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How to maximize your massage

When you invest in yourself, your physical, mental and overall health, by committing to routine massage therapy sessions, you want to make sure that you’re getting the best massage every time. To ensure this, we suggest adopting the following ten tips to enhance your massage therapy experience.

Tip #1 – Decide what you want to get out of your massage – relaxation or more rehabilitation – before your session can make a big difference in having a satisfying experience.

Tip #2 – Communicate with your therapist before your session about how you are feeling, medical history, and what you expect from the session. Doing so will help keep your session focused.

Tip #3 – Arrive at least 15 minutes before your appointment time. This gives you time to prepare your mind and body for the session.

Tip #4 – Be Fully Present. Try to avoid squeezing in an hour during the work-day or when you have to rush to or from your session. It will be easier for you to relax and fully immerse yourself in the massage experience if your mind is not worried about missing your next meeting.

Tip #5 – Leave your devices behind. Getting a massage is one of the few places you can be without any distractions from the outside world. Clear your mind by leaving your phone and other devices in your car or at home so you can really unplug during your session.

Tip #6 – Drink lots of water. After your massage, you will want to drink plenty of water for the next couple of days. Your body is releasing toxins and metabolic waste for two to three days after your massage and you’ll need to replenish your fluids. This will also help you from feeling fatigued.

Tip #7 – Breathe! Relaxing long breaths from your abdomen does not just help you relax mentally, it also helps your muscles relax as your therapist works out your body’s stiffness and tightness.

Tip #8 – Avoid Stress. Yes, if it is possible, avoid stressful activities. This includes your gym workouts. Try to avoid lifting weights after a deep tissue massage to prevent stressing your muscles.

Tip #9 – Take a bath. Take a hot bath with Epsom salts. Epsom salt baths are easy and ideal way to help flush toxins from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate substances.

Tip #10 – Alternate Temperatures. If your massage therapist uncovered areas of your body that had a lot of tension, you could be feel soreness after your session. Alternating moist heat and cold compresses on the area of soreness will help.

Now you have the ten tips, you are ready to schedule and enjoy your massage experience with Precision Wellness!

The Ultimate Skin Care Routine

ultimate woman in mirror applying lotion

It is never too early to start a skincare routine; your skin will thank you. However, it is suggested at puberty is a good time to start as this is when new hormones are introduced and acne may begin. A skincare routine has multiple steps including cleansing, hydrating, treating and protecting your skin.

The purpose of a skincare routine is to improve your skin appearance, prevent signs of aging, prevent certain skin issues and to protect the skin by using the right products such as exfoliants, feels, masks, cleaners, moisturizers, and antioxidants/serums. Your first step in creating a skin care routine is to get to know your skin first. Look for characteristics of your skin, identify if you have dry, oily, combination, and/or sensitive skin.

Keep in mind to not get overwhelmed by or follow the ‘hottest trend’. There are many products out there that may not be best for your skin type. Remember, it takes time to develop a consistent routine to see results. Just like dieting, you can’t just eat one thing and expect to be healthy. It needs to be a balance.

The most important products you need to create your personalized skincare routine:

Cleanser
Exfoliator
Toner
Serum
Eye Cream
Treatment
Chemical Peel
Face Masks
Moisturizer
Sunscreen (SPF)

Are you wondering what to use and when? Let’s talk about that.

Your Day time skincare routine is all about protection. Protection from the sun and pollution. You Daytime steps should include:

1 – Cleanser

2 – Serum

3 – Eye Cream

4 – Moisturizer

5 – SPF

Your skin naturally repairs itself at night. You should be giving your skin what it needs during this time. Your nighttime routine should be all about treatment.

1 – Double Cleaning (Cleanser & Toner)

2 – Eye Cream

3 – Treatment (retinol, peelings, anti-aging serums)

4 – Moisturizer

Everyone could use a little extra help. Here are a few other services Precision Wellness provides to keep your skin radiant and healthy:

1 – Personalized Facials to exfoliate and hydrate.

2 – Dermaplaning to eliminate peach fuzz and dry skin.

