How Does Lymphatic Drainage Massage Work?

A person’s calves are rubbed during a lymph drainage massage in Springfield, Missouri, at Precision Wellness.

Understanding Lymphatic Drain Massage

Unlike Swedish and deep tissue massage, lymphatic drainage (LD) massage focuses on using feather-light pressure and circular movements no greater than the pressure it would take for your finger to move skin. Most massages focus on the skin, muscles, and joints while LD massages focus in a concentrated manner to one area or quadrant of the body to clear the body’s lymphatic system. For the lymphatic system to run smoothly it is important that cells, proteins and fluid move through the body’s network of lymph vessels, nodes, glands and organs. Since the lymphatic system doesn’t have a pump like our heart does for blood, you need to help it move by your movements in order for it to function properly. This technique assists the movement of muscle fluids back into circulation where they are filtered through the lungs or kidneys before returning to general body circulation.

The lymphatic system transports waste materials out of tissues back into the bloodstream so that they can be eliminated when we urinate or defecate. A healthy lymphatic system also provides defense against infections because white blood cells migrate throughout the tissues in the body. Learn more about the benefits of MLD therapy from the American Massage Therapy Association.

Call Precision Wellness today to schedule your Lymphatic Drainage Massage today and experience the benefits of MLD massage therapy.

What Is Fibroblast PlasmaTherapy?

About Fibroblast Therapy + Benefits Of Plasma Skin Resurfacing

People of all ages, shapes, and sizes have loose skin. For some, this may be bothersome and unwanted. In the past, the only way to resolve sagging skin was through invasive surgical procedures. Now, there’s the option of Fibroblast Therapy! This revolutionary, non-invasive skin-tightening procedure can create similar results as surgery without ever going under the knife.

Wait, What Is Fibroblast Therapy + How Does Fibroblast Therapy Work?

The term “fibroblast” describes the collagen- and protein-producing cells in the dermis, the layer of skin just below your outermost skin layer. Fibroblasts play an important role in helping skin wounds heal as well as maintaining skin firmness and tightness.

Your esthetician uses an electric handheld device called a plasma fibroblast pen for the procedure. This pen uses a metal probe to ionize atmospheric gas between its tip and the gasses that the skin naturally emits, forming a plasma charge. The electrical arc is created, shrinking the targeted skin as the pen is applied. Your skin tissues will retract and tighten, providing you with a more youthful-looking appearance. As your skin continues to heal and repair post-treatment, your skin elasticity will continue to improve and tighten — it only gets better!

What are the benefits of Fibroblast Therapy?

Plasma fibroblast therapy is a nonsurgical treatment that may be used to treat skin conditions such as acne scars, age spots, seborrheic keratosis, and wrinkled skin.

Cosmetic specials may also use plasma fibroblast therapy as an alternative to lip fillers to make the lips look fuller.

Are there any side effects of Fibroblast Therapy?

While plasma fibroblast therapy can offer results, they are not likely to be as dramatic as a surgical procedure. Side effects of plasma fibroblast therapy include redness, swelling, mild hypopigmentation, mild hyperpigmentation, skin peeling, and crusting. When you consider that you are getting a skin tightening solution without the need for dangerous surgery, these side effects are much easier to swallow.

Will I see results from Fibroblast Therapy right away? How Long Do The Results Of Fibroblast Therapy Last?

You will notice some results immediately after your appointment. As cell turnover occurs and the product of collagen increase, you will notice further changes to your skin. You should expect to see the full results of your treatment around 3 months. Fibroblast procedure results typically last for three years.

If you are feeling self-conscious about the state of your skin, call your esthetician at Precision Wellness to discuss if fibroblast is right for you!

How does a facial help with anti-aging?

As skin ages, it becomes duller and develops lines, wrinkles, and folds. Anti-aging facials are cosmetic procedures designed to restore a youthful appearance to the face.

Facials are non-intrusive skincare procedures designed to improve the appearance of the facial skin. Most facials are multi-step treatments, combining various skincare products and techniques to target different aspects of the skin.

Anti-aging facials are facials designed specifically to rejuvenate mature skin. They do so by improving the thickness and smoothness of the skin, reducing the appearance of wrinkles, creases, and folds, as well as brightening up the tone of the skin.

