Print Story: Shorter treatments, fewer visits; spa-goers find ways to pamper themselves on Yahoo! Canada News
Print Story: Shorter treatments, fewer visits; spa-goers find ways to pamper themselves on Yahoo! Canada News
Thu Sep 3, 9:36 AM
By Megan K. Scott, The Associated Press
NEW YORK – In this economy, we could probably all use a little pampering: a massage, a facial, a pedicure. Perhaps a nice soak in a hot whirlpool.
The spa, new figures show, is one thing we’re not giving up, even if it means opting for a cheaper experience and fewer treatments.
In June, 46 per cent of the 3,200 members of the International SPA Association reported an increase in the number of shorter treatments of 30 minutes or less, and close to half reported a decrease in the amount spent per visit compared with the same time last year.
The findings show some of the effects the economy is having on the spa industry, which has experienced exponential growth in recent years.
Revenues were up almost 18 per cent in 2008 from the previous year to $12.8 billion, according to ISPA’s 2009 U.S. Spa Industry Update. The number of spa visits increased 16 per cent and the number of locations rose almost 19 per cent to 21,300 in the U.S. (Day spas make up almost 80 per cent).
But per spa, revenues and visits were slightly down. According to SpaFinder’s State of Spa Travel Survey, 58 per cent of travel agents reported declines in spa travel bookings year-over-year from January through June of this year, though only one in five agents reported that spa travel declined ’significantly.’
“We have certainly seen an effect,” said Susie Ellis, president of SpaFinder Inc. and SpaFinder.com.
But not as much as hotels, she said.
“Spas are somewhat recession-resistant,” Ellis added. “The number one reason people go to spas is to de-stress and relax. While they may not be able to afford it, they need it more.”
Some spa trends:
Pamering, results: Spa-goers want to relax and de-stress, but they also want to leave with results, said Ellis. Their blood pressure goes down after a week at a destination spa, they lose weight or their skin is clearer after a facial.
“You want to walk out with a lighter step,” said Lynne McNees, president of ISPA. “That may be as simple as leaving worries on the massage room floor because you finally got to just let it go.”
Organic: Organic is becoming the buzz word for spas, as more offer environmentally-friendly products and design treatments that use indigenous plants from local environments.
For example, Aspira Spa at The Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake, Wis., recently debuted its Elderberry Facial at ISPA’s Media Event. Freshly ground dried elderberries are added to the exfoliant and dried elderberry flowers to the mask. A cup of elderberry tea with honey finishes the service.
“People want to stay away from the chemicals and get as pure as they can,” said Chris Bird, general manager at Mii Amo a destination spa at Enchantment in Sedona, Ariz. The spa uses Eminence Organics for its facials.
But spa-goers are also looking for an experience, said McNees, like a Whipped Cocoa Bath at the Spa at The Hotel Hershey in Hershey, Pa.
Kids: The kids want to be pampered, too.
Scooops Kid Spas, which resemble retro ice cream parlours, are now open at 10 Great Wolf Lodge Properties for kids ages 4-12. Each service has the look, feel and smell of an ice cream treat, like an ice cream flavoured fizz that is placed in the pedicure tub and moisturizing icings for the hands before polish is applied.
“It’s been very, very successful,” said Kim Schaefer, CEO of Great Wolf Resorts, who was inspired by her own daughter, now 14, to open a kid-friendly spa. “Even in today’s times when people are being a little more conscious about the money they spend, Scooops has been completely sold out this summer.”
Gen Xers, Yers: Gen Yers and Xers are going to replace their Baby Boomer parents as the spa industry’s core clientele, according to SpaFinder.
That means spas are rethinking everything from design and treatment menus to technology and wireless connectivity inside the spa, said Ellis.
For example, the winner of the 2009 Student Spa Strategy Challenge at the Global Spa Summit in May, re-imagined the spa for the 21-30 demographic as a social place where people go to network, eat, drink, work out and get a treatment.
Medical spas: Is there a doctor in the spa? The number of medical spas continues to grow at the fastest rate of all the spa types, according to ISPA, growing 85 per cent since July 2007.
While most people aren’t going for a pedicure, people are using them for Botox, filler treatments and even a script for the new eyelash lengthening drug, said Ellis.
Men: Men continue to frequent spas, making up about one-third of U.S. spa-goers, according to ISPA. When ISPA surveyed its members in June, 82 per cent of them had treatments for men. The most popular: the massage. (It’s also the most popular for women).
