What is a spa? What are SPA procedures? What does the word spa mean?
Today the mysterious and alluring word “SPA” is on everyone’s lips. SPA salon, SPA resort, SPA effect - not everyone knows the exact meaning of these expressions, but subconsciously we understand: SPA is a guarantee of quality, it is something that has a magical effect.
What is a SPA? Most often, this word is written as an abbreviation: 3 capital letters, Cyrillic (SPA) or Latin (SPA). However, in fact, the spelling “Spa” would be more correct, because this is not an abbreviation, but an ordinary word - the name of a Belgian resort famous for its healing waters.
Today, the word “SPA” is more often used to refer to physical therapy methods involving water. These include, in particular, thalassotherapy (treatment with sea water, mud, algae) and balneotherapy (treatment with mineral waters).
SPA treatments have a rejuvenating effect, improve skin condition, promote weight loss and figure correction. The salons offer several types of spa treatments.
1. Thermotherapy. In essence, this is an ordinary Russian bathhouse. The procedure begins with warming up: under the influence of high temperature and moist steam, excess fluid is removed from the body, and with it toxins, skin pores open, and the surface of the skin is freed from the layer of keratinized scales.
The next stage is cleansing. The skin is treated with body peeling, then proceed to massage. A broom made from branches of various trees is used as a “massager”. An oak broom increases skin elasticity, a birch broom relaxes muscles, has a beneficial effect on the respiratory system, a nettle broom helps against radiculitis, a hazel broom is useful for varicose veins and eczema, a pine broom normalizes blood circulation.
After the massage with a broom, contrast procedures are carried out: swimming in cool water. Temperature changes harden the body, strengthen blood vessels, and increase skin elasticity. The final stage of thermotherapy is lymphatic drainage massage and shower.
2. Osmotherapy. This SPA procedure is carried out using mineral salts. Fine salt peeling removes dead cells from the skin. The smallest grains penetrate through the pores into the skin, saturate the cells with minerals and remove toxins from the body.
Peeling of coarse salt with algae extracts is rich in bromine, calcium and potassium. This salt helps relieve stress, reduces nervous tension, and has a beneficial effect on heart function. If you consider yourself a victim of chronic fatigue syndrome, you should definitely take a course of osmotherapy!
Mud wraps will help enhance the effect of this procedure. Therapeutic mud contains active substances that cleanse the body of toxins and heavy metals.
Osmotherapy promotes renewal and rejuvenation of the body, improves the nutrition of living tissues, normalizes hormonal levels, stimulates vitamin metabolism, tones muscles, and has a positive effect on the musculoskeletal system.
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3. Hot tubs. Warm jets of bubbling water provide mechanical massage. The effect of the procedure is enhanced by adding extracts of aromatic Tuscan herbs to the water. Jets of varying intensity hitting under water stimulate blood circulation, increase skin tone, help normalize metabolism and cleanse the body. After taking a hydromassage course, you will certainly feel several years younger.
4. SPA in Indian style. It is a mixture of physiology, psychology, cosmetology and medicine. Each client is given an individual spa program depending on their body type and character traits. Indian SPA specialists distinguish 3 types: vata, pita and kapha.
People of the Vata type have a fragile physique, are distinguished by lively behavior, easy excitability, a tendency to rapid mood changes, and some unpredictability.
Pita type people have an average build. These are strong, decisive, sober-minded people who tend to show anger and irritation in difficult situations.
Kapha people have a powerful physique. They are slow, calm, pleasant to talk to, and unperturbed. In difficult situations, they tend to withdraw into themselves.
Indian SPA begins with determining the type of client. Having found out his type, he goes to the appropriate bath with the addition of decoctions of medicinal Indian herbs. While the client is soaking in the bath, a nourishing mask is applied to his hair. Then the body is treated with herbal peeling. After which a massage is performed. Very often, an Indian SPA ends with a stone therapy session.
5. Thalassotherapy. The name of this spa method is literally translated from Greek as “sea treatment”. The sea is the richest source of rejuvenation and healing. It seems that almost everything related to the sea is beneficial for our body: sea water, mud, salt, algae and even sea air. Thalassotherapy uses all these “natural medicines” most effectively.
