is the active ingredient that has benefits and to get you to challenge the notion that you need to pay a lot of money for active skin care ingredients. You must exercise caution when using this as with any product you put on your skin, if any signs of allergy or reaction develop desist immediately.
Jan 13, 2010
Skin Care Ingredients Part one: Peptides
This is the first in a series of posts addressing skin care ingredients. If you understand what is in the products you buy and how they work you will better be able to determine if you are really getting what you pay for .Also you will better understand how they help your skin. I am starting out with Peptides. They are the newest breakthrough in skin care ingredients. I am just learning about these myself. I couldn’t be more excited!
Peptides
Peptides are the new BUZZWORD in skin care for the beginning of this decade. Peptides work to enhance natural processes, such as stimulating Collagen production and blocking the enzymes that destroy elastin. This helps skin to remain firmer and more Resilient.
I am going to try to present this new technology in simple layman terms. There are 20 amino acids in the body. Peptides are formed when several amino acids are linked. The combination of forming these building blocks are endless. I am going to address the 4 types of peptides that are being used in skin care today.
Acetyl Hexapeptide-3
This peptide is the wrinkle relaxer. Topically applied it treats the same type of wrinkles as Botox injections. With some major differences. Peptides can be used anywhere on the face without the risk of it migrating into areas you don’t want it OR paralyzing muscles you DON”T want paralyzed.
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-3
This peptide works by stimulating the deeper, matrix layers of the skin. It increases overall collagen production, the production of collagen IV and hyraluronic acid synthesis in the skin. It also helps the skin heal faster.
(The following is a brief description of what Hyraluronic acid is. Hyaluronic acid can hold 10 times it weight of water, thus making it a voluble skin hydrator.)
Hyaluronic acid is a type of polysaccharide called a glycosaminoglycan. Also known as hyaluronan or hyaluronate, hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in the human body and is central to regulating cell growth and renewal. In fact, it is found extensively in connective, epithelial, and neural cells. As such, hyaluronic acid has found its way into many skin care products, particularly anti-wrinkle formulations.
Palmitoyl Oligopeptide
This peptide stimulates the synthesis of collagen and hyaluronic acid in the deep layers of the skin. In addition to that it also ha a mild UV protection effect. So it helps to protect the skin from damage.
Copper Peptides
They are a small family of peptides that include a copper molecule in their structure. They have the ability to encourage the skin to heal wounds. Most doctors do not encourage copper peptides in anti-wrinkle creams. They seem to work far better in wound healing and that is where you will most likely see this peptide used. Although I have seen them still popping up in regular skin care.
We use Pavonia skin care in our salon. It is a high quality Botanical product line.
The following is a description of Pavonia’s latest Facial treatment utilizing Polypeptides. This treatment is considered a high performance freeze dried facial treatment.
Pavonia’s newest treatment using polypeptides.
PevoReclaim Polypeptides Freeze-Dried Treatment
By delivering a high concentration of Marine Collagen & Marine Elastin for outstanding absorbency, this in-spa polypeptides freeze-dried treatment is proven-effective to protect your skin against premature aging, smoothing wrinkles, and combating skin slackening.
I hope this post was easy to understand. I am excited for the future of skin care. The science behind it is improving all the time. Peptides have the ability to be important in the future of skin care!
Peptides
Peptides are the new BUZZWORD in skin care for the beginning of this decade. Peptides work to enhance natural processes, such as stimulating Collagen production and blocking the enzymes that destroy elastin. This helps skin to remain firmer and more Resilient.
I am going to try to present this new technology in simple layman terms. There are 20 amino acids in the body. Peptides are formed when several amino acids are linked. The combination of forming these building blocks are endless. I am going to address the 4 types of peptides that are being used in skin care today.
Acetyl Hexapeptide-3
This peptide is the wrinkle relaxer. Topically applied it treats the same type of wrinkles as Botox injections. With some major differences. Peptides can be used anywhere on the face without the risk of it migrating into areas you don’t want it OR paralyzing muscles you DON”T want paralyzed.
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-3
This peptide works by stimulating the deeper, matrix layers of the skin. It increases overall collagen production, the production of collagen IV and hyraluronic acid synthesis in the skin. It also helps the skin heal faster.
(The following is a brief description of what Hyraluronic acid is. Hyaluronic acid can hold 10 times it weight of water, thus making it a voluble skin hydrator.)
