Massage Marketing Using Facebook

Massage Marketing Using Facebook, a new e-book, will answer the following important marketing questions: How do I successfully build and expand my massage clientele by using Facebook? How can I compete with all the other professional massage therapists in my area? How can I attract clients without having to slash my prices?

This e-book will take you step-by-step, demonstrating exactly how to:

? Craft your image on Facebook as a professional massage therapist.

? Find “friends” as prospective clients.

? Communicate with your new prospective clients, getting them scheduled and on your massage table.

? Avoid the biggest mistakes people make in marketing, advertising and communicating online.

If you’ve had a hard time getting started with online marketing or have been confused about where to start, this e-book is intended to
answer many questions for you. However, if you are currently generating your own prospective clients online, this e-book will assist you in breaking through to new levels of clients.

What makes Massage Marketing Using Facebook and this new model of business-building so powerful is it opens up an infinite amount of possibilities for the massage therapist.

Get a massage, give to Haiti relief

The National Holistic Institute will donate all proceeds from massages given Thursday at their Emeryville and San Francisco campuses to a Haiti relief fund.

The institute is a training school for massage therapists. The cost for a 50-minute massage is $35.

Massages will be given in Emeryville at 6:15 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. Thursday. Massages will be given in San Francisco at 1:30 p.m. 2:45 p.m. and 4 p.m. Thursday. Appointments may be booked online at www.nhi.edu.

The money raised will go to USAID, the U.S. Agency for International Development. The agency's Web site is www.usaid.gov.

Students, graduates, administrators and teachers are all donating their time and skills to help raise money for Haiti after the massive earthquakes earlier this month, said institute President Tim Veitzer.

On Saturday, the institute's San Jose campus raised $1,200 for Haiti earthquake relief after a similar fundraiser.

In response to the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, the institute began the Massage Emergency Response Team that is used nationally to organize volunteer massage therapy on rescue and recovery workers at disaster sites, Veitzer said.

An exclusive evening of fashion, cocktails and spa treats

East London’s rooftop private members club Eight Moorgate is hosting a unique evening event on Thursday 11th February from 6pm til late.

Guests will step through the courtyard into the glass lift and be taken up to the sixth floor Lounge Bar and Library, which will be transformed into a gorgeous showcase of fashion designers and spas, as well as chocolate and cocktail master-classes.

Showroom 21 will be hosting a number of exclusive fashion designers in a Pop-Up Boutique space. A capsule collection of handbags will be on show by UK designer Rocio as well as a stunning vintage collection of classic labels, such as Yves Saint Laurent, Galliano and Christian Dior. Celebrity jewellery designer Nicola Pulvertaft will be displaying a range of feminine jewellery and Penelope and Parker will be there with classic handbags made from luxury leather.

At the long Lounge Bar, guests will be able to learn how to make the perfect cocktail, such as the signature Eight Martini, while admiring the club’s stunning views of steeples and skyscrapers.

There will also be decadent chocolate master-classes from award winning chocolatier Paul Wayne Gregory, who designs handcrafted chocolates in delicious variations, such as Praline Crunch and Blue Mountain Coffee. He will be showing guests how to create a sinful chocolate masterpiece which they can take home as a special gift, or eat right away…

To redeem their sins, guests can meet Suné Connell, a nutritional therapist and learn how to stick to those New Year’s resolutions. Suné infuses her knowledge of nutritional therapy with a gourmet approach to health and well-being and has been featured on Jamie Oliver’s website, among others.

To add a touch of glamour to the evening, Blush Make-Up and City Point Spas are on hand to transform party-goers with a unique makeover or a tailored mini-therapy session.

As a farewell gift, each guest will receive a luxurious goodie-bag worth over ￡200.

This event is the perfect female indulgence but also could prove very useful for gentlemen looking to pick up a custom designed gift for that special someone.

Fairmont Massage: Relax and feel better

Fairmont Massage is helping people relax and feel better.