3 – Facial Peel to remove dulling surface cells to show smoother, softer, retexturized skin.

4 – Microdermabrasion buffs away surface skin reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, acne scars, hyperpigmentation, sun damage, and pore size

When you need help with your skin give Precision Wellness a call!

10 Reasons to Get a Facial Today!

1. Your skin will love you for it.

Regardless of your age, if you want your skin to look its very best you need to consider regular monthly facials. A facial does for your skin what exercise does for your body. It keeps it in tip-top shape. By sloughing, buffing, hydrating, clearing, and nourishing on a professional level your skin will always look it’s most radiant and beautiful.

2. You’ll get expert skin analysis.

We understand your skin. Instead of doing cookie-cutter facials, we recognize all the characteristics that make up your unique skin type, then create ultra-personalized treatments that bring about superior results.

3. You’ll learn practical lifestyle skincare tips.

Seeking out a highly trained professional esthetician is like hiring a personal trainer for your skin. We are there to offer you important advice about how your skin is influenced by diet, exercise, sun, stress, and other lifestyle choices that affect the health and look of your skin.

4. We’ll give you the time you deserve.

A relaxing facial will melt away the stress that lies within your daily life. A light massage stimulates the blood pumping up fine lines and eliminating headaches. A customized mask pulls out impurities and replenishes hydration. You will never feel rushed. But you will feel extremely relaxed by the time we are done.

5. You’ll experience professional strength exfoliation.

Professional peels are extraordinarily effective for alleviating dryness, pigmentation, clearing pores, reducing breakouts, and stimulating repair for sun-damaged skin. We offer many different peels that are gentle on your skin and require no downtime.

6. You’ll receive intense hydration.

As skin cells age they lose vital moisture & perish. Whether you’re dry or oily, moisture is the essential medium for getting important nutrients into thirsty cells. Without moisture, skin looks dull and dry. Skin that is well-hydrated is fresh, plump, soft & touchable.

7. You’ll create a nice healthy glow.

Although massage is super soothing & relaxing it does so much for your skin. Massage facilitates important performance ingredients to get deep down into your skin where they can do the most good. Massage hydrates, softens, and makes cleaning pores much easier. It also improves the microcirculation of skin cells which encourages super healthy skin and a wonderfully healthy youthful glow.

8. You’ll enjoy cleaner, clearer pores.

Lots of us get clogged pores. Blackheads and closed comedones can sit in the pores for years unless they are otherwise removed. This often leads to breakouts. Our highly trained estheticians can judiciously recognize what should and shouldn’t be removed and they know how to prepare your skin for proper extractions. Clearer skin means enjoying a pretty, smooth even texture.

9. You’ll find top-notch ingredients.

Here at Precision Massage, we use the Bioelements skincare line. Bioelements clinical skincare formulas do not contain artificial colorants, synthetic fragrance or parabens – which can irritate and damage skin – and they never test on animals. Whether your skin is dry, mature, acne-prone, or sensitive you know you’ll be getting the best skin care products available… anywhere!

10. Because you’re worth it!

Having a facial gives you a relaxing, de-stressing point of refuge where you can melt into luxury. Come in, lay down on a superbly comfortable bed, with low lighting, and soothing music. You’ll get lulled into a magical dream world.. the door closes… and all your cares and worries are left on the other side of that facial room door. Recognize the importance of doing something nice that’s just for you. You deserve to be taken care of by the very best.

So, what are you waiting for? Schedule your facial today!

Summer Skin

Be prepared to take it off! We’re almost in swim suit season and that means you have to be extra aware – you’re exposing your skin to more UV rays, slathering on greasy sunscreen, and clogging up pores with sweat (can you just feel the breakouts happening??). During the hot, humid, summer months is when your skin especially needs a boost of love, and here’s what you can do:

Stay hydrated! That’s drinking water (which is imperative to healthy skin) and putting on a good moisturizer.

Always wear that SPF! Yes, we like some color to our skin tone, but we don’t want the wrinkles, dryness and possible health issues that come with it. P.S. Don’t forget your lips, they can burn as well!

