Massage benefits an individual on three levels – (1) Physical, (2) Mental,  (3) Emotional.

Physical – Stretch, loosen and relax muscle tissue. Improve blood circulation. Move lymph fluid around the body, therefore assisting with the removal of metabolic wastes that accumulate from both exercise and periods of inactivity. Increase the flow of oxygen and nutrients to cells and tissue. Release of endorphins (the body’s natural pain killer). Bringing relief and promoting natural healing. 

Mental – Enables the mind to become much more relaxed, Gives the mind time to de-clutter and think clearly. 

Emotional - Satisfies the need for a caring and nurturing touch, creating a feeling of well being and reduction in anxiety levels.

People of all ages can, and do benefit from regular massage sessions. And many will now ensure that these sessions are planned into their busy lifestyle. 

There are many forms of massage therapy, and whilst each style has its own particular benefit, all forms do maintain several basic principles. 

Improved blood circulation is beneficial for virtually all circumstances. Tension in the muscles and other soft tissues can impair circulation, resulting in deficient supply of nutrients and inadequate removal of toxins from the tissues. This can lead to illness, lethargy, structural and functional problems, slow healing process to name but a few.

Movement and circulation of Lymphatic Fluid  plays a vital role in ridding the body of wastes and toxins. The lymph system also benefits from massage, particularly in conditions where lymphatic flow is impaired by injury or surgery. In fact there are specific Lymph drainage massages. 

Muscular tension often creeps upon us as a result of everyday stresses. Tis can cause many problems, both physically and emotionally if not dealt with.  Massage is a great therapy to alleviate this.  Allowing greater range of movement, release of tension which in turn brings about greater relaxation. 

Mind & Body are inextricably linked and if either are “out of sorts”, then the other is ultimately affected.  Likewise, if improvements are made to the body – the mind benefits also, and vice versa.  

Stress a major symptom of today’s hectic lifestyles, and can cause untold problems, often leading to physical symptoms. Massage is a great “drug free” remedy for stress and related conditions. 

Swedish massage is one of the most commonly used methods in the Western world. 

There are five basic massage strokes or movements used with  Swedish massage: Effleurage – This is the long flowing stroke with the pads of the fingers and palms of the hand

Petrissage – This involves gently lifting muscles up and away from the bones, then rolling and squeezing them, again with a gentle pressure. It generally involves kneading and compression motions – rolling, squeezing, or pressing the muscles to enhance deeper circulation. Petrissage attempts to increase circulation with clearing out toxins from muscle and nerve tissue

Friction & Vibration – This is the most penetrating of the strokes, and consists of deep circular or transverse movements made with the thumb pads or fingertips. The therapist applies deep, circular movement near joints and other bony areas (such as the sides of the spine). Friction breaks down adhesions, which are knots that result when muscle fibers bind together during the healing process, thus contributing to more flexible muscles and joints.

Tapotement – This consists of a series of briskly applied percussive movements, using the hands alternately to strike or tap the muscles for an invigorating effect. There are many variations on this stroke. It may be applied with the edge of the hand, with the tips of the fingers, or with a closed fist

Vibration or Shaking – This involves the therapist pressing his or her hands on the back or limbs, and rapidly shaking for a few seconds. It boosts circulation and increase the power of the muscles to contact. Vibration is particularly helpful to people suffering from low-back pain. 

Many experienced Massage therapists will also adapt the above strokes/movements and introduce their own into a typical session, tailored to the individual clients needs at the time. A good therapist will assess the client by means of a consultation with the client, listening to them, as well as observing their posture and other visual signs.  

It is essential when considering massage therapy that the therapist you choose is qualified as well as insured.  He should also have a thorough understanding of Anatomy & Physiology. 

Massage , as a regular therapy is proven to be extremely beneficial in healing the entire person – Mind, Body and Soul,  Allowing you to cope with the ever increasing stresses and demands placed upon us in todays society. 

If you would like to make any comment on this blog, then please feel free to do so, or pass it onto anyone else who may be interested

There are many options available to remove unwanted hair, but few options to get rid of hair permanently. To help you make an informed decision about which Hair Removal method may be better for you, some of the various options currently available options are discussed here.  Each person should chose a method or combination of methods that works best for them depending on cost, time available, skin type, and the desired hair-free area.

Hair Growth – A very Basic Understanding
Understanding how hair grows helps us understand how to keep hair from growing. Each hair is contained in a Pilosebaceous unit which consists of a hair shaft, hair follicle, sebaceous gland, and erector pili muscle. Hair growth and shedding is a continuous cycle through 3 phases. The Anagen phase is the growth phase, the Catagen phase is a transitional state, and the Telogen phase is the resting phase. Hairs spend a variable amount of time in each phase determined by genetics, hormones, and area of the body. Hair in the Anagen phase is more susceptible to injury than hair in the Telogen phase. All of these factors must be considered when choosing a method of hair removal.