Owner Shane Carpenter, licensed massage therapist, offers a range of massages at reasonable prices for people of all ages.

The different types of massages available are deep tissue, Swedish, hot stone, aromatherapy, reflexology (hand and foot), and neck, back and shoulder. Other services include ear candling and paraffin wax bath.

The business opened on Jan. 1 at 1010 Fairmont Ave., in the same building as Mandy’s Artworks. The space was formerly a salon, and it took Carpenter about a month to transform the room into a massage therapy shop. He redid a lot of the electrical work and plumbing, with the help of some friends, and often spent 12 to 16 hours each day on the project.

“It was quite a turnaround,” he said.

Carpenter graduated from the Art and Science Institute of Cosmetology and Massage Therapy, known as ASIC, in Fairmont. He’s originally from the Fairmont area, where he continues to reside today.

Carpenter said he “just wanted to take the chance” and open his own business.

“One day I decided, ‘I think I want to do it myself,’” he said of his reason for taking the plunge.

Starting the massage therapy business was nerve-wracking, but Carpenter is now sure that he made the right decision.

Fairmont Massage has been in operation for nearly a month, and business is “picking up slowly but surely,” he said.

“The thing that I like the most about it is when you’re done with the massage people feel so much better,” Carpenter said. “People are so relaxed. They’re healthier. You’re helping people.”

He said people can benefit from massage in so many ways. It can help with anxiety, pain, labor pain, infant growth, sports-related soreness, the immune system, self-esteem and more.

“The biggest thing is less stress,” Carpenter said. “Everybody has stress.”

Mt. Prospect Monitoring Massage Parlor Charges

A Mt. Prospect massage parlor owner and a female associate were charged Wednesday, Jan. 13 for allegedly conspiring to extort thousands of dollars from a female foreign national who worked at the massage parlor and was reportedly threatened.

The defendants, Alex A. Campbell and Danielle John, were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and Cook County Sheriff's officers. According to federal authorities, Campbell, a resident of Glenview in his mid-40s, and John, 23, of Des Plaines, were each charged with conspiracy to commit extortion and attempted extortion in a criminal complaint.

According to the complaint affidavit, the alleged extortion victim, identified as "Victim 2," came to the United States in 2007 and attended a massage therapy school in Chicago, where she met Campbell in the summer of 2008. In November 2008, Victim 2 moved into an apartment that Campbell owned and began working at Campbell's parlor, Day and Night Spa, 940 E.

Northwest Hwy. in Mt. Prospect, which was among several locations where ICE agents and Sheriff's officers executed search warrants.

Authorities said according to Victim 2, Campbell told her that he could assist with her immigration status and documents. She paid him a total of approximately $13,000 from money she earned at the spa and money sent to her by her parents for his assistance.

In March 2009, Campbell allegedly told Victim 2 that she had to pay him an additional $10,000, later raised to $16,000, or she would have to work at one of his massage parlors from opening to closing seven days a week, the complaint said.

The complaint also said Campbell allegedly verbally abused and threatened Victim 2, telling her he had a gun, and forced her to engage in sexual activity.

Victim 2 began recording a series of conversations with Campbell and John between August and October 2009, including a meeting with John on Oct. 5, 2009, at which time she allegedly gave John $1,500 to pass along to Campbell.

"There may be additional charges and we will have to monitor the case," said Mt. Prospect Village Manager Michael Janonis. "As soon as we can get a better handle on this case we will make a final determination on whether or not we will pursue revoking the business license. We feel we don't need to wait for an ultimate decision in any criminal trial to proceed from a local standpoint."

Janonis said the salon's business license went into effect Aug. 1, 2008. John's detention hearing was scheduled for yesterday (Tuesday), while Campbell's hearing is scheduled for today (Wednesday) at 3 p.m. in federal court in Chicago. Both individuals were in custody after their arrest. Extortion conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Magic hands

There’s a new registered massage therapist at Back in Motion.