When you need the exfoliation, come in for a full body sugar scrub! Slushing off that dead or dry skin is exactly what you need to keep your skin glowing through summer.

With how much we sweat during the summer, it’s crucial that you take the time to develop a facial skin care routine. Getting regular facials and cleaning your face daily will help to get that nasty dirt and grime that comes with sweat out of your pores – keeping your face clear of blemishes!

You don’t have to worry about your skin breaking out and looking dull by keeping these tips in mind! Scheduling facials and body treatments through Precision Wellness will help keep that acne at bay and your skin looking refreshed and rejuvenated all summer long!

Drinking Water – For Health AND Beauty

Everyone and their mother has heard about the latest push to drink more water in the day – but when you ask why, each person seems to have their own slightly different explanation.

We’re made up of about 60% water… with that being said, it’s almost obvious to state that water is crucial for our bodies. It’s recommended that women drink around 2.7 liters of water in a day, while men are recommended 3.7.
Just like eating all your fruits and veggies, drinking water is important for our overall health (and that includes our skin’s health). Here’s what drinking enough water can do:

Boost skin elasticity: This helps our skin “bounce back” from things like acne and breakouts without retaining as much scarring.
Pushes out toxins in the body: You know how everyone says that the lighter your pee, the healthier you are? That’s because as you drink more water, your body is able to flush out the toxins easier and more frequently.
Increase your “glow”: Has your skin ever been dry and you can’t figure out why? It’s probably because you skin isn’t hydrated enough! When it’s properly hydrated, your skin will look smooth and silky.
Fuels your cells: When working out, staying hydrated is key to ensure your muscle cells are able to keep up.
Cycle nutrients in your body: Every system in our body is connected – and water helps connect each system with valuable nutrients in a smooth cycle.

While you may know about some of the benefits to drinking enough water every day, it can be tricky to actually stay on top of it. There are a lot of tricks you can try:

Set a timer to remind you to drink every hour.
As soon as you wake up, drink one glass of water.
Keep a water bottle in your car, bedroom, and office.
To shake things up, add your favorite fruit!
Try water flavoring packets if you don’t like the plain taste of water.
Set a goal for every day on how much you’d like to drink.
Keep a water jug in your fridge (filled up!) at all times.
Drink a glass at every meal.
Use a fun water app!
Eat spicy foods – you’ll already want to drink more!

Drinking water is a great (and easy) way to mindfully work on your health. It can also lead to other good habits like working out and watching your sugar intake! Keeping up with your hydration isn’t just a diet trend – it’s a habit you should form for a lifetime of good health.

Why You Should Be Waxing

Does anyone actually like shaving? It takes forever so you rush through it and then end up getting razor burn, and we have to do the process all over again the next day to keep that stubble at bay.

While many women feel the need to shave many different areas of their bodies, you should never feel pressured by anyone to get rid of your hair – this decision is completely up to you! However, if you do decide to, make sure you’re making the correct medium for your skin.Here’s why you should be waxing:

It’s way less time-consuming! Waxing (depending on where you’re getting it done) can be done in a short, 30-minute session.
Hair takes much longer to grow back! When you get your hair waxed, it can take two weeks to 4 weeks to for the hair to appear again.
Waxing can also act as an exfoliator. Waxing pulls the hair from the root along with dead skin off the surface, leaving your skin softer and smoother.
You don’t have to worry about cutting yourself. Shaving around trickier areas like the knees and ankles can leave cuts that can get infected (not to mention, what kinds of bacteria have already accumulated on that razor you’ve had in the shower for over a week??), whereas wax is often made from natural sources (making it the “healthier”) option.

For those going on vacations or would just like to feel smooth without the hassle of shaving every day, waxing is definitely the way to go! If you have sensitive skin, we always recommend asking your dermatologist for advice on the best way to remove unwanted hair. When waxing, using a professional can ensure you are satisfied with the results and the hair is properly removed.

At Precision Wellness, we offer multiple waxing area choices:

Arms
Legs
Back
Chest
Face
Stomach
Bikini
Eyebrows

Many of the choices we offer can be combined with other services – just ask! If you’d like to book your waxing appointment, call 417-886-1131 or schedule online with us!

