FOR ANY BUSINESS , INNOVATION IS ESSENTIAL to long-term success . The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly brought many lessons about business innovation , and if it has taught us anything about life , it ’ s that health and wellness are gifts meant to be cultivated and protected . As our industry , like so many others , continues to pivot toward new ways of delivering services , many spa owners and directors are choosing spa experiences that offer enhanced wellness benefits while protecting the health of both clients and staff . A full-body experience that uses multiple modalities to produce a calming , restorative and healing effect , private halotherapy delivers safety , wellness and a great return on investment .
WHAT IS HALOTHERAPY ? Also known as dry salt therapy , halotherapy uses a controlled dry salt aerosol environment that mimics the characteristics of a salt cave . Halotherapy uses a natural , basic mineral : pure sodium chloride ( salt ). Sodium chloride is an essential element for the regulation of mucus in the lungs and upper respiratory system , and it cleanses the respiratory tract and strengthens lung function by stimulating the body ’ s internal processes .
Dry , pharmaceutical-grade salt is heated , ground and crushed into micro-particles and then dispersed into the air through a halogenerator . As a spa guest sits in the halotherapy room and relaxes , they inhale the micro-particles , which penetrate deep into the lungs , bronchi , bronchioles and alveoli and are believed to produce a calming effect and absorb irritants , including allergens and toxins , from the respiratory system . Non-inhaled salt particles are absorbed into the skin .
The tiny , negatively ionized salt micro-particles can help improve breathing and more . They are thought to foster symptomatic relief for conditions as wide-ranging as allergies , asthma , sinusitis , acne , dermatitis , eczema , psoriasis , skin aging , skin inflammation and rosacea . Halotherapy naturally triggers skin microcirculation and cellular membrane activity , enhancing the skin ’ s protective properties and processes to support the repair and regeneration of healthy skin .
A FULL-BODY EXPERIENCE Although the benefits of halotherapy target the respiratory tract and lung function specifically , a private halotherapy experience is truly a full-body experience .
“ When you ’ re immersed in the ( halotherapy ) room , it ’ s like a halo effect , which puts clients at a deep relaxation ,” says Terri Smith , co-owner of The Woodhouse Day Spa-Bottleworks , Indianapolis , Indiana .
Breathing the salt in deeply can promote calmness and help lower stress levels for guests , says Smith .
Guests find additional benefits in a private halotherapy experience through the soothing glow of a Himalayan salt wall . Warmed Himalayan salt resonates at the same frequency as the earth , producing a grounding effect for guests . The experience also includes a massage table featuring a far infrared therapy mat with healing gemstones ( tourmaline , amethyst and jade ) and five natural therapies ( hot stone , pulsed electromagnetic field ( PEMF ), far infrared , negative ion and photon light ) that can temporarily enhance local circulation , relax muscles and joints , reduce pain , improve energy and mood and stimulate cells to promote overall wellness .
The private halotherapy experience combines these elements — halotherapy , warmed Himalayan salt wall and far
FEBRUARY / MARCH 2022 ■ PULSE 35