Julie Pouliot says she loves working in a clinic that also offers chiropractic and acupuncture care.

“All our work is complementary and it’s great to be able to be part of such an amazing holistic practice,” the 22-year-old said.

Pouliot recently graduated from the Okanagan Valley College of Massage Therapy, where she became registered in B.C. Her previous experience was in Quebec.

“I’ve known since I was in Grade 9 that massage was all I wanted to do,” she said.

She studied Swedish and Shiatsu massage techniques and started offering chair massage when she was 17.

She also did sport massage, working for the Montreal Alouettes to give the athletes massage during training camps.

But in Quebec, massage therapists aren’t registered. She wanted to come to B.C. because it’s a more recognized treatment here.

“I knew myself that massage is a good treatment for injury, and wanted to live somewhere that it’s part of the medical system,” she explained.

The program she took in B.C. was three years. She learned human anatomy in much the same way as a medical doctor would.

At Back in Motion a lot of her work is to treat sport injuries and tension stress caused by repetitive motion for people with desk jobs.

“Massage can do so much, from breaking up scar tissue and stimulate healing for people with injury to helping with relaxation and allowing people to feel more present in their body," Pouliot said.

Massage is covered by most medical benefit plans.

“People think massage is a luxury, but really it’s a treatment and should be considered essential for everybody,” she said.

Massage therapist lends hand at center

When Bea Furman was dealing with a crisis pregnancy 21 years ago, she found help at a crisis-pregnancy center. Two decades later she is still grateful for the love and support she received during that difficult time.

That appreciation is why Furman chose to volunteer at the Center for Women.

``I believe that every person should do what they can to better their community,'' the 46-year-old said. ``(Volunteering) gives me an opportunity to give back to the community at large what was given to me.''

Furman began volunteering at the Center for Women nearly 14 years ago. Once a week, she spends time administering pregnancy tests and organizing items for the center's Learn & Earn program. She uses her experience as a licensed massage therapist by teaching classes on infant massage.

Kathy Wilson, director of client and volunteer services at the center, said she appreciates the talents and passion that Furman brings to the center.

``(Furman) has a heart for serving others and she's willing to do anything,'' Wilson said. ``She is very special and very diverse ... I think (the infant massage) helps us, as the center, to be unique.''

During her time with the center, Furman has enjoyed the family atmosphere and interacting with the other volunteers and clients.

She has also learned the importance of not allowing her personal beliefs to inhibit the care she provides for her clients.

``It's important to love people where they're at and respect them for where they're at,'' she said. ``I've realized you have to step aside and not let yourself judge; instead love.''

Furman also has volunteered at the Jackson Interfaith Shelter since 2007 and is involved at Bethel Baptist Church.

Furman has owned Healing Song Therapeutic Massage for the past seven years. She has been married to Burt Furman for 16 years.

A spa in your own backyard

When Lynn Philips originally installed a jetted hot tub in 1989, it was purely for relaxation. But 21 years later, a soak in her hot tub delivers an added benefit by providing relief for her arthritis.

She's not alone. Many arthritis sufferers don't start their day without a soak in the morning. Immersion in hot water dilates blood vessels, relaxes tight muscles and releases endorphins -- the body's natural painkillers. It also serves as a great stress reliever.

"Enjoy it while you have it," says Philips, who is enjoying her third jetted tub. "It helped relieve the stress when I was recovering from my knee transplants."

Hot tubs and spas have a natural appeal to people living in a colder climate, says Grant Gislason, who started off in the industry by custom building hot tubs with wood from recycled wine barrels more than 30 years ago in Victoria.

"You have buoyancy and you have warmth. How much more therapeutic can you get?" says Gislason, now owner of Vintage Hot Tubs.

He points out that "today's spas are a far cry from yesterday's hot tubs."

