Weekly Column: Skin Sense
In last week’s column, we began a discussion about Salt Therapy for Skin. To answer your questions, let’s examine this further.
Modern salt rooms originated from 12th and 13th century salt mines/caves of which the oldest and possibly most famous were retired from mining in recent years. The first documented Salt Mine Heath Resort is located in Wieliczka, Poland, at the Wieliczka Salt Mine (Polish: Kopalnia soli Wieliczka). It has operated as a health resort since 1958 and its extension is Bochnia Salt Mine Health Resort (Polish: Kopalnia soli Bochnia) of Bochnia, Poland. Today the mines are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) and are prominent tourist attractions.
Wieliczka and Bochnia maintain finite micro-climates, with constant temperatures of 14°C – 16 °C (57.2°F – 60.8 °F) and a relative humidity that ranges in the 70%. Air in the chamber is distinguished by its purity and for modern salt rooms, to model a salt cave’s micro-climate is a key challenge to sustain effective integrative respiratory and skin therapies for clients.
In modern salt rooms, a dry salt aerosol is released into the air through halo-generator equipment. This provides a mild skin exfoliation which is beneficial for skin cleansing, some skin allergies, acne, eczema, psoriasis, and other skin conditions. The salt room environment releases negative ions that also promote a relaxing environment to the extent that clients may sleep during sessions. There are larger bodies of research that document the effects of salt therapy on a host of respiratory conditions.
More scholarly research with controlled studies are needed to further validate the effects of salt therapy on human subjects. Salt therapy is not a substitute for medical treatment, diagnosis, or cure of any condition.
Angela Strother, PhD is co-owner of Jon’Ric International Massage & Wellness Spa in Matthews, offering authentic salt rooms, massage, facials, threading, Henna body art, and body treatments. She is certified in aesthetics and oncology skin care. You can reach the Jon’Ric team at 704-708-4165 or email at fprojection@aol.com. At Jon’Ric Matthews, come join us for a cup of tea and a chat about your skin!
