Wellness Therapies

For this assessment I will be showing my knowledge on the body systems, I will explain the benefits of two wellness therapies. I chose body massage and facial massage I chose these treatments because I have performed these treatments on clients, have a good knowledge on these treatments and enjoy them. Wellness therapies dates thousands of years. There is no knowledge of who started the wellness therapies, however it is said that the ancients Greeks, Romans and Asians were influencers of wellness therapies.

Body Massage

Body massage is one of the most popular treatments in the beauty therapy. The treatment is good for both body and soul. There are a number of different kinds of massage from different places around the world that have adapted the sequence to make new massage routines. The treatment consists of a number of different moves performed on the client’s body using the therapists hands. Different amounts of pressure is applied to certain areas of the body such as the shoulder and lower back to reach deeper tension knots and provide extra relaxation. As a medium, oil is a common choice as this helps the moves flow smoothly and benefits the skin. The oils can come in many different varieties with many natural ingredients such as ginger, lemon, patuli, lemon and many more. Some blends help mood and sleep patterns for clients. All the different ingredients in the massage oils have benefits for the skin. Many help aid in relaxation and loosen off the muscles. Others can be stimulation and help wake up the muscles and boost the mood of the client. During massage the nervous system gets stimulated. Moves such as effleurage soothe the nerve endings creating a relaxed feel to the client, whereas moves such like percussion and tapotement stimulate the nerve endings and leave the client feeling awake and energised. Massage also helps aid in the removal of waste that is in the body. This is done by the movements disturbing the tissues and releasing the toxins into the body that are then flushed out through the lymph vessels and lymphatic system. There are a number of benefits that lymphatic drainage has on the skin and body. The immune system is improved by lymphatic drainage due to the increase of antibodies that are produced during massage, these help fight of any infection that is present.  Another benefit of lymph drainage is that some inflammatory conditions ie arthritis can be eased by the swelling being reduced. Any puffy areas on the body due to swelling will be reduced  the gentle draining of the fluid in this certain area reducing the look of puffiness almost straigh taway.  Another great benefit to body massage is that it has great stress relief and helps reduce anxiety and with regular treatments mood can definitely be improved and mental well being. Massage has been shown to really help people with mental health problems. Circulation can be improved with the movements with massage along with improved blood pressure along with the digestive system. Due to some of the moves on the stomach can help aid in the digestion process. This would help if a client came in with digestive problems. Small kneading movements along the small intestine would help this. The skin will benefit greatly from body massage. Due to the increase in blood flow the skin gets fresh blood to the surface of the skin which brings more oxygen and nutrients. This gives the skin a nice healthy glow. Massage helps aid in the desquamation process leaving the skin soft and supple with improved tone.

Facial massage

I chose facial massage as one of the treatments to write about because there are so many benefits to this treatment. The treatment consists of a consultation so the therapist can get a good idea of what the clients skin type is like. Information such like if they have a good skin care routine, what their diet and lifestyle is like and also their aims. The skin is then cleansed using the correct products for the clients skin type. Steam can also be added to the treatment to help open up the pores and help products penetrate the skin better. An exfoliant is the applied and thoroughly wiped off and the facial massage is then performed. Facial massage helps relax the muscles in the face and remove the toxins out of the body through the lymphatic system. Sluggish circulation will be boosted with some of the movements such as effleurage, and tapotement. The increase in the circulation will improve the look of the skin giving the face a healthy looking glow. With facial massage, breakouts such as comedones, papules and pustules may be reduced due to the skin being cleansed and cleared, with toxins drained to the lymph vessels and released through the lymphatic system. With regular facial treatments issues such as wrinkles can be reduced as the tension in the muscles around these areas is loosened so fine lines are smoothed out. For Skin that lacks moisture facials are a great way to get moisture back into the skin. There are a range of different products that can help with all different skin types which makes this treatment so good for everyone to have. Movements like light tapotement can help reduce the appearance of dark circles under the eye area and puffiness of the face. This along with a stimulating medium would leave the client looking and feeling fresh. You can start to introduce some electrical treatments to the facials to tailor them to your clients needs so they get the best out of the treatments.

Conclusion

To conclude I wrote about two treatments that benefit both mental and physical health through wellness therapies. Body massage is good for muscular pain, stress, skin health and many more things. It is a treatment enjoyed by many and will continue growing as a treatment in industry, developing in new ways all the time. Facial massage was the second wellness treatment that I chose to write about. I think it’s a great treatment to have for general relaxation or if clients have problems with their skin it’s a great way for them to see results and boost their confidence. Treatments can be tailored for individual clients needs. These are two very popular treatments out in industry, that I have enjoyed  learning, practicing and performing and writing about.

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