Why are Spa Treatments so important and necessary for your good health?  "Your good health starts with your skin!

When your skin is well nourished and cared for, you will look and feel fresh, vitalized, beautiful and radiant.

Whether you realize it or not, the first thing most people notice about you is your skin, and how well you care for it."  

Your skin is your body's largest organ and one of the most important and complex of all organs, as it grows faster than all other organs.

Normal healthy skin replaces itself every 28 to 52 days.  That's why your skin is just as important to keep healthy and detoxified, as you do for all of the other vital organs of your body.

Especially now more than ever, with all of the toxic elements that we come into contact with on a daily basis, detoxification is a must for healthy skin, and your own good health and well-being.

As you focus your efforts on keeping your skin healthy and detoxified, it will do a much better job of protecting and caring for you, after all you live in it!

"Protect and care for your skin, so it can protect and care for you!"

It is also important to remember that daily stress in your life stimulates adrenaline and cortisol and other hormones that can cause skin problems and disorders.

So caring for the outside can directly effect the health of your inside, as well as help to relax and de-stress your mind, body and spirit.

The Spa Treatments that I specialize in, as well as the excellent quality of the products that I use, all promote detoxification and essential nourishment and replenishment of the body's skin.

These treatments may contribute to your skins beauty and your body's over all health and well-being. 

Skin-Basics;  About Skin Conditions: 

                        An Introduction to Skin and Skin Disorders.

                        From acne to xerosis, skin conditions number in the

                        hundreds.  In fact, some doctors, called dermatologists,

                        specialize in disorders of the skin, but is it any

                        wonder: the skin is the largest organ in the body.  The

                        skin of the average adult male covers more than two

                        square yards and weighs about ten pounds.

                        Not "Only Skin Deep."

                        The skin is more than what you see on the surface.  It's

                        actually made up of three distinct layers, each serving

                        a special function, and ranges from 0.5 mm in the eyelid

                        to 2 mm in the palm of the hand.  (1 inch is about 25

                        millimeters.)

                        The top layer is the epidermis and is in itself composed

                        of several layers.  The "living layer" is what produces

                        the cells that make up the epidermis.  As the cells age

                        they are pushed to the surface to form the "dead" layer,

                        which acts as a first line of defense against toxins,

                        foreign bodies, and sun.  These dead cells are then

                        sloughed off to make room for other dead cells.  The

                        whole process takes about four weeks.

                        The middle layer is the dermis.  Often called the "true

                        skin," the dermis contains, like other organs, muscle

                        cells, nerve fibers, and blood vessels called

                        capillaries.  What makes it unique, however, is the

                        presence of sweat and sebaceous glands and hair

                        follicles.  Sebaceous glands produce an oily substance,

                        called sebum, which lubricates and protects the skin.

                        Sweat glands are part of the body's cooling system; as

                        sweat evaporates, body temperature drops.  Capillaries

                        are also integral to cooling:  when body temperature

                        rises, blood vessels dilate causing the flush seen with

                        fever or overexertion.

                        The deepest layer is the subcutaneous layer.  This layer

                        specializes in fat production, and is also key to the

                        manufacture of vitamin D.

                                Skin Term Definitions:

                                The following are some terms that apply to skin,

                                skin irritations and skin disorders.

                                Acne:  A localized inflammation caused by hyperactivity

                                of the oil glands at the base of hair follicles

                                combined with blockage of the outflow tract due

                                to excess keratin production.

                                Alopecia:  Hair loss.  Alopecia can be localized to one or

                                more areas of the scalp (alopecia areata), or

                                can result in total loss of scalp hair  

                                (alopecia totalis) or hair loss over the entire

                                body (alopecia universalis).

                                Birthmark:  A visible mark due a localized area of

                                pigmentation or collection of blood vessels.

                                Blister:  A pocket of fluid under the epidermis.  A blood

                                blister is filled with blood and is due to

                                injury.  A fever blister, or cold sore, is caused

                                by herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1).  A water

                                blister is filled with clear serum.

                                Boil:  A skin abscess; a tender, red, swollen area

                                filled with pus.  Boils can be caused by

                                bacteria, clogged sebaceous glands, or

                                inflammation of the sweat glands.

                                Callus:  A localized thickening of the epidermis due to

                                regular friction.

                                Carbuncle:  A skin abscess typically not responsive to

                                antibiotics.  Hot pack application and draining

                                of pus accumulation is the usual treatment.

                                Carbuncles can be indicative of a more serious

                                condition if accompanied by fever or long-term

                                illness.

                                Comedones:  Plural of comedo, a hair follicle filled with

                                dead skin cells, sebum and bacteria.  Closed

                                comedones are known as whiteheads.  Open

                                comedones are called blackheads.  Comedones are

                                the primary sign of acne.

