Spa Dangers You'd Never Suspect

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed)
Feb 14th 2010 at 4:01PM

Treating yourself to a day or week at the spa can be one of life's most relaxing and rejuvenating experiences -- good for both body and soul. A good spa should be staffed with knowledgeable and licensed staff that can answer all your questions and responsibly recommend treatments based on your individual needs, but it never hurts to educate yourself in advance and take charge of your own well being. In addition to understanding what some spas won't tell you, it's also important to understand how different spa treatments and therapies can affect your health.

There's something in the water The hot water in saunas, jacuzzis, hot tubs, and even steam rooms (anywhere that's warm and wet) can carry bacteria capable of making a person very ill, and even the cleanest and most diligent spas can't guarantee that the water is 100% bug free at all times. Every time you inhale steam or get contaminated water on open skin (or in your mouth) you're at risk -- remember those news reports from years ago about luxury cruise patrons getting infected with Legionnaire's disease from the hot tubs?

Get a mani-pedi, and a fungal infection too Manicures and pedicures are one of the most popular spa and salon treatments but there is still some risk for contracting a fungal or bacterial infection. Thankfully a few easy precautions is all it takes to make sure you won't get any unwanted 'bonuses' with your relaxing beauty treatment.

Existing conditions and spa therapies don't always mix Hot tubs, hot saunas, hot steam rooms, etc can all exacerbate high blood pressure, mani/pedi's are a special issue for diabetics, and of course if you're pregnant you should consult a doctor before doing almost anything at the spa. A good spa should certainly ask or provide warnings as necessary, but it's ultimately up to you to know and understand how treatments might interact with any pre-existing conditions.

What you can do

Educate yourself on the risks and understand your own health
Choose a spa that appears clean, has a good reputation, knowledgeable staff, and is properly licensed and accredited
Avoid shaving the day of treatments and avoid treatments altogether when you have open or broken skin (even a sunburn).
Bring your own equipment and/or supplies whenever possible

Tags: health, spa treatments, spas-pedia, SpaTreatments