De-stressing after the holidays

By Caroline J. Howard, ANC

MANILA, Philippines - Welcome as the holidays might be--luring anyone to jump into the season with total surrender-- it could also come with its own share of stresses: whether from dealing with the horrendous traffic or making last minute trips to packed malls and getting caught in the maddening shopping frenzy.

With the propensity to gain weight from indulgent eating, simply attempting to squeeze oneself into a body sculpting Spanx and into that form-fitting dress could very well also be a challenge of a lifetime.

So, inasmuch as the holidays may provide the perfect opportunity for pampering, it's no wonder a visit to the spa is also fast becoming a must-do post-holiday activity.

But while spa treatments and massages may offer relaxation, beautification and slimming results, when it comes to de-stressing from the holidays, medical spas up the ante with a little help from science.

"Medical spa defines treatment as one that is spa-oriented, spa in origin but with medical intervention. It's non-invasive, non-surgical, scientifically approached," explained Dr. Mary Jane Torres, owner of The Zen Institute, on Mornings@ANC on Wednesday.

Therapy, detox

One can indulge in the senses: getting de-stressing massages with aromatherapy.

For body therapy services, one can choose to have a salt glow, mud mask, seaweed mask and whitening mask which, aside from the usual benefits, offer a kind of levelling-up from the usual spa.

The salt scrub helps neutralize the skin if it's too dry or too oily, and brings back balance on the surface of the skin.

For facials, there's the pampering facial, cleansing facial and diamond peel, treatments which are not only great for the skin but also relaxing to the senses.

The mud mask has collagen for improved skin moisture, while the seaweed mask is perfect for oily skin especially of acne-prone teenagers.

Dr. Torres said the medi-spa offers a protocol for detoxification, and comes with medical consultation and a prescriptive program.

The whitening mask, while part of a slimming program, focuses more on the result: slimming whitening or detoxification. It's also a highly requested treatment among Filipinos.

"To boost lymphatic drainage, we integrate ultrasound cavitation machine to further induce draining out of the toxins so it becomes a detoxifying treatment. The ultrasound cavitation machine will squeeze out fat from the cells and after treatment release then via urine," said Dr. Torres.

Where regular massages may traumatize tired muscles, the machine helps the muscles relax.

Such services are among the reasons why Singapore-based ''Asia Spa'' magazine recently voted The Zen Institute as one of the top 10 medical spas in Asia.

While benefits of spa treatments are known to last 24 hours before the skin returns to its old form, Dr. Torres said it's possible to make them part of a regular routine.

The Zen Institute has 4 branches: Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, Scout Rallos Street in Quezon City, The Podium in Ortigas Center, and at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Manila inside LeSpa.

Photo from Fotosearch