But men are also opting for stress relief treatments that are anti-aging, a 30 minute glycolic peel that makes skin visibly younger, for example, said Frank Westerbeke, president of Gadabout SalonSpas in Tucson, Ariz.
The trend is toward multiple services at once, he said in an email. For example, Gadabout Man offers a facial with a massage component, or a guy can add a manicure to his hair cut.
“Men like to spend no longer than an hour at the salon or spa,” he said. “Men don’t enjoy the fluff. They just want the results.”
Healing energy: Spas are offering healing energy therapies for people who are interested in alternative medicine, said Ellis.
Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Ariz., has an energy healing menu that includes Acutonics – a sound healing treatment – and a Chinese Herbal consultation, in which a specialist in Chinese medicine recommends herbs to treat ailments, including PMS, migraines, asthma and arthritis.
Classes: It’s not only about relaxation and wellness. You can leave a destination spa knowing how to cook, draw, even plant your own vegetable garden.
Lake Austin Spa Resort’s new Gardening for Life program features classes, such as Eating for the Season, Cooking from the Garden and Healing Herbs. The Texas spa is known for its organic gardens, which produce hundreds of plants, herbs, fruits, vegetables, spices and wildflowers. Ojai Valley Inn&Spa in California has an Artist’s Cottage&Apothecary with painting, drawing, jewelry-making and other craft-inspired experiences.
Deals: If you are looking for a deal, this is the time to find one. In 2008, 70 per cent of agents reported that spa resorts were lowering rates and rolling out more special deals than in years past.
That number has increased to 90 per cent so far this year, according to SpaFinder’s State of Spa Travel Survey. About 60 per cent of agents said spas were offering ‘historically’ or ’significantly’ more aggressive deals than ever before.
ISPA reports hotels are throwing in free treatments or spa credits with bookings. Some spas are offering memberships similar to a gym membership. So a 12-month membership may include unlimited use of the spa, one treatment a month and discounts on additional services.
Mail this post
How to prepare herbal decoctions or tea, and when to take the herbal decoction may have significant influence on the ultimate treatment results. Each herb has its own features. These features illustrate how herbs act on the human body, and their therapeutic effects. It is critical to understand these features of herbs before using them. This issue emphasizes on the preparation of herbs, different formats of using herbs, and energies and tastes of herbs. More than ten different ways of using herbs are described. Interactions among herbs, and among herbs and foods, as well as precautions and contraindications in using herbs are also discussed. 
Learn how to nourish your body and relax your mind with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Guided by ancient philosophies of dialectic materialism, which examine the interconnection of everything in the universe, TCM takes a holistic approach to managing emotions, improving quality of life, and preventing illness through use of herbs, natural foods, and acupressure. In each chapter you'll find a case story describing a particular problem, followed by a simple analysis, and concluding with advice on treatment using natural remedies. With its straightforward approach, the book is practical and easy to follow, even for TCM novices, as they learn about key concepts such as yin and yang and the Five Elements. Emotional changes are normal for everyone, and this book provides a lifeline for readers as they deal with the instability caused by the hectic modern world. Take this important first step, and learn about how the ancient and proven science of TCM can help you treat and prevent emotion imbalances, bringing more enjoyment to your life!
Diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the process of examining the body to diagnose disease and differentiate patterns under the guidance of the fundamental theories of TCM. It is a bridge that connects the basics of TCM with all branches of clinical medicine and includes inspecting the symptoms or manifestations, analyzing the changes, understanding the pathomechanisms, and predicting the transformation of diseases. TCM diagnosis consists of two major areas of study, examination and testing (zhên) and decision and judgment (duà n). Examination and testing techniques are used to collect information from the patient. Decision and judgment uses this information, which is sorted, analyzed, synthe¬sized, and reasoned on the basis of TCM theory. This book is organized around the four pillars of TCM diagnosis: inspection, inquiry, listening and smelling, and palpation. In this text, each aspect is explained in a clear and systematic manner, with generous use of tables and illustrations. This is followed by a series of review questions for deeper understanding. A comprehensive self-examination consisting of 200 multiple choice questions, with a separate key to the answers, tests the reader s understanding of the important points of each aspect of diagnosis. These questions, many of which are presented in case study format, will help students prepare for the board exams.