Finding Your Glow

By Beth Janes

WE ALL YEARN FOR FLAWLESS SKIN. Whenever a blemish, dry spot, or wrinkle appears, we rush to get rid of it with a topical cream. But as appealing as a quick fix may be, it’s more effective to address the underlying problems (lack of sleep, low energy, poor circulation, bad nutrition) that cause skin woes. Traditional healing therapies like acupuncture, reflexology, body brushing, stone massage, and thalassotherapy (spa treatments using seawater) help restore and maintain energy levels and increase circulation and lymphatic flow, which are essential to healthy, glowing skin. “A healthy body equals healthy skin,” says Valori Treloar, M.D., an integrative dermatologist and coauthor of The Clear Skin Diet (Cumberland House, 2007). So whether you visit a spa, an individual practitioner, or adapt these techniques at home, you can start on the journey to a more radiant you.

Stone Massage

HOW IT WORKS The heat from hot stones loosens muscles and brings more blood and oxygen to cells, creating a deeper treatment than a regular massage, and the increased circulation improves the tone and health of your skin. Like any massage, this type helps reduce stress, says Francesca Fusco, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City. Some experts believe massage shifts the nervous system from “fight-orflight” mode to “rest-and-digest” mode. Studies on children with eczema and atopic dermatitis (red, irritated skin) show that massage improved their skin more than topical treatments alone. Hot stone therapy also increases skin temperature, which can enhance relaxation and encourage the release of toxins through sweating. Cool stones, sometimes used on the face, reduce puffiness and calm inflammation.

TREATMENT You begin by lying on warm stones positioned on either side of your spine. “When you turn over, I can see which parts took in more heat and need attention,” says Maureen Moon, a former president of the American Massage Therapy Association, who teaches stone massage classes in Boulder, Colo. The therapist also places stones between your toes, under your neck, and on other areas.

What it costs: A 60-minute treatment is $100 or more depending on whether you visit a spa or an individual practitioner.

AT HOME Pick your own stones on the beach or buy a set at thstone.com. Several products use hot and cold sensations like REN REVIVO-TONIC COOL COMFORT LEG AND FOOT GEL ($40; sephora .com), ST.IVES ELEMENTS WARMING SCRUB ($7; at drugstores), or OLAY WARMING HYDRATING CLEANSER ($10 ; at drugstores).

Acupuncture

HOW IT WORKS Acupuncture operates on the principle that qi (energy) flows through the body along pathways called meridians. When qi is blocked, the resulting imbalance causes disease and pain. Needles placed in specific points along the meridians release qi, letting the body heal.