If you think that day spas in Florida are just about facials and manicures, think again. You can also find pseudoscience offered along with the services traditionally provided by day spas. I found out about day spas' penchant for pseudoscience when I went shopping for a day spa gift certificate for my sister. What I found when I researched the day spas persuaded me to find another birthday present.
Note that the following is an informal survey. I did not use a random sample of day spas for this survey and therefore I make no claim that this survey applies to all or most day spas. I just want to share my observations on the day spas about which I could readily find information, in this case, day spa websites.
With that said, are there pseudoscience and questionable claims among the services provided by day spas? Sadly yes. First, we can start with reflexology (midway down the page). As the Skeptic Dictionary points out, reflexology is the practice of massaging one's feet in order to cure medical conditions. Supposedly, the feet have connections to the the rest of body that are not recognized by medical science. As Dr. Stephen Barrett points out, "reflexology is based on an absurd theory and has not been demonstrated to influence the course of any illness". The only positive thing about day spas' marketing of reflexology is that I found no claims to diagnose or cure disease.
Another pseudoscience found in day spas is aromatherapy (third paragraph down the page). Aromatherapy is based on the power of "essential oils" in plants. We are not talking about nutrients that the body cannot produce by itself. We are talking about oils that supposedly represent the "essence" of the plant, smellwise at least. As with other pseudoscientific claims, aromatherapy claims to do things that go far beyond the capabilities of pleasant smelling chemicals. There is no doubt that I would rather spend my time among sweet smelling rose bushes than in a sewer. But as Dr. Stephen Barrett points out, "there is no evidence that aromatherapy products provide the health benefits claims by their proponents".
Body Massage is also found in day spas. While massage does have benefits and should not be considered pseudoscience, massage supporter often make claims than go beyond the more plausible idea that it makes your aching muscles temporarily feel better. As noted in the Massage and Bodywork Place website, massage "can improve blood circulation, relieve stress, relieve minor aches and pains, improves mobility, improve immune system function, increase energy levels, combats the negative effects of aging, relax muscles and improve the clients overall mood and well being". Wow, that is a lot to get out of simple human contact! As the Skeptic Dictionary points out, massage therapy is claimed by its practitioners to help cure a multitude of medical conditions. It is not just the rotten to the core practices like reflexology that are of questionable utility, but the valid practices like massage whose benefits are expanded beyond what is consistent with medical science.
CranioSacral Therapy or cranial osteopathy is another dubious practice found in some day spas. According to The Scientific Review Of Alternative Medicine, "there is little science in any aspect of cranial osteopathy." As found with other dubious "therapies", it is claimed to be natural and invokes the body's innate healing capabilities. It is scary when you look at what it claims to heal such as "Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries", "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder"and "Learning Disabilities". These are serious problems and should be under medical and/or psychological care and the target of the latest day spa fad.
I also found a multitude of other services whose claims are unsubstantiated by scientific research in the day spa websites that contains them. I am not a medical doctor and do not have access to the latest in scientific research on these services. However, these claims would raise red flags among any skeptic and should remain dubious claims until substantiated by medical research:
Alga Body Wrap
Ionithermie Detox and Cellulite Treatment
Sacred Stone Facial
Glycolic Hand Treatment that restores a youthful appearance to dry hands
Herbal Enzyme Peel that reduces the appearance of puffiness, dark circles and
fine lines
Anti-Free Radicals Oxygen Facial
Japanese Pearl Facial
Noninvasive breast enhancement
I could go on and on. I found the same words repeated throughout the day spa websites that I examined - natural, detoxify, youth, healing, etc. These are powerful words to people who are uncomfortable with drugs and invasive medical treatment. So let's return to nature and everything will be all right. I do not doubt that nature can provide helpful medical treatments such as drugs developed from snail peptides (Stix 2005). However, we should not discount the benefits that modern medical science has brought to mankind. Things were not always great in the "natural" past before modern medicine. Remember that there were killer plagues and shorter lifespans in those "good" old days.
If you are looking to be pampered with massages, facials and manicures, you probably won't get in too much trouble in day spas. However you should ask your doctor for his opinion before you sink hundreds of dollars in day spa services that have no medically valid therapeutic value. The only thing that they will improve is the day spa's financial picture. But they may not make you look young again. There is only so much that we can do about the aging process at this time.
References
Stix, Gary. 2005. A Toxin Against Pain. Scientific American. April;292(4):88-93.
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© 2005 Curtis Wolf