Thalassotherapy has rejuvenating and general health-improving effects. As part of it, a number of procedures are carried out:
❀ a bath or pool with sea water, which for thalassotherapy sessions is taken from a depth of 6 m at a distance of at least 450 m from the shore. It is there that the water is the purest and richest in minerals. For the procedure, water is heated to a temperature of 35-37 °C. The thalassotherapy session itself lasts about 20 minutes. During this time, the skin absorbs all the necessary microelements from the water;
❀ seaweed wrap. A mass of algae is applied to problem areas of the body, which is covered with a film on top and wrapped in thick fabric. As a result, a sauna effect is created, due to which beneficial substances penetrate the skin more actively. Seaweed contains a lot of iodine necessary for the body, and they are also rich in substances that stimulate metabolic processes. As a result of this procedure, blood supply to tissues improves, fat deposits are reduced, including cellulite, and swelling is reduced;
❀ masks made from algae and therapeutic mud saturate the skin with nutrients, remove toxins and impurities from the body, and promote rejuvenation;
❀ Cavitotherapy - treatment with sea air. The ocean is a giant oxygen production station. Many algae are constantly working to create the cleanest and healthiest air possible. Cavitotherapy improves the condition of the respiratory system, clearing the bronchi of all harmful substances, helps with nervous disorders, and therefore saves from premature aging. In order to enjoy the healing properties of sea air, you don’t have to go to a resort. Cavitotherapy sessions are also carried out in salons where sea air is obtained artificially. Why do they pour real sea water into special containers and irradiate it with ionization lamps?
Instructions
A SPA salon is a place where you can relax both soul and body. From the very threshold you will be greeted as a welcome guest and offered a cup of aromatic tea or herbal cocktail. Scented candles, calm music, comfortable upholstered furniture will help you relax. This is not just a beauty salon with a set of certain procedures. This is a kind of ritual in which there are no trifles. Everything is important for relaxation: a cozy interior, dim lighting, subtle aromas, candle flames, soft towels and friendly specialists.
After a busy work week, steam rooms will help relieve tension and relax the muscles of the body. They can be made in European, Eastern or Slavic style. A traditional Russian steam room is distinguished by an air temperature of 40-45 ° C and a humidity of 60-80%. The heat is brought on by pouring water on hot stones. To enhance the healing effect, the procedure is combined with crown massage. The difference between a Finnish sauna is its high temperatures, which can reach 100°C. However, due to the low humidity of 10-30%, they are easily tolerated indoors. The Roman bath consists of two rooms. In the first, the air temperature is at around 45°C, and in the second it reaches 70°C. Dry steam is supplied to the steam room from holes in the walls. For those looking to cool off, there are two swimming pools with warm and cool water. A visit to the Turkish steam room is accompanied by a mandatory soap massage and body peeling. At the end of the session, the client is given a relaxing massage.
SPA body treatments also include a cedar barrel, stone therapy (massage using hot stones) and all kinds of wraps (chocolate, algae, gel, etc.). After them, the skin becomes cleaner, velvety and softer. Lightness appears in the body, and figure flaws become less noticeable.
A set of treatments for hands and feet consists of a massage based on the teachings of reflex points, wraps to relieve feelings of heaviness and fatigue, manicure and pedicure. Paraffin baths, cosmetics based on plant extracts, thermal waters and essential oils will smooth out wrinkles, moisturize the skin and help get rid of nail problems.
The salon's specialists will also take care of your facial skin. All procedures performed can be divided into 3 groups: basic, tightening and aimed at combating acne. The first group includes various facial masks, massages using products containing oxygen, gold particles, essential oils and algae. Tightening treatments include collagen masks, lifting, Botox injections and dermabrasion. And peelings, stimulation of the skin with current, and the use of laser will help cope with skin imperfections. Ultimately, the complexion will become smoother, the skin will be more elastic and toned, and imperfections will be less obvious.
Lately, we are increasingly hearing about holidays at SPA resorts or treatment with SPA therapy. It seems that these wonderful procedures can restore health, help you lose weight, and improve the condition of your skin and hair. In addition, they are great for relaxing and allow you to take a break from the hard work of everyday life. Holidays at spa resorts, therefore, provide an opportunity not only to soak up the beach, but also to take care of your own health.
Let us turn to history to understand the meaning of this unusual word that is on everyone’s lips.
How to decipher the term “SPA”?
Perhaps the term “SPA” became so popularized thanks to the small town of Spa in Belgium. This place has long been famous for its springs. According to legend, soldiers were even brought here from the battlefield so that after quickly recovering, they could return to duty. Thus, thanks to popular rumor, the name “Spa” becomes a household word, and people from all over Europe come to Spa for SPA treatment.
According to another version, SPA is an abbreviation from the Latin “sanitos pro aqua”, which means “health through water”. This Latin expression perfectly captures the essence and purpose of many spa treatments.
