Health and Fitness – East Village Spa Blog

Safety and Prenatal Services

We’ve been getting lots of questions about the safety of spa services for pregnant women and I’m excited to share more information with you! First of all, massage therapy is a time-tested and safe way to help nurture a mom-to-be. Unfortunately, many people hear conflicting information about what is and isn’t safe and we’d like to help dispel any myths.

Myth: Prenatal massage is only safe in the second and third trimester.
Truth: Prenatal massage is safe throughout a healthy pregnancy. If your physician has any concerns or you are at particularly high risk, please consult with them so they can share with your massage therapist their recommendations for the best treatments. If you are having a healthy pregnancy, massage is great throughout! For a great article about the safety of massage in the first trimester, click here.

Myth: Pregnancy massage should be performed with the client laying face down and her abdomen poking through a hole on the table.

Truth: While many prenatal therapists do use a table or pillow positioning system that has the pregnant guest laying face-down, more and more therapists and experts are recommending the sidelying positioning for pregnant women (which we have always used) to prevent injuries to the back and uterine ligaments. Also, sidelying position allows great access to the hips, gluts, shoulders, low back, and legs, where most pregnant women complain of pain.

Myth: If you rub over a point on the ankle a woman can go into labor
Truth: Pregnant women have been getting foot massages from their untrained partners for ages, wearing tight shoes, and more without stimulating preterm labor. True, some forms of therapy (particularly Reflexology, Acupressure, and other Eastern techniques) do focus on points in the body that correspond to other areas of the body like the uterus and some practitioners feel that if intentional, firm, and sustained pressure is applied, those points could stimulate uterine contractions. However, for a normal foot or leg massage, this will not be the case. Your massage therapist and nail technician can give you a great foot massage (which is very helpful for feet with swelling and pain from the added weight) without lingering deliberately on those points. If you have any concerns, please talk to your massage therapist and if it helps you to rest easier, we can skip the foot massage, but truly, your poor feet deserve it and experts from the American Pregnancy Association feel it is safe.

Myth: All spa services are safe for pregnant women.
Truth: While most services, including modified facials, pedicures, and massage are safe and very beneficial for pregnant women, some forms of these services should be avoided including facial peels or facials that use ingredients that are not pregnancy safe (we only use the products recommended by the Derma E for pregnant women, our estheticians know which ones to avoid!) Our massage therapists will not perform heat treatments like body scrubs (lots of hot towels) or hot stone massage on pregnant women so as not to raise core temperature. The only therapists who perform our prenatal massage are those who have training and who LOVE helping our pregnant guests. We also recommend that if pregnant women want nail services, they look for nail salons who have very high safety standards and who use high quality products.

For more information on the safety of prenatal massage from a trusted source, The American Pregnancy Association, click here.

To schedule a prenatal service, including our Pampering Pregnancy Massage, our Pregnancy Glow Facial, or any of our manicures and pedicure, click here.

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Meet our Neighbors: Fleet Feet

This week, a new running store moved into the East Village right across from the spa building on East 6th. Fleet Feet specializes in running gear for athletes of all fitness levels and is a great place for beginning runners as they’ll work to outfit you in the right gear, from shoes that are best for your needs to staff trained in recommending the best sports bra type AND size (and I agree with the woman helping me out in the store when she said that for many women, a properly fitting sports bra is just as important as the right running shoes!)

The store doesn’t have a huge foot print (pun intended!) but fills their space with a good assortment of shoes, apparel (mostly Nike apparel), nutrition (including my favorite triathlon fuel, Stinger waffles, chews, and Jelly Belly Sports Beans), accessories (iphone arm bands, belts, water bottles, and such), and self care tools.

If you are new to running or walking, are looking for some cool new accessories to motivate you to go farther in your workouts, or are experiencing some pain, especially in your feet and lower body, definitely stop by their store, our employees are thrilled with the selection and we know you will be too!