Most spas have high-pressure jet nozzles that direct pulsating water toward sore muscles and joints. Jets are commonly clustered to deliver pressure to massage specific groups of nerves and muscles, such as the neck, shoulders, back or feet. Modern jets are more sophisticated, with different designs and sizes for different areas of the body.

While spas can be lavish, equipped with dozens of jets, bubblers, lights, waterfalls, stereos and even pop-up flat-screen televisions, their cost isn't much more than units made 15 years ago. They are more energy-efficient as well, thanks to advances in insulation, pump motors, electronics, construction and materials.

While some units can cost more than $40,000, their hefty price tags have more to do with options some people demand.

Fancy units "cost more because people put more stuff in them. More jets in a spa mean it needs more motors, which can cost up to $700 each. They then require extra electronics to run -- it just snowballs," says Darrell Gazloff, director of operations at Twilight Hot Tubs in Victoria.

"But the typical spa that sold for $15,000 15 years ago costs the same today." He says whirlpool spas start at $5,000 but the average selling price is generally between $8,000 and $10,000.

While she doesn't have the original bill for her first tub, Philips finds the cost comparable -- as long as one does not add more options to the tub.

"If you get all the bells and whistles -- the lights, the waterfall -- it can be costly," she says.

Sizes and shapes vary, from compact models that seat two intimately, to party tubs that can accommodate more than a dozen. By far the most popular model is a five- to six-person unit that holds about 1,500 litres of water. Still, the romantic image of a wooden barrel hot tub with water heated by a wood-burning stove endures, with several companies still selling a model in the familiar barrel shape, but with modern electronics and features.

Jetted hot tubs can be inexpensive to operate. Energy is used to power the pump that produces the jetted water, and also to heat the water. According to B.C. Hydro, a well-insulated spa with a tight-fitting rigid insulating cover will lose only two or three degrees a day. If the spa is well insulated, the cost of keeping the heater on when the spa is not in use is small.

To reduce growth of bacteria, it is advisable to run the pump at least twice a day for four to six hours. Water must be tested regularly, two or three times a week, to adjust disinfectant levels. Filters should be cleaned once a month.

While physiotherapists agree on the benefits of heat for sufferers of osteoarthritis, they stop short of recommending their patients go out to buy a hot tub or jetted whirlpool.

"Research shows heat can help dilate blood vessels [and thus] increase blood flow to affected areas," says Scott Simpson, a physiotherapist and former Canadian running champion.

"But one can get the same benefits -- at less cost -- from soaking in a hot bathtub." He says the jets found on most whirlpools might feel good, but there is no evidence, for or against, that they fix anything.

He cautions that any therapeutic benefit of introducing heat to an area to loosen up muscles does not apply after one sustains an injury, such as a sprain. In that case, the patient should put ice on the affected area to decrease swelling.

Desert Hot Springs spa tour will let you soak up history

Spa author Stanley Young writes: “To float in hot mineral water that has gushed out of the ground is to be in intimate contact with the earth itself.”

Understanding that the water in which you soak comes from deep within the earth's ancient geological strata, having gathered minerals along its lengthy journey to finally emerge from the surface of the earth, it is easy to understand why Native Americans considered hot mineral sources sacred.

By the mid-1800s, the world was extolling the virtues of “taking the waters” or soaking in natural mineral hot water springs as a way to vacation, relax, renew and address various health problems.

In the last half of the 19th century, California's hot springs became one of the main destinations of the social elite. Now, the hot, soothing mineral waters are available to all, from resort playgrounds to casual day outings.
Visit world-renowned spas close to home

Desert Hot Springs lives up to its name, hosting a plethora of mineral spring-blessed spas and an international following that seeks out its award-winning hot waters. In February, locals have the unique opportunity to visit around 20 of these spas on the Desert Hot Springs Spa Tour presented by the Desert Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce.