Most anti-aging facials have the same three goals:

Thicken the skin
Improve the elasticity of the skin
Restore a vibrant skin tone

By thickening the skin and improving its elasticity, anti-aging facials reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkle, and folds. By restoring a vibrant skin tone, they reduce dullness. Together, this gives the skin a more youthful appearance.

Here are some of the anti-aging facials options available to you:

Exfoliating facials

Exfoliating facials are designed to remove dead skin cells from the outermost layers of the skin, revealing the younger, healthier cells underneath. This makes them a highly effective way to give the skin a more vibrant tone.

Collagen facials

Collagen facials are creams, serums, and masks designed to replenish the collagen in facial skin. By doing so, they help to maintain the skin’s thickness and elasticity, ensuring a smooth, taut appearance.

Hydrating facials

The primary goal of a hydrating facial is to moisten the skin. Making the skin appear plumper and more vibrant, these products help to sooth dry skin and prevent cracking or flaking.

Light therapy facials

Light therapy facials use powerful, medical-grade LED light to rejuvenate the skin. They do so by increasing collagen levels in the skin, thereby improving skin thickness and elasticity. This is also an effective way to reduce excess pigmentation, which is often caused by sun damage.

Microdermabrasion facials

Microdermabrasion is an exfoliating treatment in which abrasive crystals are shot against the skin. Like other types of exfoliations, microdermabrasion removes dead cells from the top layer of the skin to reveal younger, healthier skin.

If you are ready for an anti-aging facial to help your skin appear younger and more vibrant, call Precision Wellness today!

What is TMJ & How Massage Can Help

The Mayo Clinic describes TMJ as the temporomandibular (tem-puh-roe-man-DIB-u-lur) joint (TMJ) acts like a sliding hinge, connecting your jawbone to your skull. You have one joint on each side of your jaw. TMJ disorders – a type of temporomandibular disorder can cause pain in your jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement.

The exact causes of a person’s TMJ disorder is often difficult to determine. Your pain may be due to a combination of factors, such as genetics, arthritis, or jaw injury. Some people who have jaw pain also tend to clench or grind their teeth and can also be genetic.

In most cases, the pain and discomfort associated with TMJ disorders is temporary and can be relieved with self-managed care, massage and in extreme cases may require surgery. For some, the pain comes and goes and is triggered by doing something like chewing a piece of gum all day. For others, TMJ can be chronic and very painful. Here’s some good news – a TMJ massage can help relieve your pain!

When the jaw muscles are overly tight or imbalanced, manual therapy works well to help restore normal muscle tone and balance between the TMJ muscles. Now, let us discus the fun part so you can get some relief!

TMJ Kneading Massage provides constant, circular motion against the joins and muscles most affected by TMJ paint.
TMJ Friction Massage – For some people, pressure alone is enough o find some relief. That said, it needs to be done correctly and in the right place.
TMJ Stretching Massage – If you liked the friction massage, the TMJ stretching massage could further your relief and “exercise” the muscles most responsible for TMJ disorders.

Are you having jaw pain? Call Precision Wellness for a TMJ massage!

Body Hair From Around The World

illustraction of nine different women in bikinis

The grooming habits of American women are well known today. Like most things’ appearance-related, they are media-driven. The removal (and trimming) of pubic hair in the US appears to be tied to the invention of the bikini in the ’60s.

Different countries prefer specific hair removal methods to others. These might include waxing, shaving, depilatory creams, laser hair removal, or threading. What are the personal grooming habits of women around the world? We’re here to tell you!

The UK: The UK is most like the USA in preferring waxing and laser hair removal. Shaving is another popular method simply because it is more accessible, convenient, and costs less.

Japan: Women in Japan have preferred to shave only their legs and underarms, leaving the bikini and pubic area untouched. It is also quite common to remove facial hair and peach fuzz for a smooth, glass-like appearance.

Australia: Australian women are known for being beach babes, and what those beach babes do not want is unwanted hair. Removing their leg, underarm, and facial hair as well as hair in their bikini region with laser hair removal or waxing is not uncommon. Australians are so into hair-free, smooth skin that those that do not remove their hair are considered outliers.