Simple solutions for mild headaches

Last night I went crazy biking the hills in my neighborhood, my lungs were on fire and I was so focused on my training that I completely neglected the water bottle on my bike. About two hours after my ride, a nasty headache set in when I realized I hadn’t properly re-hydrated (my chocolate malt didn’t count). Days like that I wish I had a huge watermelon cut up and ready to go!
For mild headaches brought on by dehydration from a crazy night out or not drinking enough water on your run, hormones, or dietary imbalances, changing up what you eat could help.This article suggests 9 foods to try to relieve headaches from many common causes.

Massage therapy can also be a great relief for lots of tension-type headaches brought on by poor posture, overdoing it with chores or sports, or stress. Your therapist will focus on the common trigger points that are known to cause pain in the neck, shoulders, face, or jaw area. He or she might also recommend general relaxation massage for all-over stress relief.

Do you have any proven headache remedies?

Severe headaches or migraines could be a symptom of a more serious problem and might require medical attention.

“Will Shellac Ruin my Nails?” and other Shellac FAQs

Are all gel hybrid polishes the same?
CND was the first company to create a true gel/polish hybrid with their Shellac Power Polish. Shortly after, other gel polishes followed from different brands (OPI Axxium, Gelish, Gelluv, etc…) Like we call all brands of tissues “Kleenx” whether they are puffs, generic, or actually from Kleenx, some salons and nail patrons have (unfortunately) taken to calling any kind of gel nail “Shellac.”

What makes True CND Shellac unique is that it is a power polish, not a gel. While we recommend salon removal, it does not require harsh buffing of the nails to file off the polish. CND’s gentle removal soak will dissolve the polish when wrapped on the nails for just 8 minutes, making it so you or your nail technician can gently push off the polish and your nails will be healthy afterward.

When clients come in with an imitation brand of Shellac or gel nails, the removal can be difficult, time-consuming, and can damage your nails as we are not equipped to remove the harsher products since we do not use them.

Can I pick my Shellac off? How can I safely remove it?
If you pick off your Shellac, your nails will peel as the Shellac has adhered to your nail, there is no other way around it. If you follow the instructions and wrap your nails in cotton and foil with the CND Removal solution, then gently push off the polish, you’ll have no damage. We recommend having this done professional at least once, then your nail tech can tell you what you need to safely remove your product at home in the future.

Cassie’s nails right after safe Shellac Removal, but before a manicure.

Will the lamp used to cure Shellac cause cancer?
No, you get less UV exposure from our nail lamp than you do steering your car. Exposure time is minimal, just 10 seconds for the first coat, 2 minutes for each additional coat. Click here to read more about studies done about the UV lamps used for nails. If you are still concerned, you are welcome to apply sunscreen to your hands prior to curing.

Why do you have to know before my appointment if I want Shellac? Why does it cost extra?
Because Shellac requires about 15 additional minutes (curing time and very precise application), we need to make sure we have enough time set aside. The additional service time plus a product that, for a smaller bottle costs us nearly 4x as much as our regular polish necessitates the additional charge.

I feel like I need to let my nails “breathe.”
If you follow your nail technician’s recommendation and apply solar oil daily, it will hydrate your cuticle and nail around and through the Shellac, it is designed to penetrate the pores in the polish. Nail (the hardened part we polish) don’t need to “breathe” because they are not living tissue. Dryness or damage comes from using polishes with harsh chemicals (which we don’t) or not hydrating with a cuticle oil daily.

Should I do Shellac on my toes?
You certainly can…but truth be told, most people just use CND’s Vinylux, a traditional polish that doesn’t require a lamp to cure, is in shades matching Shellac, and dries in 10 minutes. Most clients find that they get several weeks of good wear with Vinylux on their toes, and it doesn’t require removal wraps. Some people (Cassie included!) think the removal wraps feel weird on the toes. Plus, with Shellac, you get your nail care and polish done first, then your soak, scrub, and massage after (we can’t let the nail expand from the soak prior to using Shellac or it will peel). If you’ve had a long day on your feet, chances are, you’d prefer a nice soak, scrub, and massage (The GOOD stuff!) before your polish.