                                Corn:  A small callus caused by regular irritation to

                                the skin over a bony projection.  Corns often

                                occur over a toe (hard corn) or between the toes

                                (soft corn).

                                Crust:  A scab.

                                Cyst:  A closed capsule filled with fluid or thick

                                material.  A sebaceous cyst occurs deep in the

                                skin and is filled with sebum that is grayish,

                                cheesy and foul smelling.  Sebaceous cysts are

                                common on the face, neck, and trunk.  Generally

                                painless, sebaceous cysts can become inflamed

                                and tender, at which point they can be

                                surgically drained.  Recurrence of a drained

                                sebaceous cyst is not uncommon.

                                Dermatitis:  Inflammation of the skin.  Often, the terms

                                "dermatitis" and "eczema" are used synonymously.

                                Eczema:  A group of skin disorders characterized by

                                inflammation, which can cause tiny blister-like

                                bumps that turn red and form a crust.  Eczema, in

                                all its forms, is typically itchy and may cause

                                a burning sensation.

                                Folliculitis:  An inflammation of the hair follicles generally

                                caused by the hair folding back on itself.  It

                                occurs most often in areas that are shaved.  In

                                men folliculitis commonly occurs on the cheeks

                                and neck; in women folliculitis is most common

                                in the bikini area.

                                Freckles:  Tan or brown spots that most often occur in

                                light complected people (especially those with

                                red hair).  Freckles appear after repeated

                                exposure to the sun.  Although not dangerous in

                                themselves, freckles are a warning that the skin

                                is vulnerable to sunburn and skin cancer.

                                Hives:  A raised, itchy area usually caused by an

                                allergic reaction.  Hives may last for days or

                                weeks, but usually only for a few hours.  Hives

                                are also called urticaria.

                                Hyperpigmentation:  Dark spots on the skin.  Although typically

                                cosmetic, some cases of hyperpigmentation are a

                                sign of an underlying medical condition.

                                Impetigo:  A spreading, patch of red, itchy skin that forms

                                pustules which become crusty, mustard yellow

                                sores.  Impetigo is a bacterial infection

                                typically caused by staphylococcus (staph) or

                                streptococcus (strep) that requires antibiotic

                                treatment.  Impetigo is most common in children,

                                and generally occurs on the face or arms,

                                although it can occur on other parts of the

                                body, as well.

                                Keloid:  An overgrown scar that rises above the surface

                                of the skin.

                                Keratin:  A fibrous protein which adds tensile strength to

                                the skin.  Also found in hair and nails.

                                Lesion:  A sore.

                                Macule:  A flat blemish.

                                Melasma:  An area of pigmentation on the cheeks affecting

                                about half of pregnant women.  Also called the

                                "mask of pregnancy."

                                Milia:  Whiteheads.

                                Mole:  A raised, pigmented spot.

                                Nodule:  A small solid bump that can be felt in the skin.

                                Nodules can occur in any layer of the skin.

                                Nodules range from 1 to 2 cm in diameter.  (1

                                inch = 2.5 centimeters.)

                                Papule:  A pimple.  A small solid bump that rises above

                                the surface of the skin.  Papules are generally

                                smaller than 1 cm in diameter.  They can become

                                infected and crusty when broken.

                                Psoriasis:  A red, scaly skin irritation that typically

                                affects the skin of the elbows, knees or scalp,

                                and the skin in or around the ears, navel,

                                genitals or buttocks.  Some cases are thought to

                                be an autoimmune response.  About ten to fifteen

                                percent of patients with psoriasis will also

                                develop arthritis (psoriatic arthritis).

                                Pustule:  A little pimple filled with pus in the epidermis

                                or dermis.  Pustules typically occur in sweat

                                glands or hair follicles.

                                Rash:  A red, itchy skin irritation.

                                Rosacea:  A chronic reddening of the forehead, nose,

                                cheeks and chin caused by enlarged capillaries.

                                Pimples may also occur.  Rosacea is often

                                confused with adult acne.

                                Scar:  A mark caused by healing tissue.

                                Ulcer:  A sore that, due to erosion, is below the level

                                of the surrounding tissue.

                                Urticaria:  A raised, itchy area usually caused by an

                                allergic reaction.  Urticaria may last for days

                                or weeks, but usually only for a few hours.

                                Urticaria are also called hives.

                                Vesicle:  A small blister.

                                Vitiligo:  Loss of pigmentation.  Thought to be an

                                autoimmune response, vitiligo results in white

                                patches of skin anywhere on the body.  The hair

                                in affected areas may also turn white.  Vitiligo

                                affects one to two percent of the population.

                                Xerosis:  Dry skin.

Now you know the importance of caring for your skin.