The event, starting at 5 p.m. Feb. 18, will begin at Cabot's Pueblo Museum. Park your car here and enjoy a cocktail reception while taking in a brief historical presentation of the discovery of the hot mineral springs by Cabot Yerxa, founding father of Desert Hot Springs. Following the reception, guests will board buses to various spas. At each spa, guests will enjoy tours of the grounds and refreshments.

Tickets are $10 in advance or $20 on the day of the event. All ticket holders have a chance to win one of a dozen prizes, including spa services and overnight stays.

The grand prize, valued at $1,300, is a weekend of renewal and relaxation at Two Bunch Palms.

Clovis adjusts massage therapist rules

Clovis massage therapists will be allowed to receive state certification instead of going through a city-organized testing program under an ordinance approved Monday night.

Providing the option is a formality — the state Legislature approved it for all massage therapists statewide last year — but in Clovis it has special meaning because of longstanding concerns about massage businesses.

For years, some in the community had complained about prostitution at such businesses, and two years ago Clovis adopted rules that required massage therapists to submit to written tests to ensure that they are reputable.

As the council voted Monday on the new state-certification option, Clovis officials emphasized that the city will not give up its right to oversee the businesses.

Clovis police Lt. Vince Leonardo said the city still can require massage therapists to obtain business licenses, and to comply with local health, safety and zoning codes.

Clovis has about 170 certified massage therapists, Leonardo said. No massage therapists spoke on the issue Monday night.

Under the rules adopted two years ago, therapists must complete a recognized massage-school course and show proof upon passing a written test.

The city worked with business owners on the 2007 rules for two years to ensure that new regulations would not be too stringent while allowing the city to weed out owners who may offer illegal services, such as prostitution.

Those rules were generated after Clovis police raided massage establishments in 2003 and 2004. Clovis police arrested six women on prostitution charges at three massage businesses.

Clovis massage therapists worked with the city to create a written test for new operators.

The ordinance approved Monday goes into effect in February.

The state certification still allows police to investigate allegations of illegal practices, Leonardo said.

Massage wasn't so relaxing for one Valley woman

A massage is supposed to cut down on stress, not create it, but for one Gilbert woman, things didn't go as planned and she called 3 On Your Side for help.

The following is the complete statement Massage Envy sent to 3 On Your Side:

Since our inception in 2003, Massage Envy has been dedicated to conducting business responsibly and with high integrity. We provide and promote clear policies and expectations for both our members and employees. To the best of our knowledge, the San Tan clinic did not operate outside of the membership agreement that was signed by Ms. Kinsella. She joined Massage Envy in June 2008 and did not supply us with any type of required documents for a medical cancellation until January 12th of this year. Medical cancellations are not unique to our business and, therefore, procedures are clearly stated in our agreements and business policies. We only require that the member work with us in a reasonable way for any special situation and had this document been supplied a year ago, the fees being requested for refund, would not be an issue. While it is highly unusual to receive a doctor’s note 18 months after the medical issue was diagnosed, after receiving medical documentation on January 12, 2010, the clinic is refunding Ms. Kinsella in full.

Massage parlour dad wins access to kids

THE Family Court has ruled that married men who regularly visit prostitutes -- or massage parlours that offer a "happy ending" -- are not necessarily bad parents and should not be refused access to their children.

The court made the ruling after a wife, known in court files as Mrs Digg, claimed her husband's "dark and seedy habit" of paying for what he called "sexual relief" and she described as "prostitution" should disqualify him as the primary carer of their three children, particularly their two daughters.

She said his use of such services suggested a poor attitude to women and a dishonest character.

The court heard the marriage suffered a "catastrophic blow" in 2007 when Mrs Digg discovered her husband had been visiting massage parlours for eight years.

Mr Digg admitted he "regularly had massages . . . the end result of which was sexual relief" but denied having intercourse. He said he kept the activities secret from his wife but she found out when she checked his phone bill and found numbers for sexual services.

Mrs Digg left the marriage after counselling failed, taking the children with her. They were ordered back to the marital home by the courts.