New Year – New Self Care Routine

The New Year always brings new routines and new goals. While it can be hard to stick to new routines, it can be so rewarding when your skin is healthier, self-confidence is boosted, and you’re back to your rejuvenated self. Here are some self care ideas you should consider for 2020:

Take a bath

Take that extra time to soak – bring on the bubbles, the candles, the soft music, and a glass of wine! Relax in the water and let go of the stress you’ve accumulated from the week.

Meditate

If you’re not sure where to start on this, Youtube has some great guided meditations that work to get you in the right mindset.

Start doing yoga

Yoga helps your body to slow down and respect its breath and movements – which is why it’s a great de-stressor!

Read a book

Yep, you heard us; A good old-fashioned book. Pick up a classic or go for a new book everyone is raving about and get immersed in someone else’s story.

Exercise

Whether it’s dancing, playing softball, going for a run, or lifting some weights at the gym, find what gets your heart pumping and feel that endorphin high!

Go out with friends

For those that are extroverted in nature, getting out and feeling a crowd of friends and strangers around you is a way to power up again.

Binge watch a show on Netflix

Sometimes you just need to not do anything productive! Don’t feel bad about literally taking time to do nothing to balance your plate.

Journal

Writing down your thoughts at the same time every day is a great way to become more introspective. Don’t worry about writing down specific things, just write down what comes to you!

Listen to a podcast

There are so many categories for podcasts to listen to – crime, business, comedy, sports, history, you name it! Pick one that you’re interested in and pop in those headphones!

Take a trip

When it feels like life is just getting too heavy where you live and work, take a break! There are beautiful, amazing lands all across the world waiting to be explored by you.

Organize your room/office

It’s the new year – which means it’s time to cut out all the unnecessary. Take stock of your office, bedroom, or even your home to declutter and organize for 2020.

Get a massage

We’re partial to this idea, but only because we really believe in it! Massages help to reduce anxiety, promote relaxation, alleviate chronic pains, and soothe muscles you never knew were overworked!

To schedule your massage with someone here at Precision Wellness, just give us a call at 417-886-1131.

What is a Body Treatment?

body treatmaent box with towels stones oils

If you’ve had a facial at Precision Wellness before, then you already know the basics of a body treatment! Whereas facials (obviously) take place on your face, a body treatment takes some of the same practices and applies them to your body.

While the face tends to get a lot of attention in terms of care, your body can easily get overlooked. The combination of massage, scrub, and a detoxifying treatments allows your skin (everywhere) to get the attention it deserves.

Our body treatments include an exfoliating step along with a self-warming hydrating serum. From there, your body is wrapped in layers of warming sheets to encourage your pores to open up (and soak in the benefits of the serum!). An additional lotion is included in the treatment after the sheets are taken off.

An extra that can be added to your body treatment is a full body exfoliation treatment that also includes an anti-cellulite aromatherapy blend – the best combo you can ask for!

Doing a body treatment stimulates your metabolic system, speeding its ability to carry away waste products and rejuvenates your skin back to being velvety and smooth. There are plenty of benefits to doing such a treatment:

Decrease Cellulite
Prevent Wrinkles
Remove Toxins
Freshen Skin
& lots more!

Before and after getting a body treatment, we always recommend drinking plenty of water to avoid getting dehydrated from the treatment. If you are pregnant, please ask your doctor if a body treatment is safe for you.

As always, let us know if you have any questions about a body treatment before you book an appointment – we’d love to hear from you!

What Is TMJ Massage?

massage-therapist-massaging-a-clients-tmj

TMJ Massage Helps Reduce Jaw Pain

The jaw or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is vulnerable to joint disorders. Disorders of the jaw are typically referred to by the same name: TMJ or TMJD.

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects the mandible to the skull’s temporal bone and allows the movements of biting, chewing, swallowing, speaking, and making facial expressions.

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD) can cause tooth pain and headaches, or painful popping in the jaw. Pain is the most common TMJD symptom. The pain is often described as a transient, dull ache in the jaw joint and nearby areas, including the ear.

