Spa Terminology - Page 1

Page 1   Page 2

accupressure - Traditional Chinese pressure-point massage that stimulates the flow of energy in the body.

acupuncture - Traditional Chinese healing technique based on Taoist philosophy, administered by using needles, low-voltage electric current (electro acupuncture), or pinpoint massage (acupressure).

aerobic exercise - Sustained rhythmic exercise ( brisk walking, running, or dance) using the large muscle groups of the body and increases the heart rate from 50 to 90 percent of its maximum.

alexander technique - Method of re-educating the mind and body to improve movement. The focus is on applying the appropriate amount of energy for each activity in order to improve posture and balance and to eliminate stress-inducing habits.

algotherapy - Seaweed bath - a form of thalassotherapy.

anaerobic - Opposite of aerobic exercise, anaerobic exercise --such as weightlifting and bodybuilding-- involves muscular work that causes the body to use more oxygen than it takes in.

anti-aging - Product or treatment said to decelerates the aging process.

applied kinesiology - Study of muscles, especially the mechanics of human motion.

aqua aerobics - Aerobic exercises performed in a pool using the support and resistance of the water to burn fat, strengthen bones, and increase cardiovascular health and endurance. The buoyancy of the water greatly reduces the chance of injuring joints or muscles.

aromatherapy - Treatments such as massage, facials, body wraps, or hydrobaths that include the application of fragrant essential oils. Different oils are used for different therapeutic benefits.

asanas - Various yoga postures or poses. The practice of these physical poses is a fundamental stage in many branches of the yoga system

Ayurveda - Ancient Indian system of traditional folk medicine from India using a variety of techniques, incorporating nutrition, herbal medicine, aromatherapy, massage, and meditation to restore the organism to perfect balance

Bindi - Bodywork combining exfoliation, herbal treatment, and light massage.

body conditioning - Any exercise program that focuses on overall conditioning of the body. A body-conditioning routine might combine exercises for strength and flexibility and use both strength-training equipment and floor exercises.

body sculpting - Fitness program using weight, flexibility, and endurance training; but not running or jumping, to shape hips, thighs, upper arms, and buttocks without creating bulk.

body wrap (herbal wrap) - Treatment in which strips of cloth are soaked in herbal teas and cocooned around the body.

brush and tone - Dry brushing of the skin intended to remove dead layers and impurities while stimulating circulation. This is one of many exfoliating techniques used as a pretreatment for mud and seaweed body masks that are formed by the application of a moisturizing lotion.

cellulite - Deposits of lumpy fat and fibrous tissue that cause dimpling of the skin in the thighs, hips, and buttocks of some women.

chakra - Ayurvedic term for energy "center." It is believed that there are seven chakras, which are all interconnected and which must be balanced

collagen therapy - Injection of collagen beneath the skin with a fine needle to fill out wrinkles and lines.

colonic - Intense water irrigation of the entire colon, intended to release trapped impurities and prevent the recycling of toxins into the bloodstream.

day spa - Establishment that provides beautifying, relaxing, or pampering experiences that can last an hour or may take a whole day. Can be freestanding or connected to health clubs, hotels, or department stores.

dead sea mud treatment - Application of mineral-rich mud from the Dead Sea in Israel. Used to detoxify skin and body and to ease painful symptoms of rheumatism and arthritis.

destination spa - Establishments that focus exclusively on lifestyle improvement, health enhancement, and self-renewal in the company of like-minded people

detoxification - Cleansing the body of poisons or toxins that may have accumulated through addictive habits

doshas - According to Ayurvedic medicine, the three metabolic types (vata, pitta, and Kapha). Most people are a combination of types, though are predominately one.

dry brush - Procedure using a natural-bristle brush to remove dead skin and impurities while stimulating circulation. This is one of many exfoliating techniques used prior to mud and seaweed body masks.

duo massage - Massage treatment performed in simultaneously by two therapists.

effleurage - Massage technique involving quick, long strokes used at the beginning and end of certain treatments.

endermologie - French massage therapy said to reduce the appearance of cellulite.

essential oils - Aromatic liquids extracted from flowers, grasses, fruits, leaves, roots, or trees. The oils maintain the odors and tastes, and thus the essence, of the plant they are extracted from.

