Day Spas

What is a day spa?
Advantages
Disadvantages
Who should patronize a day spa?
Finding a day spa
What to expect during your first visit
Guidelines
Gear
Glossary of terms

What is a day spa?

As islands of serenity and pampering, day spas are cropping up in various forms in cities and suburbs alike. Spas in North America are a leading leisure industry, with nearly 14,000 facilities generating $9.7 billion in annual revenue, according to the International SPA Association. A day spa may actually be an expanded beauty salon or a retrofitted fitness club. There are day spas in hotels, conference centers and resorts. And increasingly, day spas are being constructed as freestanding facilities. While they vary in size, cost and services, day spas have at least two things in common: They offer a means of physical and mental escape from the workaday world and they can be expensive. The ambiance in day spas tends to be serene; muted colors and soft lighting. New Age or classical music often are used to help set the mood.

Each spa offers its own menu of services that typically include various types of massage and body work, facials and other skin-care services, reflexology, pedicures, manicures, beauty makeovers and body wraps. Many spas also offer more exotic services, such as mud or seaweed baths, hydrotherapy (in a whirlpool), sea-salt exfoliation and various types of aromatherapy. Also, some spas offer personal fitness trainers, aerobics classes and workshops on meditation, yoga and Tai Chi.

At many spas you can select services a la carte or buy a package deal that might include a Swedish massage, hydrotherapy, reflexology and lunch, for example. Many spas offer specialized packages for men, pregnant women or smokers.

Some spas are more clinical in nature, providing chiropractic care, acupuncture and other holistic treatments in addition to massages and facials.

You can spend an hour or two, a half-day or a full day. Depending on your budget, you can decide how many services you buy and how much "down time" you use between services.

Advantages

Going to a day spa is an opportunity to focus on yourself rather than on the needs of your boss, clients, children or spouse. Some day spas offer special packages for mothers and daughters or husbands and wives.

Other advantages include:

• Education - Day spas offer chances to learn about beauty and skin care, meditation, stress-reduction and other issues. Spa staffers are usually happy to provide tips as they work on you.

• New products - High-quality day spas are likely to use the latest innovations in hair-, nail- and skin-care products and aromatherapy potions. Should you discover a product that you love, the spa may be able to give you a free sample or sell you a supply for home use.

• Pain relief - Many of the massages and heat-treatments offered at day spas can ease sore muscles.

Disadvantages

• Expense - The biggest disadvantage for most people is the cost, which can range from $60 or $75 for a single service to several hundred dollars for an entire day of services.

• Dubious claims - While spa services, such as "detoxifying" treatments and vitamin wraps, are generally safe, they may not be effective -- especially after a single treatment. If you are skeptical of a treatment's purported therapeutic impact, ask the spa director to show you reputable scientific studies that demonstrate the treatment's effectiveness.

• Claustrophobia - Facials, body wraps and certain other spa treatments can sometimes trigger feelings of claustrophobia, even among people who are not usually uncomfortable in closed spaces. If you begin to feel claustrophobic, speak up. Steps can almost always be taken to ease your discomfort.

• All good things must end - The mellow feelings that flow from your day-spa visit can be short-lived as you get back to your busy life. So keep your expectations realistic, and you won't be disappointed. A day spa offers a brief respite from stress -- not a permanent antidote.

Who should patronize a day spa?

Almost anyone would probably enjoy a day at a spa. However, people with medical conditions may want to check with their doctor first.

• Pregnant women in the first trimester and women with a high-risk pregnancy - Although many spas are able to accommodate pregnant clients, all pregnant women should check with their obstetrician before going to a day spa. Certain spa services, such as reflexology, potentially could trigger early labor.

• Extremely shy individuals - Many of the body treatments offered at day spas typically require you to remove all or most of your clothing. Most spa personnel know how to hold up robes, towels and sheets in such a way as to maintain your privacy, and most treatments are done in private rooms on a one-on-one basis.

Finding a day spa

To find a day spa near you, check the Yellow Pages. When traveling, find out if the hotel or conference center has a spa.

What to expect during your first visit

Different spas have different procedures, but in general you will be given a robe, slippers, towel and locker key. After removing your jewelry and clothing (leaving on your underwear is optional) and putting on your robe, you'll wait in a sitting room until your service provider comes to get you. After each treatment, you'll return to the waiting area until someone appears to escort you to your next treatment.

At the end of your visit, you may want to shower to remove any left over oils and lotions that could stain your clothes.

Unless a gratuity has been added to your bill, you'll probably be encouraged to tip the staff members who performed your services. Ask the receptionist about the facility's tipping procedure. Gratuities can be upwards of 18 percent or higher, depending on what state you are in.