Some clients may not have pain but may find it difficult to move their jaw. Sometimes clients mistake TMJD symptoms for tooth pain, or they may experience headaches or grind their teeth.

A TMJ treatment can help relieve all of these symptoms.

How Can TMJ Treatment Help?

Surprisingly, difficulty relaxing is a common cause of jaw dysfunction. Holding the tension, especially in the jaw, is a common response to stress. Emotional tension can easily manifest as TMJ pain.

TMJ treatment is an ideal massage technique to relieve the pain of TMJD. Our massage therapy is focused on the reduction of tension in the mastication muscles, releasing tension in the fascia of the face and mouth, and eliminating any trigger points.

TMJ Treatment vs Traditional Massage

Our TMJ Treatment is a massage therapy treatment of just the mouth, jaws, head, and sometimes neck to relieve TMJD. Applying pressure to trigger points in the jaw muscles can help relieve spasms and pain.

We use isometric contraction to gently stretch tensed muscle fibers and might use minimal resistance to further stretch the tissue. We follow the treatment with some relaxation techniques to enhance the relief of the targeted muscle.

This massage technique can restore the range of motion that typically regresses with TMJD.

What to Expect from a TMJ Massage at Precision Wellness

While treating TMJ, your massage therapist will focus treatment on the reduction of tension in the masticatory (chewing) muscles, eliminating trigger points—the painful “knots” felt in the muscle that refers to pain elsewhere—and releasing tension in the fascia tissue around the jaw area.

Fascia is the tough, dense connective tissue that surrounds every muscle, nerve, bone, blood vessel, and organ of the body.

Some of the common massages that your massage therapist will use when treating TMJ include:

Swedish Massage
- While this is the most common and well-known massage, it has a number of benefits; a primary one being that of relaxation. Our massage therapists are experts in providing relaxation through a full-body Swedish massage that can have a huge impact on reducing jaw tension, as stress contributes greatly to TMJ disorders.
Neuromuscular Therapy
- This technique involves our therapists applying pressure to trigger points in the jaw muscles to help relieve tension and return muscles to a relaxed state.

What Is Energy Work?

Before we get into how energy work is practiced, we first have to explain what energy is. Energy, in this sense, is the life force that binds everything in our universe – it is what balances our physical and spiritual bodies. Often, people experience imbalances in this energy that manifests itself in many other ways to a person.

Within the body, our energies are held in a balance in different centers (but always flowing continuously). These areas are called our chakras and can easily become unbalanced due to physical or emotional trauma.

The root chakra (Muladhara) deals with our basic needs: safety and survival. It’s closely associated with the color red and the element of earth.

The sacral chakra (Svadhistana) deals with sexuality and pleasure. It’s closely associated with the color orange and the element of water.

The solar plexus chakra (Manipura) deals with control and personal power. It’s closely associated with the color yellow and the element of fire.

The heart chakra (Anahata) deals with love, relationships, and compassion. It’s closely associated with the color green and the element of air.

The throat chakra (Vishuddha) deals with communication and speaking our truth. It’s closely associated with the color blue.

The third eye chakra (Ajna) deals with our intuition and guidance. It’s closely related to the color indigo.

The crown chakra (Sahasrara) deals with our spiritual connection. It’s closely related to the color violet.

Energy work is commonly used to return someone’s energies back into balance. This can be worked through many ways – mindful breathing, yoga, meditation, crystal use, smudging, and more.

Often, people will encourage the use of multiple energy practices at one time. For example, practicing mindful breathwork, yoga, and meditation at the same time can promote balance, posture, and mental clarity!

Healers are able to teach you which practices will work best for you, so we encourage you to be completely honest with them! Sephirah Starsong is our resident Energy Practitioner and works with many of our clients to bring balance back into their lives.

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TMJ Massage Helps Reduce Jaw Pain

How Can TMJ Treatment Help?

TMJ Treatment vs Traditional Massage

What to Expect from a TMJ Massage at Precision Wellness

PRECISION WELLNESS

Therapeutic Massage, Esthetics and Yoga

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