Mrs Digg, who has since found a new partner, said she took the children because she was seeking a "fresh start" in a town more than five hours away, where the father's "addiction to prostitutes" was not known.

But the father argued it was better for the children to stay in the town where they had lived all their lives, and the court agreed.

The massage that puts your muscles through their paces

I love beijing massage because, after a really good one, you leave feeling lighter, taller, brighter and - it's not an exaggeration to say - like a different person. However, enduring a bad massage is a most frustrating experience.

Most body treatments cost a great deal of money, and if you spend the hour you're meant to be letting go of all your stresses and strains feeling cross that your therapist is stroking you, rather than putting your muscles through their paces, it's a total waste of your time and money.

I had endured many frustrating massages until I met Mia Robbins, of Balance Bodyworks in London, who is something of a miracle worker.

I favour strong massages and if you do, too, pay this lady a visit.

Offering several different types of massage - remedial, sports, pre and post-natal work, trigger point and aromatherapy - she's sure to have something to hit the spot, whether you like a pummelling or something more gentle.

And as every massage is tailor-made for each patient, Mia can concentrate on whatever injury, ache or pain is plaguing you that day.

So if you're in need of something relaxing, try out her aromatherapy treatment which incorporates lymphatic drainage, acupressure and Swedish massage techniques.

Spa association working on guidelines for operators

The Spa Association Singapore (SAS) has come up with plans for more protection for stranded customers.

It said on Thursday it will act as a "discussion outlet" for any member spa facing financial difficulties.

And if need be, it will allow clients to complete their packages at other participating member spas, should a troubled spa member close down.

13-year-old St Gregory's Spa will now take over the space in Pan Pacific Hotel - previously occupied by Wellness Village, which shut down overnight.

St Gregory's said the spa association is also in discussions with CaseTrust on guidelines to ensure customer protection.

But it said consumers should also do their homework.

"Basically you need to do a background check to establish how long they have been in the market and look at the background, the management team - who is the person behind the spa. I think that should be sufficient," said Wee Wei Ling, COO of St Gregory's Spa, and executive committee member of Spa Association Singapore.

Massage parlour goes up in flames

Firefighters battled a blaze at a massage parlour in central Auckland this afternoon.

Staff were evacuated after the fire broke out on the second floor of the building in Fort Street, at 1.50pm.

A total of 10 fire crews fought to bring the blaze under control but nobody was injured and ambulance crews were not requested, northern fire communications shift manager Colin Underdown said.

He said the massage parlour was extensively damaged by fire and a ground floor internet cafe and restaurant suffered water damage.

The cause of the fire was still being investigated.

Graphite Design Announces The Champions Tour Player of The Year Plays

Graphite Design, maker of some of the most widely played premium shafts on the PGA TOUR, announced today that the Champions Tour Player of the Year/Jack Nicklaus Trophy recipient uses Graphite Design Purple Ice shafts in his driver and three wood.

“This is a very well deserved award for this Champions Tour Player,” said Mr. Tak Yamada, VP of Sales & Marketing, Graphite Design. “He was selected for the prestigious Player of the Year award by his fellow competitors on the Champions Tour. He’s had an outstanding year and we’re very pleased that he is using our shafts.”

Graphite Design’s Tour AD brand of shafts accounts for over 50% of all Graphite Design shafts used on professional Tours in the United States. The company's Tour AD logo is featured on all of Graphite Design's PGA Tour-proven shafts to specifically promote "Accuracy and Distance" and these key competitive advantages are helping professional and amateur golfers optimize their games after switching to Graphite Design shafts.