India: Predominantly it is the women of upper classes that now remove their unwanted leg, underarm, and pubic hair in India with their chosen removal method being primarily depilatory creams. However, laser hair removal is quickly becoming more popular as laser technology develops for use on darker skin tones. With laser hair technology, it is becoming more popular to remove hair from the chin, upper lip, underarms, cheeks, and bikini area.

Brazil: You likely assume that the term “Brazilian wax” comes from Brazil, but that is not true. It is American and is not very popular in Brazil. The most popular grooming style among Brazilian women is to leave a “landing strip” of hair.

Germany: It is common for women to shave their legs, underarms, and the bikini region in Germany. Much like in the US, it is extremely popular to be smooth and hair-free. Laser hair removal is the most popular hair removal method because it is most effective, efficient, and permanent.

China: Hair removal in China has not been a significant beauty ritual, up until recently. Chinese women didn’t bother to remove their leg or armpit hair, as hair was just part of your body and nothing to be ashamed about. Body hair is considered completely natural. Hair removal methods (for those mostly in big cities) use depilatory creams or shaving.

As you can see, women throughout most of the world remove at least some of their body hair. While the parts to be plucked may change according to trends, if time tells us anything, it is that women will continue to want to keep at least some portion of their bodies hairless.

What are the Long-Term Benefits of a Regular Facial?

Woman-with-towel-on-head-and-facial-product-on-face-puckering-lips

Most of us consider a day at the spa a luxury. At the end of the day, you probably look forward to being pampered and prettied up in a relaxing environment. One particular indulgence that does more than just spoil you, is a facial.

Staggering amounts of pollution, dirt, grime and dead skin accumulate on our faces. This build up is unavoidable. We can do the best we can to keep the skin clean, but it is not always enough. Many advocates compare getting a facial to going to the dentist. We brush our teeth, floss (when we remember) and still acknowledge the importance of going to the dentist for a regular deep clean. Keeping on a regular dental schedule saves us a lot of money down the road. Like our teeth, the skin needs to be evaluated and cleansed by a trained professional every so often to maintain a healthy complexion. Getting facials on a regular basis, even once every few months or year, will save you from needless spending in the future.

What are some of the benefits of a routine facial you ask? Let’s dive in:

Regular facials provide noticeable improvements to your skin tone, texture, and appearance.
Regular facials lead to less pronounced wrinkles and keeping your skin hydrated.
Your existing creams and moisturizers will be more effective.
Healthy skin is our body’s first line of defense against illness, bacteria, and disease (it is extremely important to take care of it!).
Professional facials help increase circulation in your skin by promoting new skin cell growth which leads to healthier and younger looking skin!
General recommendation is a facial every three to four weeks (or once a month). The life cycle of skin cell development and exfoliation.
Facials help this process and assure your skin always glows!
Removing blackheads and exfoliating dry, flaky skin, facials help fade dark spots from long-term damage and bad habits.

Are you wondering the disadvantage of regular facials? The most common side effects after a facial are redness and blotchy skin due to the pressure of exfoliation and extraction. You should avoid wearing makeup or using any of the products on your skin during the day or two that follow your facial to give your skin time to heal. That’s it… that is the only disadvantage! (now that is a side effect I’m ok with!)

One important note to remember is that a single facial will not improve the quality and healthy of your skin in the long-term. Much like going to the gym, improving the health of your skin is a continual process, requiring commitment and dedication.

At Precision Wellness, we offer a wide variety of facial services customized to fit the needs of your skin type and goals for your skin you’d like to achieve.

Staying fit with Massage Therapy

Massage therapy can go a long way helping your body restore nutrients to sore muscles, improving flexibility, and building your immunity. Did you know that massage can help make working out better too?

Here are seven ways a massage can improve your overall health.