Hair Removal with Shaving
Shaving is the most temporary method of hair removal because it merely cuts the hair off at the surface of the skin.  Contrary to popular belief, Shaving does not make the hair shaft thicker, darker, or grow faster or slower. However, the short hair shaft may be more noticeable as it grows out because it has a blunt tip instead of the normal tapered tip. (The reason many men get the all too familiar “itch” as the hair starts to re-grow).  Shaving should be done after applying some type of moisturizer / hydration to the skin to help the razor glide over the skin, not cut or scrape it. The most common being, Shaving Oil, Shaving Gel/Foam, Shaving Soap.

Electric Shaving removes hair in a similar fashion, and depending upon the shaver used can be done wet or dry.  However, it is essential to apply a post shave product to reduce possible razor burn. You cannot get a close shave with an electric razor in the way you can with a blade.

Plucking
Plucking hair with tweezers is an effective way to remove hair but can be very time consuming. The hair shaft must be long enough to grasp with tweezers, and is only practical for small areas, such as eyebrows.

Waxing
Waxing is an extremely effective method of removing hair from any area of the body, except the beard and scalp areas.  This method is favoured by many, and is the main method used at TJBodyRocks.  The skin is thoroughly cleansed, and then a very thin layer of oil is applied which creates a barrier between the skin and the wax – therefore making it a more comfortable experience. Several waxes are available, Crème, Warm (Strip) & Hot (Hard). All of these waxes are heated and applied to the prepared skin.  The hairs are shrink wrapped in the wax and then removed very quickly either with a fabric strip or by simply pulling the wax away from the skin. The wax is applied very thinly with a wooden disposable spatula in the direction of the hair growth, and then removed in the opposite direction, taking all hairs with it. The hair is removed completely from the follicle, together with the hair bulb. Because the hair has been removed completely in this way, it takes longer to grow back, and when it does grow back, you do not get the sharp itch associated with hair growth from shaving, as it grows back naturally with a rounded tip as opposed to a sharp pointed tip.

Sugaring
Sugaring is once again becoming a popular form of hair removal that works much the same way as traditional waxing.  The application is different, in that it is applied against the natural hair growth, and removed in the natural direction (opposite to that of waxing).  Sugaring can be performed using the application and fabric strip method, or hand application & removal by hand.  The sugar mixture is entirely natural, so much so that it can be eaten! Skin preparation, as always is extremely important.  The sugar is water soluble, and therefore cleanup after treatment is very easy.  The benefits and results are as with waxing, but with an added advantage that it can remove much shorter hairs than with traditional waxing.

Depilatories
Depilatories are chemical based formulations that are applied to the skin where hair is to be removed.  The hair is dissolved by the chemicals, but due to their harshness the skin can be easily burned and damaged – usually because people leave it in contact with the skin for too long – even an extra 30 seconds can burn the skin.  None of these depilatory creams should be used on very sensitive areas, such as the genitals/anus.   After the recommended application time, the formulation is either wiped or washed off, and as always, a non perfumed moisturiser should be applied to the area.

Electrolysis
Electrolysis involves inserting a fine needle into the hair Follicle and passing an electrical current to the follicle root. This procedure actually burns the hair root theoretically preventing it from producing more hair. Each hair follicle must be treated individually and may take several treatments to destroy the follicle. Electrolysis is a permanent form of hair removal but it has several drawbacks. First, there are no standardized licensing guidelines for electrolysis so finding an experienced, effective technician is difficult requiring talking to clients who have experienced permanent results. Second, this method requires repeated treatments for up to 12 to 18 months. Hair follicles that are in the Telogen phase are more difficult to destroy than hair follicles in the Anagen phase. Shaving approximately 3 days before an electrolysis treatment ensures that the hairs that are visible are in the Anagen  phase.

Laser
As Laser technology has become more understood, so have the uses for it. Many skin conditions are treated with laser, and Hair Removal is now a common application of laser technology, but it is not permanent and not for everyone. Lasers work by emitting light at various wavelengths, energy output, and pulse widths. The wavelength used determines the skin structure it will affect such as veins, melanin, or water. Most lasers used for hair removal target melanin and are therefore designed to burn structures that contain melanin. The more melanin, the more damage. It makes sense that laser hair removal works best for light-skinned people with dark hair. As with electrolysis, hair follicles in the Anagen phase are more easily destroyed than those in the Telogen phase. Therefore, laser treatments for hair removal must be repeated. It is suggested that laser treatment, while not causing permanent destruction of all hair follicles, does retard the regrowth of new hair.