Graphite Design International manufactures the highest quality shafts in the world for Pure Distance and Perfect Accuracy. Graphite Design shafts can be seen in play by the best professional players on the PGA, Nationwide, Champions, Japan, European and LPGA tours. Graphite Design shafts reinforced its dominance on the Japan Tour, where it has claimed 163 consecutive graphite wood shaft brand counts -- an unprecedented streak which dates to 2003. On the PGA Tour, Graphite Design shafts have helped professionals earn 65 victories since 2004 and millions of dollars in prize money. A total of 18 US distributors and 14 international distributors supply Graphite Design shafts to over 1000 custom fitters around the world.

Fit to be tried: Shiatsu massage

ONE of the first problems Dolores Smith faced when she set up her shiatsu practice was the name.

Most of us have never heard of shiatsu. "Is it a dog parlour?" one Dubliner asked about her first advertisement.

"So to make things simple, now I just advertise it as massage therapy, because that's easier for people to understand," says Ms Smith, who has run her thriving home-based practice for more than 10 years.

So what is shiatsu? "Bless you," is what my Da quipped when I told him I was checking it out. Jokes aside, shiatsu is an ancient Japanese craft that was developed around 530 BC. Literally translated, it means finger pressure.

Shiatsu helps ease all manner of aches and pains, and targets particular problems such as insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome or back strain.

Traditionally, this hands-on therapy is done on a mat or on the floor, but Ms Smith has adjusted her methods to suit herself and her clients, and she uses a specially designed massage bed.

The session starts with a question-and-answer session to find out about clients' lifestyle, stress levels and diet.

The treatment is not abstract but targeted, she says. "I was drawn to shiatsu because it aims to fix particular problems -- more than standard massage, which gives a general sense of well-being but might not help with some complaints," says Ms Smith, who studied her craft for three years before qualifying.

Lying face down as instructed, I find it surprisingly relaxing as Ms Smith uses gentle but firm pressure with her thumbs and palms, pushing up and lifting off instead of the usual continual kneading of a standard massage. The feet aren't overlooked, with the same lifting and pressure applied from heel to toe.

The session takes an hour, and about half-way through the cerebral knots dissolve, along with the physical tension.

"Shiatsu works to relax the nervous system and promote self-healing, and it's very specific," says Dolores.

The session finishes with me on my back as the shiatsu treatment gently rotates my shoulder joints and then moves up to dissolve neck pain with deft, firm strokes.

In general it's a blissful experience, and Ms Smith says she targets acupressure points to help increase energy, blood-flow and improve digestion.

My shoulder pain is lessened after the session, but not gone and Ms Smith says it would take a few treatments to banish the problem.

Shiatsu is widely available in Japan and it's becoming more common in Ireland, but if you're looking for a good shiatsu therapist, check they are qualified and have experience.

Spa Treatments Cashing in on Swine Flu

At a time when people are cutting back on luxuries, spas have taken in Japan tour — but they’ve been able to hold on to business by tapping in on the season’s most contagious trend: swine-flu hysteria. To that end, spas have upped the ante, supplementing their usual services with therapies marketed with the promise of warding off winter diseases with a little homeopathic pampering.

Of course, facialists and masseuses are not doctors, and their care is preventative at best. To that end, treatments involve words like “detoxifying” and “immune boosting.” The high-end Townhouse Spa, for instance, is offering three different flu-fighters on its menu, with facials and massages starting at $165. The facials make use of bee propolis, thought to have antibacterial effects, and the massage employs gua shua, an Eastern herb used to strengthen the immune system. Or you can go for the herbal detox, where they’ll heat your body to create, as Townhouse owner Jamie Ahn explains it, a “fever-like condition” (before you even get sick!), which kick-starts the immune system. Elsewhere, Graceful Services is offering a 90-minute “Immune Booster” package, employing both acupuncture and lymphatic drainage ($100). Salon Ishi will massage your scalp with special Japanese water which, with a pH of 12.5, is said to kill bacteria ($85). Even Equinox is tapping into the germ-phobic zeitgeist: The fitness club’s 74th Street spa is offering a vitamin-infused facial and sinus-clearing steam.