Post workout recovery – A good, therapeutic massage helps loosen up your muscles after an intense workout, allowing you to recover from the impact better and faster than you normally would. Massage helps restore some pliability.
Soothe Sore Muscles – Your muscles can really ache after you put them through the ringer at the gym or while pounding the pavement during a run. Massaging and stretching them can help work out the nots, flush out the toxins and get the blood flowing again so they do not hurt so much.
Release tension – Painful trigger points, which are common in the back, are created by old injuries and can be relieved with specific massage techniques. Trigger point massages help target areas that radiate pain, signaling the body to release these ultra-tight muscles and get bloody flowing again.
Better working muscles – Regular exercise puts strain on your muscles, ligaments and tendons, and messes with those connective fibers under the skin known as your fascia – fascia helps the muscles work smoothly and efficiently when they are in good shape – the fascia can get really gunked up with repeated exercise, making it harder for muscles to slide past each other easily. Massage helps loosen up those fibers, so the muscles are doing what they are supposed to with much less effort.
Recover – A deep tissues massage targeting the big muscles you use the most – like quads and hamstrings – can help loosen up the muscles and restore some flexibility.
Mental stability – If you are beating yourself up with high-intensity classes or weight training, massage can give you a nice balance with the happy endorphins from working out. It is also a cortisol reducer (stress reliever).
Prevent future injuries – Massage is amazing way to boost muscle recovery! It corrects muscles train, muscles tension, and even the effects of stress or poor posture!

Turns out massage is not just a luxury you splurge on at the spa! Call Precision Wellness to book your post-work out massage today!

Waxing Do’s and Don’ts

Have you made the call, set your wax appointment, and now you are thinking, “What did I get myself into?” No worries, we put together some great Do’s and Don’ts to help you before and after your waxing session!

What To Do BeforeA Wax Appointment

Do . . . Let your hair grow out a bit. Your hair house be at least ¼ of an inch long before your wax appointment (usually 2 weeks of growth after a shave or 4-6 weeks after a wax). If your hair is too short, the wax may not adhere.

Do . . . Exfoliate your skin 1 day prior to your appointment to get rid of dead skin and prepare your hair follicles for removal.

Do . . . Wear loose clothing to allow your skin to breathe after your wax treatment.

Do not . . . Go out in the sun or to the tanning bed 24-48 hours before your appointment as we cannot perform services on sunburnt or irritated skin.

Do not . . . Consume alcohol or caffeine before your wax, as these can make your skin more sensitive. Some clients choose to take a Tylenol or Advil about 30 minutes prior to their appointment to take the end off the sting (if you have a low pain tolerance).

Do . . . Schedule your wax appointment 3-4 days BEFORE a big event. This will allow your skin to have time to chill and not be so red.

Do not . . . Use lotions or oils around the bikini area prior to getting a wax. Moisturizers can interfere with the wax process by not allowing the wax to adhere well to the hair.

Do . . . Ask your doctor before your appointment if you have sensitive skin or on certain types of oral acne medication. If you are using prescribed creams for acne, those areas cannot be waxed within 7 days of product application.

Do . . . Communicate how much and what you want. This is your body; you need to know what you want and communicate that to your esthetician.

What To Do After Your Wax Appointment

Do not . . . Touch your newly hair-free skin. Since pores are open, we do not recommended working out, going in the pool, ocean or lakes immediately after waxing as this can lead to skin irritation.

Do not . . . Use any harsh soaps or body washes that contain too many oils or leave a film on your skin. This includes spray tanning as the chemicals may irritate your skin.

Do not . . . Use tanning beds, saunas, hot yoga or steam rooms for the next 2 days.

Do not . . . Submerge into a bath, pool or etc. the day of your wax. Soaking in water can cause unnecessary pimples.

Do not . . . Wear tight pants or tight underwear for the first few days after your wax appointment to avoid skin irritation.

Do . . . Shower if you would like. Just keep the water the lukewarm to cooler temp. Hot showers will dehydrate skin.

Do . . . Exfoliate 2 full days after your wax if there is no redness. This helps prevent ingrown hair.

Do . . . Skip sexual activity for at least 12-24 hours post wax (longer if you have sensitive skin).

Do . . . Stay out of the sun at least 48 hours post wax. Your fresh smooth skin will be more prone to sunburns.

Do not . . . Exercise for the first couple of days. Activities like running, aerobics, or cycling can cause friction in treated areas and sweating can also be irritating.

Additional Tips:

Your skin is more sensitive around the time near your period, waxing may be more painful than normal. Try to make your spa appointments at least a few days before or after your period.
Put down the razor. I know it can be tempting, but do not do it! Shaving between waxes can leave you with undesirable results.
As you become a consistent waxer, your hair will become noticeably softer, finer, and over time, sparser. Book your next wax 5-6 weeks after your appointment for smoothest results.