Poison ivy? Please reschedule your spa visit.

“Leaves of Three, Let them Be!”

As a massage therapist and spa owner, I have to tell you that one of my biggest fears is contagious skin conditions, which is why we take extra precautions. Something that drives us nuts is when a client comes in trying to hide poison ivy or casually doesn’t mention it until we undrape the affected area hoping if we don’t notice their rash, they can still get their service. I can personally recall at least two clients who have tried to downplay their poison ivy, one stating “Oh, you can go ahead and massage right over it, I think the lotion will feel good.” No, thank you!

Fortunately, we can quickly spot a rash and end treatment. What is scary though, is that in many cases, a rash won’t appear for up to 72 hours after exposure to poison ivy, which means that a person may still have contagious oil from the plant on their skin, but it might not be visible to them or others.

If you get a massage, facial, or nail service and have oil from a poison ivy plant on your skin, we could not only be spreading the oil to our own skin and onto a larger area of your skin, but even after washing with regular soap and water, we could still potentially spread that oil to other guests as poison ivy requires the use of a special soap to remove the oil.

If you suspect that you have come into contact with poison ivy, even if you don’t yet have a visible rash, we ask that you play it safe and reschedule your appointment. As long as you give us at least some notice so we can try to fill your appointment time we’ll happily waive the no-show fee in appreciation of you helping us to keep you, your therapist, and other spa guests safe!

For a really good article on avoiding and treating poison ivy, click here. We hope you all have lots of fun outdoors this season and don’t stumble into anything scary or itchy during your gardening, camping, or other outdoor adventures!

What you really want to know about Brazilian waxing…

SPRING BREAK…Woo Hoo! This is the first week in a long time we’re having more than one day of sunshine in a row, the ground is more grass (mud) than snow, and people are getting ready to show some skin at the beach (and presumably not the beaches of Gray’s Lake.)

Every year our spring break appointments book solid with body waxing. Many guests are new to waxing so I thought this would be the perfect time to answer some questions we know everyone wants to ask but might be afraid to!

A leg wax (sorry, no photos of a bikini wax!)

Q: Okay, do many people ACTUALLY wax everything?
A: We do far more Brazilian waxes (the whole bikini area, even “between the cheeks”) than just bikini (outside the swimsuit only) and betweenie (custom bikini) combined. So yes. Also, this week alone, we had 27 bikini and Brazilian waxes on our schedule!

Q: What is my esthetician thinking during my wax?
A: Probably that she’s jealous of you if you’re going on vacation somewhere fun in the next week! Seriously though, a wax gives our estheticians a chance to chat and joke around with clients instead of working silently like they do during facials. They are all really social people and love getting to know their wax clients. They have been at this for YEARS and wax women of all ages, shapes, and sizes. They have seen LOTS more lady bits than you have (unless you are an esthetician or a doctor) and I assure you, whatever yours look like will look normal to them. They know that you are coming in for a wax BECAUSE you have hair you want to remove, they aren’t judging you for having hair in your bikini area!

Q: What does my esthetician wish their clients knew:
A: They want clients to know the benefit of choosing a safe salon for their waxing and they wish you knew what they knew about how some other places skimp on sanitation. Products are expensive so many salons/spas try to reduce waste by “double dipping” or re-using the wooden applicator by re-dipping it into the wax after applying wax to your skin. This is gross. No matter what a wax claims, it isn’t hot enough to kill bacteria (it would burn you!), rather it is warm enough to harbor bacteria! You don’t want the same wax that touched another client’s nether regions to be used on your upper lip, do you?

Also…we wear gloves as much for your protection as for ours. If you go to an esthetician that isn’t wearing gloves during a Brazilian wax (or any wax!) get out! It would weird you if your gynecologist didn’t wear gloves, right? One of our employees worked for another spa that told her if she wanted gloves for waxing, she had to buy them. WHAT?!?