Hyaluronic acid is a type of polysaccharide called a glycosaminoglycan. Also known as hyaluronan or hyaluronate, hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in the human body and is central to regulating cell growth and renewal. In fact, it is found extensively in connective, epithelial, and neural cells. As such, hyaluronic acid has found its way into many skin care products, particularly anti-wrinkle formulations.
Palmitoyl Oligopeptide
This peptide stimulates the synthesis of collagen and hyaluronic acid in the deep layers of the skin. In addition to that it also ha a mild UV protection effect. So it helps to protect the skin from damage.
Copper Peptides
They are a small family of peptides that include a copper molecule in their structure. They have the ability to encourage the skin to heal wounds. Most doctors do not encourage copper peptides in anti-wrinkle creams. They seem to work far better in wound healing and that is where you will most likely see this peptide used. Although I have seen them still popping up in regular skin care.
We use Pavonia skin care in our salon. It is a high quality Botanical product line.
The following is a description of Pavonia’s latest Facial treatment utilizing Polypeptides. This treatment is considered a high performance freeze dried facial treatment.
Pavonia’s newest treatment using polypeptides.
PevoReclaim Polypeptides Freeze-Dried Treatment
By delivering a high concentration of Marine Collagen & Marine Elastin for outstanding absorbency, this in-spa polypeptides freeze-dried treatment is proven-effective to protect your skin against premature aging, smoothing wrinkles, and combating skin slackening.
I hope this post was easy to understand. I am excited for the future of skin care. The science behind it is improving all the time. Peptides have the ability to be important in the future of skin care!
Jan 9, 2010
General Spa Etiquette
I had one of my clients today ask if I could do a post about tipping at the spa. I decided this would be a good time to post a general spa etiquette post. We get many first time spa goers in our spa. Maybe they received a Gift Certificate or just have never had the opportunity to go to a spa before. Hopefully some of the following will clear up any questions.
General Spa Etiquette,
What to wear:
It depends on what your service is going to be. But usually loose fitting clothes that are easy to take off and on are generally a good rule. If you are going for just a Pedicure you can wear street clothes but it is still a good idea that you have pant legs that can be easy to pull up.
When to arrive: First time visit 20 minutes before your appointment time. This allows for you to fill out any required paperwork that may need to be done. If you have been to the spa before than 10 minutes is adequate. Please do not arrive late. This may result in your appointment being shortened for the spa to stay on schedule. Appointments are booked by time allotted for services. Even starting 10 minutes late can throw that technicians schedule off for the whole day.
The Tipping dilemma:
A good rule of thumb is 10 to 20 % of the price of the service. If you have more than one service and more than one technician, than the tips should be done separately for each therapist. If you have received a gift Certificate ask if the tip was included or not when you arrive for the service. Most spas have tip envolopes, if you are uncertain please ask the front desk help. Some Medical or resort spas do not allow their technicians to receive tips, or the tips are included in the cost of the service. If that is the case they will often have that posted at the front desk. Tipping is not required but it is much appreciated. Never be afraid to ask if in doubt.
Cancelations or changes
What if you can’t make your appointment? Good rule of thumb is to call 24 hours at least in advance. This allows the spa to rebook the spot you had. If it is something that has come up at the last minute please notify the spa as soon as possible so they are not waiting for you. This also goes for if you are running late. In the age of cell phones it makes it easier to call if you are caught in traffic or running late. This allows the spa to let you know if they will still be able to service you or if you may need to reschedule your service. At the spa I work at we try very hard to work with a client that is running late. But many times it is just impossible to stay on schedule and work that client in. A call will save you and the spa unwanted grief.
What if you made an appointment for two or three services and the day of your appointment you can only get one? CALL AHEAD! At our spa we call the day before to confirm appointments. That would be the time to let the spa know if you need to make any changes to your appointment. I can not tell you how many times I have had a client book for two hours of services only to get there and let me know they are only going to get one of the services. Where I work we work on commission only .What that means is no service, no pay. It also means we could have booked another client that wanted to get in that spot. We also realize that life throws you curves. Many times things happen at the last minute. Example: If you started to come for your appointment and found out your babysitter can only stay for part of the time ECT, call as soon as you know so we can try to adjust the schedule. We try hard to work with these situations. We want your spa experience to be a good one. Being courteous to our schedule helps us serve everyone better.
CELL PHONES OFF OR on VIBRATE! The same rule here for when you’re in movie theaters. There is nothing worse than getting relaxed in the middle of a treatment and a ringing phone goes off. Weather it is yours or someone else’s!