European facial - Treatment that begins with deep cleansing, steam, exfoliation, and professional massage of the face, shoulders, and chest area, followed by special mask that hydrates the skin.

exfoliation - Procedure to slough top layer of dead skin cells off the face or body. Dry brush, loofah scrub, and salt glow are among the techniques used in conjunction with ingredients including grape seed, sugar, clay, and salt.

eyebrow threading - Ancient method of hair removal developed in the Middle East and Asia that uses a cotton thread to pull out unwanted hair at the root.

facial - Generic term for treatment of skin in the face that usually includes massaging, cleansing, toning, steaming, exfoliating, and moisturizing.

fango - From the Italian word for mud, a treatment that uses mineralized mud mixed with oil or water and applied over the body as a heat pack to detoxify the skin, soothe the muscles, and stimulate circulation.

feng shui - Chinese art of determining the most propitious design and placement of a structure or site to achieve maximum harmony between the flow of energy between the place and its inhabitant.

gommage - Cleansing, rehydrating treatment using creams that are applied in long movements, similar to a massage.

green - Concerned with or promoting environmentalism by recycling, making bidogradable products, or limiting pollution.

green tea - Tea whose leaves come from the same shrub as black tree but are heated before oxidation (called fermentation) is complete. It may reduce risk of cancer and help prevent cardiovascular disease.

haiku - Traditonal Japanese form of poetry consisting of three lines, which have 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively.

hatha yoga - Branch of yoga that is devoted to the physical processes (as opposed to others that focus on wisdom, meditation, service, etc.) and involves breathing and physical exercises. There are many types of physical yoga.

herbal wrap - Treatment using strips of cloth soaked in a heated herbal solution to wrap around the body. It is used for relaxation and said to eliminate impurities and detoxify.

holistic medicine - System of heath care that looks at the entire person, taking into account physical, nutritional, environmental, emotional, social, spiritual and lifestyle values, and avails itself all modes of diagnosis and treatment including drugs and surgery in the absence of a safe alternative. The patient is urged to make personal efforts to achieve balance and well-being.

homeopathy - Form of medicine based on the principle that "like cures" like to stimulate the body to heal itself, it treats patients with minute quantities of natural substances that cause symptoms much like those of the disease they are meant to cure.

hormone replacement therapy - Medication containing one or more female hormones (usually estogen) used to treat women experiencing symptoms of menopause or amenorrheoa or women who have had partial or full hysterectomy. Medical opinion about the risks of this kind of therapy is divided.

hot stone therapy - Relaxing, therapeutic treatment in which dark, smooth stones heated in hot water or hot spring pools are placed or stroked with light pressure on areas of the body such as the back, in the palms, and between the toes. Cold stones may also be used.

hydrotherapy - Treatment using water therapeutically to aid relaxation in a variety of procedures such as underwater jet massage, different types of showers, and mineral baths. Thalassotherapy, using seawater for hydrotherapy, has long been a staple in European spas.

hypoallergenic - Cosmetic products alleged by manufacturer to create fewer allergic reactions among those who are sensitive. However, no federal standards govern the use of this term.

juice fast - Short-term diet regimen consisting of only fresh fruit or vegetable juices. Advocates claim it detoxifies the body.

Kneipp baths - Water therapies originated by Germany's Father Sebastian Kniepp, a holistic teacher and proponent of natural remedies. Originally involving dips in the icy Danube, nowadays the therapy involves immersion both in warm and cold water.

kur - From the German "kur", a planned course of spa treatments that typically involve mineral water, mud baths, algae, and herbs. "Taking the kur" might be a ten- to twenty-day process every three months.

laser hair removal - Use of concentrated beams of light to permanently remove unwanted hair. Best candidates for the procedure have very fair skin and very dark hair.

loofah scrub - Exfoliation with a sponge made of the fibrous skeleton of the loofah, a vegetable from the gourd family. Loofah is used extensively in Europe and Asia because of its effectiveness in removing dry skin and stimulating circulation.

lycopene - The substance that makes tomatoes red, it is also a powerful antioxidant that may help prevent diseases of aging such as some forms of cancer and heart disease.