Bamboo Fusion Massage coming soon to the spa!

In February we will be offering the latest in Massage therapy at the salon. Bamboo Fusion! I am excited to learn and practice this new technique! We start training for this next week.
By now most of you are familiar with Hot Stone Massage. A technique using warm stones to loosen muscles and therefor providing a deeper level of relaxation to the muscles without the wear and tear on the Therapist and the client of allot of deep pressure.
Well Bamboo Fusion is somewhat similar. The Bamboo sticks are heated and there is various rolling and kneading techniques applied with the different sticks. There is a fluidity of movement with this massage that is very relaxing and using the different tools as a way to loosen the muscles provides a different feel than the hot stones or hand on massage.
After we do the training on this I will get back with you about how I feel about it. But for now put me down for excited !

Why do I break out after a facial?

Many times I speak with people that are afraid to get facials because in the past they broke out after having one. They feel its because of the product used on their skin during the facial. Or that they had a reaction.


The most common reason for skin breakouts directly following a facial (happening within the first few days following) is purging. Purging is a process the skin goes through to get rid of toxins ,dirt and oil from the skin. When we cleanse the skin during a facial we many times use exfoliating products. Such as an enzyme cream or a cleansing machine to loosen up the dead skin and accumulated oil on the surface of the skin. This is usually followed by the application of steam or hot towels to the skin. All of this stimulation may cause the body to continue the purging process over the next few days after the facial has been done.
This is a good thing for people that have allot of blackheads or clogged up oil that was buried deep into the skin. The skin will usually look brighter and better after the breakout calms down. Purging impurities from the body is a good thing.
If you have ever done a "detox" cleansing for your body you will be familiar with the process of not feeling well as the toxins work their way out of your system. This breakout after a facial works in somewhat the same way.
The type of breakout that is a true reaction to product used would be an itchy feel to the skin,or rash within the first week of having the facial.That is an allergic reaction and should be noted .


I usually tell people to get a facial when you have a couple days to let the skin calm down after getting it. Most people do not have breakout reactions like this. Always let the facialist know if you have had breakouts after facials in the past and what type they were. The specialist can then determine what is the best type of facial products to use on you. I have had breakouts myself after a facial but most of the time they are slight and after they go away the skin looks clearer and better than before having the facial. True evidence that it was a "purging" situation.

Holiday Advice from the SPA!!

OK those of you running around going crazy deciding what to buy for who

 And what food to make for what event. After you have finished driving yourself crazy,do yourself a favor and come into the spa for some relaxation and rejuvenation.

I had a lady tell me today after her relaxing massage that I was better than her therapist! Haha. Wish I could make that kind of money. But seriously,it is important for your well being to take time for yourself and de-stress.
If you can't get in before the holidays,put the spa on your wish list. Gift certificates from the spa are never a bad idea.

The new IonToSonic Facial treatment is still going like gangbusters! get glowing skin in time for all those holiday parties and pictures that will be all over Face book!

What age should I bring in my child for a facial?

When is it time to get your daughters and sons on a good skin care routine? Well, I would say from the time they are young enough to know the importance of good hygiene. When your children are little you give them baths and tuck them into bed at night. It is usually around preteen age 10 to 12 when we start to lose some control over how they get their skin clean. That is the time I feel that you need to have a talk about good facial wash and a balancing moisturizer with SPF in it. Once the hormones kick in and they are starting to get some breakouts they will have established a good routine that you can add onto.


I try to recommend to my clients that they bring in their young teens at around age 13 or 14 to have me give them a mini facial and I can talk to them about good skin care. I can show them how much better their skin can look with the blackheads removed and the oil under control.

This is just as important for boys as it is for girls. In fact I actually have a larger clientele of teenage boys at this time than girls.

I teach girls the importance of washing off their make up before bed and boys of washing their face ,period. Some times it is easier for someone besides mom to make this impression on them.

It is very possible with just some regular facials and a good routine you can save your teenagers from a trip to the Dermatologist office.

