A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water (and sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Day Spa, Spa towns or spa resorts (including hot springs resorts) typically offer various health treatments, which are also known as balneotherapy.
The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are especially widespread in Europe and Japan. Day spas are also quite popular and offer various personal care treatments.
The term is derived from the name of the town of Spa, Belgium, whose name is known back from Roman times, when the location was called Aquae Spadanae, sometimes incorrectly connected to the Latin word spargere meaning to scatter, sprinkle or moisten.
Since medieval times, illnesses caused by iron deficiency were treated by drinking chalybeate (iron-bearing) spring water (in 1326, the iron-master Collin le Loup claimed a cure, when the spring was called Espa, a Walloon word for "fountain".
In 16th-century England, the old Roman ideas of medicinal bathing were revived at towns like Bath (not the source of the word bath), and in 1596 William Slingsby who had been to the Belgian town (which he called Spaw) discovered a chalybeate spring in Yorkshire. He built an enclosed well at what became known as Harrogate, the first resort in England for drinking medicinal waters, then in 1596 Dr. Timothy Bright after discovering a second well called the resort The English Spaw, beginning the use of the word Spa as a generic description.
History
Spa therapies have existed since the classical times when taking bath with water was considered as a popular means to treat illnesses. The practice of traveling to hot or cold springs in hopes of affecting a cure of some ailment dates back to prehistoric times.
Many people around the world believed that bathing in a particular spring, well, or river resulted in physical and spiritual purification. Forms of ritual purification existed among the Native Americans, Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans.
Today, ritual purification through water can be found in the religious ceremonies of Jews, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, and Hindus. These ceremonies reflect the ancient belief in the healing and purifying properties of water. Complex bathing rituals were also practiced in ancient Egypt, in prehistoric cities of the Indus Valley, and in Aegean civilizations. Most often these ancient people did little building construction around the water, and what they did construct was very temporary in nature.
Types of treatments
Day spa, a form of beauty salon.
Destination spa, a resort for personal care treatments.
Spa town, a town visited for the supposed healing properties of the water.
Foot spa
Hot tub, in United States usage.
Spa (mineral water), from the sources in Spa.
Ganban'yoku, a hot stone Spas usually offer mud baths for general health, or to address a variety of medical conditions. This is also known as 'fangotherapy'. A variety of medicinal clays and peats is used
Day Spa
A day spa is a business that provides a variety of services for the purpose of improving health, beauty and relaxation through personal care treatments such as hair, massages and facials. A day spa is different from a beauty salon in that it contains facilities such as a sauna, pool, steam room, or whirlpool that guests may use in addition to their treatment.
A day spa is different from a destination spa as no overnight accommodation is provided. In contrast, a destination spa offers similar services integrated into packages which include diet, exercise programs, instruction on wellness, life coaching, yoga, Tai Chi and accommodations where participants reside for the duration of their stay. A resort-spa may also function as a day spa, if they allow access to patrons who are not guests of the hotel.
Treatments
Treatments that may be provided include body massage, hair, foot massage, facials, waxing, microdermabrasion, body treatments, manicures, pedicures, aromatherapy, moxibustion, ear candling, and gua sha (scraping).