Spa and Hotel news from SpaCast.com. Part of Spa Index Media Network.

Time Out #NYC talks Boyzilians, Breacials, Lower Hair Color and more

Adrienne Rayski tests wacky regimens that leaves her wondering what "R&R" stands for.

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How health farms became spas, and we got a bit soft #UK #Grayshott

Elaine Williams, director of natural therapeutics at Grayshott Spa in Hampshire, says: “Things were much more spartan in the old days. When you went to a health farm, it was serious. You’d have nothing but hot lemon water for three days, then some carrot juice and broth on the fourth day and if you stayed a week, some salad.”

Instead of state-of-the-art gyms, there were wooden planks for press ups, and treatments were water-based and painful, involving something called a Scottish douche, where sharp jets of hot and cold water battered your back, and a “sitz bath”, where you sat with your feet in cold water and your hips in hot water, then reversed them after three minutes. Enemas, saunas and cold plunges were also popular, and the massages were “agony”, according to Williams.

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Phillipine Spa Association asks for a halt to "prostate massage"

Cebu, Phillipines

Spa and massage-parlor operators in Cebu are asking the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the city government’s anti-indecency council to inspect and, if possible, put a stop to the operations of several establishments offering “prostate massage.”

The private-public Cebu Health and Wellness Council (CHWC), composed of government and private stakeholders in the spa, wellness, travel and medical groups, also planned to make a statement against prostate massage and, specifically, against the chain of massage parlors under the “Lingam” name.

The disputed shops offer a supposed Malaysian type Lingam massage, which when translated in Sanksrit means “wand of light.” Lingam massage claims to relieve stress among its male clients

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Operators of a spa who claim to be the first one to offer authentic lingam massage in Cebu said the massage is not indecent.   Honey Yoo and Bella Bilocura, owners of Authentic Lingam Massage, said the exotic massage has the same purpose as other kinds of massage: to soothe and relax the client.    This massage technique involves stroking the male sexual organ. “Lingam ” is a Sanskrit word for the male organ.

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Florida Woman Brain Dead following Med Spa Visit

Rohie Kah, a 37-year-old mother of three, visited the Weston MedSpa in Weston, Fla., Sept. 25 for a procedure to remove cellulite and stretch marks, ABC news reports. But things somehow went horribly wrong.

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Hotels, Spas Enjoy Big Savings from Green Projects

By implementing energy- and water-saving initiatives, hotels and spas are illustrating how businesses across all industries can reduce their operational costs while cutting their environmental footprint. As an example, the Embassy Suites Lake Tahoe Hotel & Ski Resort has spent $250,000 less than it had expected to spend on energy so far this year after rolling out a series of energy-saving improvements that cost about $200,000, reports Green Lodging News.

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Make it a Mammogram and Spa Day in Michigan

St. Joseph Mercy Hospital and its Mercy Women’s Health Center is pleased to host a special day just for women 35 years of age and older. Local women are invited to have their baseline mammogram completed at the Mercy Women’s Health Center. Prepare to be pampered! In addition to obtaining the mammogram via the most advanced digital mammography system in Port Huron, participants also will be treated to complimentary teas and coffees, paraffin hand wax treatments, and free bone density testing. No appointments are necessary and mammograms will be read immediately on site.

Baseline Mammogram Spa Day will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, August 6, at Mercy Women’s Health Center, located at 2601 Electric Avenue, in Port Huron, Michigan

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Justice Dept Tips on HIV+ Licensees

The Justice Department today released a new technical assistance fact sheet on legal requirements relating to admitting individuals with HIV or AIDS to occupational training schools and granting state licensure in occupations such as barbering, massage therapy and home health care assistance.

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New Quality Assurance Program by Leading Spas of Canada

Leading Spas of Canada has just launched a new Quality Assurance Program created to provide consistent safety and hygiene standards for the spa industry, thereby offering reassurance and uncompromising quality for spa guests. The new Quality Assurance program will now include on-site assessments by third-party evaluators to ensure all requirements are met or exceeded.

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British spa and skincare brand claims to be able to rejuvenate skin in a jiffy

If you think a 30-minute facial sounds suspicious, join the club. Such skin pampering sessions are meant to treat your skin to a number of rejuvenating treatments, as well as allow you a blissful hour or so of doing absolutely nothing. So can one that takes half the time be effective?  British skincare brand Elemis certainly thinks so. In fact, it claims that it offers all the crucial bits minus the fuss so that clients can nip in for a quick fix and then get on with their busy lives.

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Are DIY facials bad for you?

With the recent burst of sunshine, we're all starting to think about spring-cleaning everything from our homes to our skin. And, with less disposable income around, when it comes to the latter, we're more likely to be relying on DIY versions rather than paying a professional - especially as many high-tech treatments once exclusive to spas and salons are now available in home kit formats.

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