It is even possible that “SPA” is just the first part of the Russian word “thank you,” which Peter I allegedly said in gratitude to the local thermal springs during his stay in Belgium.
What does this fashionable word “SPA” mean?
All interpretations are unanimous in that the essence of SPA is the use of natural water, mineral and thermal springs, thanks to which people have drawn reserves of strength, energy and health since ancient times.
The primary goal of modern spas is to recreate natural harmony in order to combat stress, fatigue and illness. For this, various water procedures are used, plant extracts, and especially algae, are used.
Variety of spa treatments
Nowadays, the geography of spas has expanded significantly. For a long time now it has been not only, and not so much Europe. SPA based on the gifts of the Dead Sea are very popular. This is how thalassotherapy is carried out - treatment and care using sea water, salt, silt, and algae. These procedures help to recover from fatigue and stress, cleanse the body and restore strength, get rid of wrinkles and excess weight. Sea salt peeling and the use of algae are especially popular today. After such procedures, the skin is perfectly cleansed and becomes truly silky.
Thailand brought aromatherapy to the spa, and China brought the wisdom of Eastern philosophy. In Western Europe and the USA, “Russian spas” are becoming increasingly popular, the heart of which is a bathhouse with a birch or oak broom and a subsequent plunge into an ice bath. Steaming in a bathhouse or sauna is wonderfully relaxing, relieving muscle and nervous tension. And cleansing the skin helps enhance the effect of subsequent procedures.
After a bath, it is usually recommended to do body wraps. To do this, use herbs, algae or medicinal mud, the amazing properties of which help to cope with many problems. It is also possible to carry out additional relaxing procedures. For example, this could be a hydromassage or immersion in a Japanese special furo barrel filled with warm water with the addition of rose petals, herbs, honey, and cream.
The best completion of a complex of spa treatments is a massage. At least the cervical-collar area, and ideally the whole body. If necessary, focus on the anti-cellulite effect. After the massage, a moisturizing and nourishing cream is applied to the skin, which will complete the SPA care complex.
Now, knowing the essence, meaning and positive results of spa treatments, let them take care of your health, well-being and appearance!
The magical combination of letters inspires pleasant thoughts in us, we want to relax and forget ourselves, but do we fully understand the meaning of this word?
Unfortunately, many modern salons decorate their entrance with the inscription SPA, having only a massage table in stock, which is only a small part of this concept.
What is SPA?
The name itself translated from Latin means “health through water.” The modern meaning of the word remains almost the same. That is, SPA means a complex of water procedures and effects using algae, natural cosmetics, aimed at healing and relaxing the entire body.
One of the most popular SPA procedures all over the world is wrapping, which can also be very different, cold and warm, using:
- dirt;
It all depends on the desired result and your skin type.
To avoid disappointment, it is best to find out more about the services before visiting the salon, and also consult with a specialist. If a friend tells you about the amazing effects of a particular procedure, it does not mean at all that it will also work on you. The selection of such services is a deeply individual process.
And depending on the depth and nature of the impact, they will refresh the skin of the face and eliminate imperfections.
At the peak of fashion and, they are not inferior in benefits.
Also in some salons you can find a mysterious word. This is a type of treatment that uses sea water and algae.
The procedures themselves can be different, but one of the most popular is gymnastics in heated sea water.
Thalassotherapy is most popular in seaside resorts.
To achieve maximum effect, it is best to use procedures in a complex, which may include:
- aromatherapy;
- massage;
- face and whole body masks;
- wrap;
- hydro impact.
SPA is an affordable and pleasant way to improve your health in large cities. When choosing procedures, we recommend that you carefully read their descriptions on the website and take into account contraindications.
Remember the universal rule: choose high-quality drugs and qualified performers with medical education.
Additionally, watch a short video about the complex of SPA procedures:
What is a spa these days? First of all, this is a whole range of procedures, including not only water and cosmetic activities, but also various massages, milk baths, seaweed wraps and other activities that heal the entire body and relax the soul and body.
History of the name "spa"
There are two versions about the origin of the term “spa”. The first says that these are the first letters of the Latin words “healing using water.” Even in ancient Rome, ailments were healed in thermal springs and baths. According to the second version, this designation is used in honor of the famous Belgian balneological resort in the Ardennes, which is called Spa. The place became popular at the beginning of the twentieth century. What is a spa? Now this term refers to the complex and long-term impact of the highest level on the body as a whole, not only with sea or mineral water, but also with recognized modern and traditional methods of rejuvenation.
Spa - luxury or necessity?
