Cassie

A one-two punch for breakouts

I’ve been experiencing some pretty painful occasional breakouts and today I overheard Lydia discussing a similar issue with a client. She recommended that the client use the Derma E Exfoliating Mask to draw out oil and purge impurities that are clogging pores so that they can be treated on the surface of the skin with extractions or the Derma E Very Clear Spot Treatment, a great topical treatment for occasional break-outs with tea tree oil to calm redness and inflammation.

The mask is great for a full face treatment once a week (I recommend masking while you soak in a hot tub so the steam can help open your pores!) or can be used to just spot treat areas of break out so you don’t dry out areas of your face without clogged pores or excess oil.

If you have questions or are also dealing with breakouts from hormonal changes, weather changes, sports, or just generally have breakout-prone skin, give us a call and chat with one of our estheticians or better yet, book a Wellness Facial for guidance plus professional deep pore extractions.

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Meet the Male Spa-Goer

The International Spa Association (ISPA) did a study in 2013 to find out how many men use spa services and their preferred services. At East Village Spa, many of our guests are men and our spa is gender-neutral in decor and in our services, for example, a man and woman would equally benefit from or enjoy any of our treatments (okay, save for the pregnancy massage!)

Some of the most interesting statistics from ISPA’s study:

47% of spa-goers are men

28% of men have visited a spa within the past 12 months. The typical male spa-goer is most likely to be 25-44 years old.

In the Southwest and California, a much higher than average percentage of men (40%) have visited spas in the last year.

The most popular services that men use in spas are Massage (83%), Pedicures (37%), Manicures (33%), and Facials (31%). At our spa, the most popular treatments for men are our massage therapies, with the type of massage pretty evenly split between stress-reduction treatments and deep tissue/sports therapies.

At East Village Spa, we are working to combat the stereotype that men don’t go to spas because they do! Stress, pain, skin and nail concerns are not unique to women, we hope that events like our Men’s Night will help to let men know that spa therapies are a great way to reduce stress, relieve pain, and keep working and doing the activities that they love!

Great article on back pain and exercise from NPR

I was on my way to work this morning and absolutely captivated by a fascinating piece on NPR that discussed how many kinds of back pain (though not all) are really caused by inflamed nerves sending pain signals to the brain and that the brain can learn to overcome some of these signals through exercises.

Also, the story discussed how surgeries have increased with the rise in diagnostic tests because of how much information tests like MRI’s show. According to the piece:

“Lots of people who are pain-free actually have terrible-looking MRIs.
And among those who have MRI abnormalities and pain, many specialists
question whether the abnormality is really the cause of the pain, and
whether fixing it can make the pain go away.”

So with this line of thinking, someone could have major surgery based solely on MRI data without trying less invasive procedures, exercises, PT, chiropractic, massage, first and not experience relief because the abnormality on the MRI is not the actual cause of their pain. I could go on and on, but if you or someone you love is experience back pain (which is likely as 1 in 4 Americans complain of back pain, according to the story) I recommend you give the piece a read or listen.

Here is another great article about how a Harvard study showed that doctors are increasingly ignoring guidelines for the treatment of back pain that call for conservative measures first.

Massage therapy is a widely accepted conservative method of addressing back pain. If you have questions about how our massages can help you, give us a call or e-mail [email protected]. I’d recommend trying our Athletic Edge Sports Massage, EV Signature Massage, or 75 Minute Wellness Massage which are the three best for Deep Tissue Back Pain Relief.

Hoq’s Hot Toddy

Our neighbors at Hoq restaurant (on East 5th and Walnut, close to our old location) have an amazing Hot Toddy featuring Iowa Prairiefire Whiskey, Iowa honey and cider, and lots of throat soothing spices like ginger. I sipped this drink with my husband to warm up on New Year’s Eve and was glad to see it featured in Juice! Click here for the article and to learn how to get ideas on how to craft your own hot toddy to warm up or soothe a scratchy throat.

Meet our Neighbors: Gigi’s Pilates Studio

The spa clients who have known me over the 7 years I’ve owned my own massage practice/the spa know I have struggled with weight and while I LOVE working out now, it took a long time to get to that point. One of the best workouts I’ve found for toning has been pilates. I started seeing Lisa Lewis at Gigi’s Pilates over 2 years ago after several of my clients recommended her.

When we moved our spa to the new space, I had the brilliant idea to suggest that Gigi’s Pilates Studio look at the empty space next door and VOILA! Perfect neighbors (and my trainer can keep an eye on me!)

Many of our clients who walk by their studio often ask if those are “torture machines” but I assure you, while some days it might feel like it, the pilates machines, when used under the watchful eye of one of their great trainers, are amazing. Gigi, Lisa, and the rest of the team are great resources if you are experiencing pain or looking for a new toning workout. Many of our clients have really enjoyed working with them and have coordinated their sessions at the studio with their spa appointments. If you would like more information about Gigi’s Pilates, visit them on Facebook here.

New Years Resolutions

For year’s I’ve been resolving to start a spa blog…so it seems that a
resolution blog is the best way to start off the year AND the blog!

Spas
are a great way to help stay on track for your new years resolutions
and goals. Some popular goals we can help with include:

Reducing Stress/ more “me” time: I think that any spa services are the best way to go about this!
Quit
biting your nails: Regular manicures are helpful in growing nails.
First, if nails look good, you’re less likely to bite. Second,
professional manicures can help with dry, dead skin around the nail and
cuticle that are so tempting to chew, especially in the winter. Third,
if you have a thick gel polish like Shellac on your nails, trust me,
they aren’t as fun to bite (spoken by a reformed nail biter!)
Weight
Loss/Fitness Goals: While massages won’t melt the pounds (we’d be rich
if they did!) they will help keep you in shape, especially if you’ve
gone from couch to champ overnight! As your body gets used to new
workouts, it is possible to get injured. Massages will help keep you on
target to meet your goals so you don’t miss too many gym sessions for
soreness and injuries.

We look forward to seeing you in 2014 and helping you to have your best year ever!

Cassie and the spa team

Welcome

Welcome to the East Village Spa Blog! We look forward to helping you get to know our team, services, and our favorite products better through this blog. Check back for regular posts and updates!