Lastly, we know that tending to personal hygiene before a service is not only courteous to your esthetician, but important to reduce your risk of infected in-grown hairs. Those people who bike to their brazilian wax appointments on a hot day or come straight from the gym run a much higher risk of irritation or infection from the bacteria introduced to newly waxed skin. We offer cleansing wipes to use prior to your service and we require you to cleanse the area to be waxed, but if you’re going to put on gym clothes again afterward, it is really a moot point. Please shower between your workout and your wax and everyone will be happier!

Q: Do I really need to grow my hair out to get a wax?
A: Yup. If hair isn’t AT LEAST 1/4 inch long, it won’t catch in the wax and you’ll be disappointed with the results. If hair is too short, we’ll ask you to reschedule. Please do not shave the day or week before your wax (you’d be surprised how often this happens!)

Q: Honestly…will this hurt?
A: Honestly…yes. We are pulling out hair from the roots. We do use “hard” or “Stripless” wax which is far more gentle on sensitive areas. Unlike the wax you usually see that requires a white strip of fabric on the top to adhere to the wax (ideal for large areas like back or leg waxing), hard wax hardens around the hair but not the skin so doesn’t require strip to remove it. It is the industry standard for safe hair removal in Brazilian waxing. We also offer a “no scream cream” that you can purchase and apply 40 minutes prior to your wax to reduce 50-80% of the sting. We have also found that women who are about to menstruate or who are pregnant tend to be more sensitive. Lastly, we do not recommend taking pain killers or alcohol prior, especially those that can increase a risk of bruising. We need to know if the wax is too hot or too uncomfortable. Regular waxing clients report that it gets much easier with each wax.

Q: Do you judge people who just prefer to keep the hair they were born with?
A: Heck no! It is all personal preference and everything is awesome. Please don’t feel like you need to wax because someone else is pressuring you to, it is a personal decision and you should choose to get a wax because YOU want to, not because someone says you need to. Our estheticians don’t want you to feel like they think you should wax, but they want to be available for people who choose to remove hair safely.

One of our 3 wax rooms

If you have any questions we didn’t answer, be sure to check our Waxing FAQs on the website!

Sports Massage

Every two years when the Olympics roll around, I’m reminded that it is
the perfect time to discuss sports massage! Sports massage is a
treatment that focuses more on specific muscle groups impacted by
activity and common areas of injury. Don’t let the name fool you,
sports massage is also perfect for people struggling with non-athletic
injuries.

In contrast to a general relaxation massage, with
sports therapy you might experience more assessment and questions from
the therapist about your activity level, goals, pain, or injury. In
most cases, a sports therapy massage is not a full-body treatment, but
rather just focused on a few muscle groups. You may also expect some
assisted stretches and to be asked to engage muscle groups while the
therapist is working so it is not an ideal time to catch up on your
naps!

Who can benefit from a sports massage:

ANYONE
with a soft tissue injury (i.e. foot and ankle pain, rotator cuff
injuries, wrist and hand pain, hamstring pain, back pain, and more)
Athletes looking to recover faster from intense training or events
Athletes looking to enhance their performance with a pre-game workout

At
East Village Spa, our therapists Justin, Clair, Stacy, and Teresa have
advanced training in sports massage techniques and offer the Athletic
Edge Sports Massage. This full hour treatment is as varied as our
clients injuries and activities and can include stretching or Thai
massage techniques, trigger point therapy, myofascial release, Swedish
massage to boost circulation, invitorating massage to prepare muscles
for an upcoming event, and some injury assessment. Some sports massage
is done unclothed but draped by sheets like traditional massage, but you
may wish to bring loose athletic clothing if you prefer (or if your
therapist recommends) lots of assisted stretching.

Our massage therapist demonstrate various sports massage techniques (clockwise from top left): Assisted Stretching, Myofascial Release, Assisted Stretching, Neuromuscular (trigger point) Therapy.

Click HERE to schedule your sports massage with Clair, Stacy, Justin, or Teresa. Their schedules tend to fill in advance, to do plan ahead if you are preparing for a big competition or event to make sure you get the treatments you need to perform your best and recover faster!

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.

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.