Endless stressful situations, instability and overload at work inevitably lead to deterioration in health and well-being. Experiences force the body to produce a critical amount of adrenaline. In muscles saturated with an excess amount of these hormones, blood supply is disrupted, which leads to various health problems, disruptions in the functioning of the human body, and deterioration in appearance.
What is a spa? This is the time that a person completely devotes to restoring the condition of his body and soul. Absolute relaxation during the procedure is aimed at improving overall well-being. After exposure to medicinal mud and medicinal plants, the skin acquires extraordinary elasticity and softness. Toxic substances and waste are actively removed from the body.
A life-saving step in the fight against the consequences of overwork, irritation and apathy is an “anti-stress” massage. Just two sessions a week lasting up to 60 minutes can revive almost any organism.
On the highest level
What is a spa treatment? These are thalassotherapy, balneology, physiotherapeutic effects, stone therapy, special cosmetic actions, decorated with beautiful rituals of healing and rejuvenation. These include fruit, algae or flower wraps, visits to steam rooms and swimming pools, meditation and hot tubs, inhalation of special aromas and a program of treatments in a spa capsule. The harmonious combination of gentle, affectionate and calm movements with the gifts of nature, the thoughtfulness of every detail of any of the processes gives untold pleasure.
Losing weight is much more pleasant in a special salon than fighting excess kilograms in the usual exhausting ways. In addition, the body takes on a slimmer shape without stretch marks, the skin becomes elastic, soft, youthful and firm. Visit a spa salon, undergo a complex of several procedures - and nervousness, fatigue, excess weight, and stress are relieved as if by hand.
The very atmosphere in the salon, the behavior of the staff, and the protocols of procedures are aimed at achieving complete relaxation for visitors. Will an ordinary massage therapist serve you tea or drinks? Where else can you take salt or ethereal, thermal, mineral or mud baths, if not in a specialized salon? After such events, not only the skin changes for the better. The person feels an amazing surge of strength.
More about the spa capsule
In the fields of balneology, addiction medicine, dietetics, sports medicine, cosmetology and other areas, special cabins are successfully used today. What is a spa capsule? This is a compact health device with a stylish appearance for carrying out a whole range of procedures.
A person, lying inside the capsule, feels the impact of the vibrating massage bed with his whole body. The head of the person placed inside the cabin remains outside, which makes it possible to simultaneously carry out cosmetic procedures on the face and breathe ionized air. A typical session in the cabin lasts from 30 to 50 minutes accompanied by beautiful music, sounds of nature or the sound of sea waves. A spa salon or spa hotel that has such an innovative device in its arsenal provides its clients with the opportunity to receive a relaxing manual massage to complete the entire process.
What types of spa capsules are there?
Taking procedures in the so-called “dry” cabin, you can perfectly warm up the body with ionized warm air. Inhaling air refreshed with essential oils, being under the influence of chromotherapy (color effects that change the state of mind), undergoing vibration massage and music therapy, a person very quickly restores physical and mental strength.
In the hydrofusion capsule, active and deep heating of the entire body occurs using a combination of hot steam and infrared radiation. The processes of removing slag deposits are activated, excess calories are burned, and sleep is normalized.
Types of treatments in a spa capsule
Depending on its type and purpose, the capsule makes it possible to obtain the following physiotherapeutic effects:
- aroma, color and herbal medicine;
- vibration, air and hydromassage;
- warming up the hips and back;
- Vichy water shower;
- "sea fog";
- steam and infrared sauna;
- a special “dry” system affects the body with active oxygen;
- contrast and “tropical” shower.
In accordance with the chosen body care program, the spa capsule visitor receives a full range of treatments during the session: from acid-fruit peeling to the application of anti-aging creams and special clay and algae masks to the entire surface of the skin.
Contraindications for taking procedures in a spa capsule are inflammatory processes and exacerbations of chronic diseases, heart rhythm problems, cholecystitis and urolithiasis.
Staying at a spa hotel - what makes it special?
What is a spa hotel? First of all, this is practically a resort place away from the bustle of the city. Among natural beauties, in the forest or on the seashore, relaxation is combined with massage, cosmetic, and healing procedures. A spa hotel in the desert, in the mountains, near a lake gives you the opportunity to enjoy completely unusual natural landscapes. Forest, mountain and sea air have such a beneficial effect on a person exhausted by the bustle of the city that, after living just a few days in such an environment, a vacationer simply finds a second wind.
What are hotel spa treatments? Restoration of vitality, youth and health, complete detachment from worries. In such hotels you will admire not only the wonderful cuisine and comfort in the rooms, but also a lot of excellent services for body and soul.