Guidelines

• Check with your doctor. If you are pregnant or have a chronic medical condition, such as high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes or lupus, get medical clearance for the spa services you would like to try. If the doctor is unfamiliar with a particular spa treatment, ask the spa for a descriptive brochure.

• Be informative. A responsible spa will ask all new clients to fill out a brief questionnaire about cigarette and alcohol use, exercise habits, diet, skin type and any medical problems or physical limitations you might have. The questionnaire should also ask if you use any prescription drugs, such as Accutane® or Retin A. The information helps the staff steer you clear of any services or products that might irritate your skin or otherwise be harmful.

• Ask questions. Find out if the spa's aestheticians, massage therapists, cosmetologists and other professional staff are trained and licensed for the services they render. Ideally, licensed staff members also receive continuing education to stay abreast of new products and techniques in their field. Some state health departments license spa facilities. Call your state or local health department to find out if spas in your state need to be licensed.

• Speak out. If you experience discomfort or embarrassment at any point during your spa visit, tell a staff person right away so the situation can be fixed.

• Get specifics on prices. Some spas include a gratuity and taxes on your bill. When you get initial price quotes, find out if the quote includes gratuities and taxes.

• Avoid peak hours. It is often easier to get an appointment during the week as opposed to weekends.

• Dress casually. You won't be needing your clothes most of the time.

• Forget the mascara. Especially if you are having a facial or a makeover, coming in with makeup on is counterproductive. Savor the freedom from your usual morning primp.

• Find a spa close to home. At the end of your spa experience, you will probably feel enormously relaxed and invigorated at the same time.

• Clear your calendar. If feasible, ask someone else to drive your children to soccer practice and have a colleague fill in for you at work. Try not to schedule anything immediately after your spa visit. This way, you won't get anxious if your visit lasts longer than anticipated.

• Space out your services. Give yourself at least 10 to 15 minutes between your massage and facial to relax, have some tea, read a book or magazine, meditate or chat.

• Ask about amenities. You may wish to shower before leaving the spa, so find out in advance whether you'll need to bring your own shampoo and blow dryer.

• Ask about gender. If you'd rather get your massage from a female rather than a male, or vice versa, express your preference when you make your appointment.

• Avoid dehydration. Many spa treatments can leave you parched, so drink plenty of water before, during and after going to the spa.

Gear

Day spas typically provide lockers for your clothes and jewelry, as well as towels, robes, slippers, showers, toiletries, hair dryers and other amenities to make your visit as carefree as possible. However, you may want to check with spa personnel when you schedule your appointment.

Also, many spas provide light refreshments. If you are diabetic or follow a restrictive diet, be sure to let the spa personnel know in advance.

Glossary of terms (source: Global Spa Guide)

Aromatherapy: Application of essential oils from leaves, bark, roots, seeds, resins and flowers during massage, facials, body wraps and other treatments. Odor from the oils is said to evoke certain feelings, such as relaxation.

Balneotherapy: Immersing the body in mineral water from hot springs or the sea to restore and revitalize the body.

Body work: Forms of therapeutic touch, such as massage, that retrain the body's posture and movements for optimal functioning.

Deep muscle massage: Massage technique that separates muscle groups and loosens fascia (connective tissue) to realign the body and increase range of motion.

Deep cleansing facial: Use of sophisticated machines or manual techniques to open pores, extract blackheads, purify skin, close pores and revitalize skin.

Detoxification: Cleansing the body of accumulated poisons that can accumulate from addictive habits, such as smoking.

Exfoliation: Skin treatment where the upper layers of dead skin cells are sloughed off by a loofah sponge, sea salt, brush or by other means.

Facial: A series of techniques used to clean and revitalize the facial skin. Facials typically include massaging, cleansing, toning, steaming, exfoliating and moisturizing.

Fango therapy: Application of highly mineralized mud to the body to detoxify, stimulate circulation, and relieve muscular and arthritic pain.

Herbal wrap: Wrapping the body in warm linen or cotton sheets that have been soaked in aromatic herbs. The body is then covered with blankets or towels, preventing the moist heat from escaping. Herbal wraps help relax the muscles, soothe soreness and soften skin.

Hydrotherapy: Water therapies using jets, underwater massage, and mineral baths.

Massage: Manipulating the skin, muscles and joints to relax muscle spasms, relieve tension, improve circulation and stretch connective tissue.

Salt glow rub: Rubbing the body with a vigorous, abrasive scrub consisting of coarse salt usually mixed with essential oils and water.

Thalassotherapy: Applying to the body a mixture of seaweed, vitamins, algae, magnesium, calcium and trace elements from the sea. The treatment is said to remove toxins while reinvigorating the skin.

Related Articles Acupuncture Massage Yoga: Uniting Mind, Body and Spirit

External Source International SPA Association

This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.

Search