Spa days are often seen as a special occasion that we fit in when we have the time, or as a treat on birthdays, however some spa amenities are now being recognized in the medical community for their health benefits.
From preventative care to treatments complimentary to medical therapies, Lakuita Satterfield-Byrd and Kristal Darensburg-Rabb of The Facemaker full service salon in Huntsville, explain how massage therapy and skin care are more than just pampering luxuries.
When you meet someone, the first thing they look at is your face, so you want to have a nice appearance, a nice complexion, you want to have a nice glow when youre meeting someone, so coming in and getting facials and facial treatments helps the body overall, The Facemaker esthetician and massage therapist Lakuita Satterfield-Byrd said. Youre well rounded when you have a better complexion, you feel better about yourself, your skin is glowing and clean.
Satterfield-Byrd notes that her chemical peel facial is very popular, as are her deep cleaning and dermaplaning facials.
Chemical peels are my specialty, I like corrective skincare I like how different people come in and have acne, hyper pigmentation and I have different peels that corresponds to help with those issues, Satterfield-Byrd said.
Monthly facials can provide anti-aging benefits, acne treatment and prevention and sensitive skin treatments for rosacea and eczema.
Acting as the protective layer of our bodies and our largest organ, it is important to take care of our skin and facials can help reduce trips to the dermatologist. Facemaker massage therapist Kristal Darensburg-Rabb added that starting out with a daily regimen that is customized for your skin is essential in preventative skin care as everyones skin is different, a tip she learned from her colleague and go-to esthetician Satterfield-Byrd.
A licensed esthetician of two years, Satterfield-Byrd is qualified to analyze clients skin and help create daily skin regimens to follow, but her expertise extends beyond the face. Body wraps aid in weight loss, and Satterfield-Byrd said she has had up to six inches in total body weight drop off of clients by helping drain excess fluids from the body.
Its just amazing how taking care of your skin with exfoliation of not only your face, but your whole body, having the mud extract all of the impurities from your skin and then the combination of the massage can reduce your pain level, The Facemaker massage therapist Kristal Darensburg-Rabb said, recommending that clients benefit from a spa package including a massage and facial once a month.
Darensburg-Rabb and Satterfield-Byrd are both licensed massage therapists of 11 years, their careers often intertwining across Texas before simultaneously landing at Facemaker in Huntsville. The duo offers popular options such as Swedish relaxation massages, deep tissue, hot stones, aromatherapy and therapeutic massages, however they are widely experienced and offer more specialized options such as prenatal, lymphatic drainage and oncological massage as well.
Darensburg-Rabb trained with Tracy Walton & Associates, a teaching system based in science and complementing medical practice integrating massage therapy into professional healthcare. The four day oncology massage intensive course teaches massage therapists how to safely help past and present cancer patients.
I learned a lot in dealing with cancer patients It was very emotional, there was a lot of crying in the training because they actually put us in the position of a cancer patient, Darensburg-Rabb said, adding that she will not charge a cancer patient and encourages clients to engage in her pay-it-forward program benefitting cancer patients.
Darensburg-Rabb and Satterfield-Byrd both participate in continual-education which is mandatory for their licenses learning new techniques to better help clients recover from what ails them.
In todays time, massage therapy is recommended through the medical world in the past it wasnt it was looked at as a treat or a luxury, but now it is viewed as a part of healthcare, Darensburg-Rabb said.
Satterfield-Byrd added that she has clients ask for invoices that they can turn in for their taxes and health insurance companies. Its not just something where people say, oh, Im going to go get pampered today, people are really needing massage therapy, Satterfield-Byrd said.
Massages are being used as a preventative measure by helping ease muscle pain and partner with chiropractors and physical therapists as a first step of treatment, helping to loosen muscles and increase blood circulation in preparation for more intensive therapies.
Its like an instant recovery, they get up and say, oh my gosh, I can move my neck! Oh my goodness, I can move my shoulder, my lower back, and for me to help people like that, it just brings me joy, Darensburg-Rabb said.
Clients who have undergone back or rotator cuff surgeries come in with complaints of muscles locking up and titanium plate discomfort often benefit from their services, though Darensburg-Rabb adds that not all benefits are physical.
Having a relaxing moment away from cell phones, computers and taking a step back from the stresses of everyday life is emotionally therapeutic. Darensburg-Rabb says that it is her duty to take away emotional stress or pain that her clients may be feeling.
Its part of the release of their stress theres been times that at the end of the massage or during that they start crying because the release of what theyve been bound with is coming out of them, Darensburg-Rabb said.
Stress can take a physical and emotional toll on our bodies and skin, and while massages and facials are no cure-all treatments to larger medical problems, the preventative benefits they provide are compelling argument for indulging in a monthly treatment.
Its good for arthritis, fibromyalgia, insomnia, high blood pressure, its so many things in between getting your facials and your massage, everything marries together for a health benefit It is no longer a luxury, it is almost mandatory, just like brushing your teeth.
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Self care can lead to better overall health - Huntsville Item