Hopefully this post will clear up some questions for the first time spa goer or to regular clients that were unsure of a few issues. We are geared to giving clients a good experience in as stress free an environment as possible.
General Spa Etiquette,
What to wear:
It depends on what your service is going to be. But usually loose fitting clothes that are easy to take off and on are generally a good rule. If you are going for just a Pedicure you can wear street clothes but it is still a good idea that you have pant legs that can be easy to pull up.
When to arrive: First time visit 20 minutes before your appointment time. This allows for you to fill out any required paperwork that may need to be done. If you have been to the spa before than 10 minutes is adequate. Please do not arrive late. This may result in your appointment being shortened for the spa to stay on schedule. Appointments are booked by time allotted for services. Even starting 10 minutes late can throw that technicians schedule off for the whole day.
The Tipping dilemma:
A good rule of thumb is 10 to 20 % of the price of the service. If you have more than one service and more than one technician, than the tips should be done separately for each therapist. If you have received a gift Certificate ask if the tip was included or not when you arrive for the service. Most spas have tip envolopes, if you are uncertain please ask the front desk help. Some Medical or resort spas do not allow their technicians to receive tips, or the tips are included in the cost of the service. If that is the case they will often have that posted at the front desk. Tipping is not required but it is much appreciated. Never be afraid to ask if in doubt.
Cancelations or changes
What if you can’t make your appointment? Good rule of thumb is to call 24 hours at least in advance. This allows the spa to rebook the spot you had. If it is something that has come up at the last minute please notify the spa as soon as possible so they are not waiting for you. This also goes for if you are running late. In the age of cell phones it makes it easier to call if you are caught in traffic or running late. This allows the spa to let you know if they will still be able to service you or if you may need to reschedule your service. At the spa I work at we try very hard to work with a client that is running late. But many times it is just impossible to stay on schedule and work that client in. A call will save you and the spa unwanted grief.
What if you made an appointment for two or three services and the day of your appointment you can only get one? CALL AHEAD! At our spa we call the day before to confirm appointments. That would be the time to let the spa know if you need to make any changes to your appointment. I can not tell you how many times I have had a client book for two hours of services only to get there and let me know they are only going to get one of the services. Where I work we work on commission only .What that means is no service, no pay. It also means we could have booked another client that wanted to get in that spot. We also realize that life throws you curves. Many times things happen at the last minute. Example: If you started to come for your appointment and found out your babysitter can only stay for part of the time ECT, call as soon as you know so we can try to adjust the schedule. We try hard to work with these situations. We want your spa experience to be a good one. Being courteous to our schedule helps us serve everyone better.
CELL PHONES OFF OR on VIBRATE! The same rule here for when you’re in movie theaters. There is nothing worse than getting relaxed in the middle of a treatment and a ringing phone goes off. Weather it is yours or someone else’s!
Hopefully this post will clear up some questions for the first time spa goer or to regular clients that were unsure of a few issues. We are geared to giving clients a good experience in as stress free an environment as possible.
Jan 4, 2010
Rub Me the Right Way
Massage
I am going to talk about my ultimate favorite Spa treatment, massage. I myself have a curvature of the spine (scoliosis) that can cause me to have very tight muscles in my shoulders and well, pretty much along my whole spine. If I do not get a regular massage it will tighten up and even start to cause me hip and leg pain. I have found that with regular massage I can keep these muscles looser and the relaxation that gives me is invaluable to the rest of my life.
I have been a massage therapist for over 14 years now. In the past year I started to cut down on the amount of massages I do simply to save my own hands. The wear and tear on the therapist’s body after repeated years of doing massage can be brutal in and of itself. But it is a service that I love doing. I still perform massage, but to a limited clientele.
There are many different types of massage techniques. I will cover some of them that I am familiar with in this post. Therapists can all be taught the same way yet the techniques can vary. Each therapist has their own touch and their own manner of presenting the movements to their clients. I have found that the energy that the therapist transfers to her clients is as important as the movements they do.
I got a massage and they really hurt me! How can I prevent myself from having another bad experience?
This is a common question that many people ask. The reasons for pain during or after a massage can vary. One, the therapist used more pressure than the client needed or could handle. Or two, the clients muscles were very tight and the pressure needed to loosen them up caused pain. It is VITAL to communicate your needs to the therapist and for the therapist to explain to the client what they can expect.
Know the type of massage you need. How can you know this? Well the three basic types are as follows.