The marketing tactic seems to be working. “Our immune treatments are outselling the standard massages and facials right now,” says Ahn. Meanwhile, over at Dorit Baxter, a flu-fighting massage ($118) has been on the menu for years — but only now is it gaining in popularity. “In the past, we would have one person a month come in for this,’” says manager Yaffa Rabe. “Now, there is such a fear of swine flu that we have a couple of people asking for this every day.”

No doubt homeopathic guru Dr. Andrew Weil would champion this stuff, but what good will it actually do?

According to Dr. Jeff Morrissey, a family practitioner with a 5th Avenue office, most of these therapies are actually beneficial. “There is no question that these treatments will protect against winter illnesses, even the flu and swine flu,” he says, citing in particular lymph drainage or treatments that employ natural substances known to have immune-boosting properties. “However I wouldn’t recommend them once a person has the flu.” Too little, too late, as it were.

So preparation, even if it errs on the indulgent side, is key. Pratima Day Spa knows that any one treatment probably won’t do you any good, however. That’s why they suggest you come in three days in a row for their ayurvedic sinus-clearing ($190 for three sessions). Better safe than sorry, after all.

Home spa offers salon luxury at low prices

A beauty therapist has opened a home spa offering treatments at a fraction of the cost charged by salons.

Kwan Saetang-Smith, who is also a masseuse, says there is no reason for spas to charge high prices for something that uses "only oils and physical touch".

The 37-year-old opened her Tai Home Spa five months ago and offers treatments from just $15 - making it one of, if not the, most reasonably priced salon in Bermuda.

Mrs. Saetang-Smith said: "Some of my clients have problems that mean it can be difficult for them to walk or get around because of the pain.

"They have so much pain that can be stopped easily with massage.

"But here it is so expensive and I don't know why - the equipment we use is not expensive.

"In Asia we don't charge very much and some people come three times a week for a massage."

And don't think for a second the low price means a lower quality treatment.

Mrs. Saetang-Smith has more than seven years experience working in spas in Bermuda and Thailand.

Her treatments are relaxing and physically healing.

I enjoyed a 60-minute spa pedicure complete with reflexology, so can attest to the quality of service.

Mrs. Saetang-Smith said: "One woman came in with back pain so bad she could not move her neck.

"It was the first time she had ever been for a massage. Every time I touched her she would flinch.

"After she calmed down she fell asleep for about five minutes and when she woke she couldn't stop crying.

"The pain was gone and we had released endorphins into her body. She was so happy."

Mrs. Saetang-Smith said client satisfaction is the most rewarding part of her work.

She added: "When my clients feel better, that is worth more than money."

Mrs. Saetang-Smith has built up an extensive client base by word of mouth.

Business is going so well she is considering building another room.

The one she uses as a spa is decorated with art, statues and tapestries from Thailand and China, which add to the ambience.

There is an adjoining bathroom where clients can wash off oils and creams.

Mrs. Saetang-Smith, a mother of two, enjoys working from home as she can dictate her own schedule and set aside "lots of family time".

Her most popular treatment is her luxury facial, which uses pulsating light to improve skin quality and mini vacuums to extract blackheads and pimples.

She said: "The facials use all organic products. They are 100 per cent natural.

"With many spas you have to ask specifically for all the different treatments, which all add to the price.

"But I don't see the point in doing a facial that is less than perfect so everything is included."

Other treatments include a Thai herbal ball compress body massage at $65 and a head, shoulders and back stress relief massage at $50.

A 60-minute luxury facial, head, hand and feet massage is $75, while traditional Thai massage is $65.

Ear candling is $50, massage therapy during and after pregnancy is $65, a manicure is $35, a pedicure $45, eyelash tinting is $15 and eyebrow tinting $20.

Mrs. Saetang-Smith said: "A lot of clients are very stressed so I teach meditation when giving a massage.

"In Thailand a lot of people meditate. It makes them calmer and they will have better memory."