Need to schedule your waxing appointment? Call Precision Wellness Today!

Massage & Allergies

Young-woman-blowing-her-nose-into-a-tissue-outside

If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you are not alone – Research shows that over 50 million Americans battle seasonal allergies.

Allergies have many symptoms – from nasal congestion, sneezing, ear congestion, postnasal drainage, sore throat, urticaria (Hives) and itchiness, headache, coughing and wheezing can also occur. Your immune system feels threatened by a specific environmental substance, as a result, your immune system will react by releasing Immunoglobin antibodies to ward off the observed offender. The release of these antibodies tells the body to produce chemicals like histamines, which causes an allergic reaction.

Massage is one of the best natural remedies for relieving allergies and asthma symptoms. Reflexology has been used to battle seasonal allergies for centuries in Chinese medicine, and recent medical research measuring massage effectiveness showed that massage therapy has a significantly positive effect on asthma patients, improving their pulmonary function.

Relieve Sneezing:

If you are sneezing and coughing, you may consider requesting a lymphatic drainage massage. Manual lymphatic drainage massage is especially effective in relieving nasal congestion, one of the most unpleasant allergy symptoms. If you have hay fever, your immune system goes into overdrive. Causing your body to react to harmless environmental factors like pollen, mold, and pet dander. If you opt for a massage, your therapist will concentrate on opening your nasal passages – expect to get your face and neck massaged. This will improve your lungs’ oxygenation.

Alleviate Headaches:

Massage improves your blood circulation. Good blood circulation gives immediate relief for migraines, sinus headaches, and rhinitis (hay fever-induced headache). Lymphatic drainage massage can help boost the circulation fluids (lymph) in the body. This massage technique helps empty the sinus cavity and help you recover fully.

Ease Stress:

Stress triggers allergies and can also worsen the symptoms. Massages stimulate the release of hormones that help calm the body and decrease body tension. Reducing stress and anxiety with massage, allows your immune system to function normally due to a decrease in blood cortisol (a stress hormone) levels. This can aid in programming the body’s response to allergens and ease the related symptoms.

Muscle Relief:

Every sneeze or cough is similar to a mini whiplash, causing tension, even pain, in your neck, shoulders, and upper back. By relieving this muscle tension and helping you relax, your sinuses will relax and encourage drainage.

Essential Oils:

Essential oils can be used along with massage to create long-lasting pain relief. Your massage therapist can recommend the best essential oils that you can apply to congested nasal areas. These oils boost energy and help relieve allergy symptoms.

Massage should be seen only as a complementary therapy for allergy symptoms and is in no way a replacement for required medical attention. It’s a combination of all the good things that will get you through the spring. Schedule your massage today with Precision Wellness and start to feel that sweet relief!

Back & Body Facials before Bikini Season

Our largest organ is our skin. We need to take care of it just like we do the rest of our body. Sleeping, eating well, and exercising helps with your overall health, and especially your skin. While a back facial may seem silly and pointless, it is not only helpful to those who like exposing their back with their swimsuits or garments, it can contribute greatly to good skin health. Skin care should not be limited to your face and neck. Your back deserves some pampering too!

Summer is only a few short months away, you are likely getting ready to show off some more skin at the beach, pool, or lake. Our backs can be an area of skin distress like acne, dryness, and irritation.

Facials are obviously designed to address the skin on the face, helping to eliminate and prevent acne and skin blemishes. As helpful and important as facials are, back facials are even more important – mainly because the back is very difficult to reach and properly clean. Some scrubbing tools can be helpful to unclog pores and help to prevent skin problems, but we are just not able to properly moisturize the back in the way that is needed to handle dry skin or other skin problems. In a back facial, the aesthetician can give the back the thorough and deep cleaning and moisturizing it desperately needs.

Many estheticians begin a back facial with a steaming session designed to open the pores and enhance the more relaxing components of the session. From there, back facials involve a process of cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing the skin on the back. Most back facials will include an extraction process to clear out blocked pores and reduce the severity of any present back acne.

Post back facial, you might find your back skin to be red or mildly irritated. This is normal. Post care should involve regular moisturization.

If you are ready to indulge in a back facial to help you relax and rejuvenate your body, contact Precision Wellness today!

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