10 Benefits of Anti-Cellulite Body Wraps to Lose Weight
4 min readBody wraps are all the rage these days. You might have even seen billboards of TV commercials touting the miraculous slimming benefits of these treatments. Women arrive at the spa in the morning and leave an hour later, suddenly three dress sizes smaller and completely free of cellulite!
What is a body wrap?
A body wrap – also known as a ‘body cocoon’ or ‘body mask’ – is a non-surgical treatment done at a spa or DIY home treatment created to enhance the health and appearance of skin, and/pr reduce body measurements. A nourishing oil or mineral-rich formula is applied to the spa guest’s limbs and torso before they are wrapped in cotton, maylar bandages or plastic film. This promotes the extraction of dirt, toxins and excess water from the skin.
While most wraps are performed on the entire body (minus the face and genital area), some such as cellulite and bust wraps- are applied to certain areas alone.
For a garden-variety body wrap, you lie on a massage table and get rubbed own with an exfoliating scrub, in t whatever variety you picked from the menu (most spas offer a few options). After you rinse off in the shower, the therapist applies the wrap ingredients (maybe seaweed, mud, clay or an herbal or fruit product) to your body, covering it with a layer of plastic wrap. When you’re all wrapped up, you might be further covered with sheets, towels and thermal blankets. And then you’ll be left alone to relax and sweat for about 30-minutes to one hour.
So, those are the facts-but the unwrapping point is where fantasy (and advertisements) start to separate from reality. The spas want you to believe that you’ll be emerging from your wrap as if from a cocoon-a completely relaxed, moisturized, detoxified, cellulite-free and noticeably slimmer butterfly. But, if you’re familiar with the phrase ‘too good to be true’ – a we think you are—you probably won’t be surprised to learn that the results probably won’t be so dramatic. Experts warn especially not to expect medical results for conditions like arthritis.
As long as you’re not expecting to permanently lost 10 pounds and 3 inches off your waist, there are some benefits to body wraps. No one will argue that it feels pretty cozy to be wrapped up and left to relax in a dimly lit room for a half-hour or so. Your skin will most likely feel soft and supple after being slathered in moisturizers. And you could lose some water weight and see improvement in your cellulite-but just be prepared for the results to diminish after a couple of days.
So, without further ado, here are five benefits of body wraps. Just be sure to take any spa claims with a grain of (sea) salt.
What Health and Beauty Benefits Does a Body Wrap Treatment Provide?
The pampering experience of a body wrap can provide multiple benefits, depending on the type chosen:
• Detoxification: Body wraps featuring detoxifying algae; seaweed, mud or clay can help rid the body of toxins through metabolic skin cell stimulation. As your largest organ, detoxification of the epidermis can have a significant effect on your health and overall well being.
• Temporary inch and/or weight loss: Wraps with detoxifying ingredients teamed with firmly wound bandages will see you seat out any excess water and toxins, and also tightening your skin. This can temporaratily improve the contours of your body and see you lose a dress size or two.
• Dead skin removal: Wrap treatments comprising an exfoliation stage will see dead skin cells lifted, providing you a smoother complexion top-to-toe and a flattering glow. You can choose to enjoy a body polish before your wrap if exfoliation is not include as part of your treatment.
• Intensive miniaturization: The vast majority of wraps comprise of moisturizing ingredients to hydrate, nourish and smooth your skin for improved condition.
• Relaxation: Once you’re fully wrapped by your esthetician, you’ll be left to relax for up to 30 minutes. This will provide you with valuable -and real-mental physical downtime.
• Removes dead skin and moisturizes: Dead skin is something no one wants lingering around, it makes your skin look dull and stops your body from absorbing moisture. While you sweat during a most types of body wraps, not only are the toxins removed from the body, but the dead skin is loosened as well.
• Improves skin elasticity and regeneration: Over time, your skin loses the ability to stretch and return to normal – This leads to stretch marks and wrinkles, but depending on the type of body wrap, many anti-cellulite wraps contain antioxidants, essential fatty acids and vitamin A, all of which can help to rebuild the elasticity of the skin. It also makes your skin more supple by increasing blood flow to the surface, regenerates damaged skin cells, produces collagen to firm and tone the skin and reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
• Reduces cellulite and helps tone the skin: body wraps can help aid the shaping of skin so it’s smoother and tighter by direct diffusion of vitamins and minerals. Additionally, if cellulite is a problem, a seaweed wrap may help to reduce the undesirable marks left on the skin.
• Increased metabolism – During the wrapping time, increased perspiration (which can be energy intensive) and circulation, a sign that the metabolism has increased, resulting in the loss of inches, excess water from fat cells and the release of excess toxins.
• Anti-Aging – Soft, hydrated, detoxified skin is the result of an anti-cellulite body wrap. Skin free of toxins, reveals skin to be smoother, tighter, more radiant youthful skin.
