For First Timers
Is it your first time at the spa? Relax! This article will walk you through the basics.
If going to a spa for the first time makes you nervous, you're not alone. Many people have their first spa experience when they get a gift certificate to a day spa . Some people don't even use the gift certificates because they're anxious about what will happen and the finer points of spa etiquette !
The biggest area of concern is taking your clothes off for a massage. Don't worry! Modesty is always preserved during massage . You can keep your clothes on for certain types of massage, like reflexology . And the truly shy can always get a facial or a spa manicure and pedicure.
When It's Your First Time At the Spa
* Ask for a tour before you book an appointment. The spa may or not be able to accommodate you, but it's fair to ask. Here's how you can tell if it's a good spa.
* When you book your appointment, tell them it's your first spa visit. They should take time to answer any questions you have.
* Feel free to ask questions about which spa treatments would be right for you. The most popular are massage, facials, body treatments and spa manicures and pedicures.
* When booking your spa treatment, they will ask if you have a preference for a male or female therapist.
What Happens At The Spa
* Arrive at least 15 minutes earlier, more if you want to enjoy facilities like hot tubs and steam rooms.
* Check in at the front desk and remind them it's your first time.
* You should be shown where your locker is and how it works. This should have a lock on it. If they haven't already given you a robe and slippers, they are inside.
* Change and enjoy facilities that help you relax for your treatment, like the steam shower, sauna or hot tub.
* A hot shower before your massage is always a good idea. It's essential if you've had a dip in the hot tub. (You need to shower off the chlorine.)
* Go to the waiting room (sometimes called a meditation room) a few minutes before your treatment is scheduled to start.
* The therapist will come and pick you up when your appointment is scheduled to begin and escort you to the treatment room.
* In the room, the therapist will instruct you in how to get on the table -- face up or face down -- and leave the room.
* If you're getting a massage, you will take off your robe, hang it on a hook, and get underneath the towel or sheets.
* The therapist will knock before reentering. Here is more about what happens during the massage, and how to get the most from your massage.
* At the end of the treatment the therapist will leave the room while you put your robe back on, and wait outside for you to emerge.
* You can return to the meditation lounge to rest, or proceed to your next treatment.
Read the rest of this article by Anitra Brown,
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