Hives update and testing for Vitamin D

Well I may not ever know the exact reason for my huge hive outbreak a couple weeks ago . They are just now calming down. The doctor has prescribed a five day steroid treatment and a stronger skin cream for the itching. Pretty standard treatment from what I have read. She said this should help get the rest of the irritant out of my system. We are going to chalk it up to stress induced at this time.

I have also decided that it would be prudent to wear a mask during the new treatment just to keep from inhaling any particles in the air during it. Although the doctor didn't feel that that was the cause.

I also asked for a Vit D deficiency test since I am hearing from so many people how they have turned up deficient. I asked the Doctor why they are not doing this test automatically . She said they don't usually but almost EVERYONE she tests is deficient . Yes you heard me almost EVERYONE!!! I'm thinking to myself..well why wouldn't this test be standard? But I figured I wasn't going to grill her and she was more than willing to do the test. I reserve my bitching for those I feel deserve it these days....Check the listed reference source for Vitamin D deficiency symptoms. You will be shocked what not getting enough of this Vitamin can do to your system.

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/v/vitamin_d_deficiency/symptoms.htm#symptom_list

My Hive out break could have a link to not having enough of this Vitamin in my system ,and I take 1500 mg a day! I may need much much more than that and you might also. I strongly advise that you all ask your doctor to check your levels . You may be surprised at how much better you can feel when you have the correct amount of it.

Suffering from a skin ailment!! Gah!!

I decided to share with my readers some of my frustration that I am having with a breakout of hives that I am suffering from.

Last time I EVER had hives to this extent was when I was a little girl and I had eaten pine apple while licking stamps to put in my mothers stamp booklet. Apparently my parents were never able to figure out what caused it the pineapple or the glue or the two combined...so they kept me away from both all my life. I started to eat pineapple in adulthood and never had any hives so I determined that it had not been the cause. Or if it had ,I had outgrown it.
Well two weeks ago I broke out in hives all over my chest ,my ears filled with fluid and I felt like I may even had some inside my throat! Some really strong Benadryl which knocked me out for a day seemed to help with the throat and ear thing. I have had to take an antihistamine every 6 hours since just to hold this rash to what it is....I have gone over everything I may have eaten and can come up with nothing .
From everything I have read Hives can be brought on by stress. Have I had that this last month? yes.Combined with seasonal allergies seems to be the only trigger I can come up with.

The most common skin allergy triggers that cause hives include:


• Medication such as antibiotics, codeine, penicillin, sulfa, anticonvulsant drugs, phenobarbital, and aspirin

• Foods like shellfish, nuts, tomatoes, soy, chocolate, and berries

• Pollen

• Cat dander

• Insect bites such as bee ans wasp stings



Other causes of the hives include: emotional stress, bacterial - viral - fungal infections, hepatitis B, parasitic worms, food additives, plants, cold temperatures, heat, sweating, and dermatographism (irritation from pressure or tight fitting clothes).

So as you can see this is not going to be easy to figure out.....
Seeing the Doc on Monday and hope for some answers.

Can NOT stop talking about it!!

Yes,I am STILL talking about the IonToSonic machine. Into our second week of using this on clients and getting some feedback. Overall its a huge thumbs up! I confess I am addicted to how it feels getting the treatment done. I didn't get one this week because we were so busy doing them on clients. Added to that its' sweetest day week and EVERYONE wants a massage or something. Anyway,I am badly missing my treatment. Not really because I need one so badly but because I miss the way it feels getting one.

The combination of galvanic current and ultrasonic feels invigorating! It is hard to describe to some one. Its relaxing and invigorating at the same time! As I am working on someone I can actually see the results happen on their skin right before my eyes. I have several people booked for series of treatments (3 or more). Very excited to see the results on them after 3 of these.

This can also be used on ageing hands. Hands show age very quickly and if this treatment can renew that skin it would be a bonus for so many people.
Ok ,I will stop raving about it ,for now. Please think about getting one of these treatments done.