Swedish: mainly a relaxing massage with light to moderate pressure. This will NOT loosen any deep muscle tightness. This is meant to just relax you and is good for the person who needs to just chill out and relax.
Deep Tissue: this is the type of massage I need. It is more aggressive and there will be a lot of pressure point work. There could be some pain involved in this that is necessary to loosen the tight muscles up. I call it …THE GOOD PAIN. It is common to have maybe a slight soreness after this type of massage BUT it should be accompanied by a looser feeling of the areas that were bothering you. By the 2nd day after this type of massage you should be feeling relief. Not all of your body will need the deep work, just the key problem areas.
Therapeutic Massage: where ALL massage has therapeutic value this type of massage is a combination of stretching techniques and some deep tissue and maybe even some Swedish thrown in. The therapist may ask for you to help with some of this as they stretch and work on giving you better range of motion. This is a good massage for people with certain structural issues.
If you fill out the form they give you and communicate your needs to the therapist, you should be able to achieve the type of massage that best suits your needs. If you are uncertain about the type you need when booking for this service. Tell the person that is taking your booking that you want to talk about what type you need with the massage therapist. Be honest with what your physical problems are so that the therapist can make the best choice on what you need. Prices may vary some (about $10.00) on the different types of massage. Don’t go for cheep on this, If you’re spending $65 what difference does it make if you spend 75.00 to get what you really need? Many spas offer half hour sessions for just working on one main area. This is a good way to do maintenance for your body and save some money if that is an issue. Look for specials at your local spa. Many offer money off here and there on massage.
I am going to talk about my ultimate favorite Spa treatment, massage. I myself have a curvature of the spine (scoliosis) that can cause me to have very tight muscles in my shoulders and well, pretty much along my whole spine. If I do not get a regular massage it will tighten up and even start to cause me hip and leg pain. I have found that with regular massage I can keep these muscles looser and the relaxation that gives me is invaluable to the rest of my life.
I have been a massage therapist for over 14 years now. In the past year I started to cut down on the amount of massages I do simply to save my own hands. The wear and tear on the therapist’s body after repeated years of doing massage can be brutal in and of itself. But it is a service that I love doing. I still perform massage, but to a limited clientele.
There are many different types of massage techniques. I will cover some of them that I am familiar with in this post. Therapists can all be taught the same way yet the techniques can vary. Each therapist has their own touch and their own manner of presenting the movements to their clients. I have found that the energy that the therapist transfers to her clients is as important as the movements they do.
I got a massage and they really hurt me! How can I prevent myself from having another bad experience?
This is a common question that many people ask. The reasons for pain during or after a massage can vary. One, the therapist used more pressure than the client needed or could handle. Or two, the clients muscles were very tight and the pressure needed to loosen them up caused pain. It is VITAL to communicate your needs to the therapist and for the therapist to explain to the client what they can expect.
Know the type of massage you need. How can you know this? Well the three basic types are as follows.
Swedish: mainly a relaxing massage with light to moderate pressure. This will NOT loosen any deep muscle tightness. This is meant to just relax you and is good for the person who needs to just chill out and relax.
Deep Tissue: this is the type of massage I need. It is more aggressive and there will be a lot of pressure point work. There could be some pain involved in this that is necessary to loosen the tight muscles up. I call it …THE GOOD PAIN. It is common to have maybe a slight soreness after this type of massage BUT it should be accompanied by a looser feeling of the areas that were bothering you. By the 2nd day after this type of massage you should be feeling relief. Not all of your body will need the deep work, just the key problem areas.
Therapeutic Massage: where ALL massage has therapeutic value this type of massage is a combination of stretching techniques and some deep tissue and maybe even some Swedish thrown in. The therapist may ask for you to help with some of this as they stretch and work on giving you better range of motion. This is a good massage for people with certain structural issues.
If you fill out the form they give you and communicate your needs to the therapist, you should be able to achieve the type of massage that best suits your needs. If you are uncertain about the type you need when booking for this service. Tell the person that is taking your booking that you want to talk about what type you need with the massage therapist. Be honest with what your physical problems are so that the therapist can make the best choice on what you need. Prices may vary some (about $10.00) on the different types of massage. Don’t go for cheep on this, If you’re spending $65 what difference does it make if you spend 75.00 to get what you really need? Many spas offer half hour sessions for just working on one main area. This is a good way to do maintenance for your body and save some money if that is an issue. Look for specials at your local spa. Many offer money off here and there on massage.
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