Introduction:
Thalassotherapy comes from the Greek word “thalassa” meaning “sea”. It refers to a variety of treatments that use saltwater and seaweed, each designed to cleanse, soothe and revitalize the skin and body, and, in some cases, to improve circulation and muscle tone. Other marine and ocean derivatives feature in thalassotherapy, too, including algae, mud and sand. All are cleaned and purified before use.
Thalassotherapy comes in various forms, and encompasses hydrotherapy, such as mineral-rich showers, seawater pools, and hydro massage, and algotherapy, such as seaweed, algae or mud baths and wraps.
What is thalassotherapy good for?
Different forms of thalassotherapy have different effects, helping you:
- relax
- tone your muscles
- cleanse your skin
- ease aches and pains
- boost your immune system
- improve sleep quality
- detox and support weight loss
Thalassotherapy is also thought to help people with:
- circulatory problems, such as hypertension and arteriosclerosis
- respiratory conditions, such as asthma and bronchitis)
- post-traumatic disorders such as muscle atrophy
- Chronic inflammations, such as rheumatic arthritis.
Different types of thalassotherapy
A Thalasso wrap, expect to be swathed in real seaweed or marine mud. You will probably be wrapped up from your toes to your chest, and your therapist will cover you with a thermal blanket to keep you warm.
A thalassotherapy bath will involve a long soak in a tub filled with a warm, therapeutic solution. Your bath may be filled just with seawater, or with water and seaweed, algae, or mud, and essential oils may be added to the water for a relaxing aroma.
Swimming in a seawater pool is gentle on your skin and hair as salt softens hard water, and little chlorine is needed to keep the pool hygienic. High-pressure jets of water can also be used as “hydro-massage” above or below the water line of the pool, massaging your body while you relax in the warmth of the water.
Seawater, or water enhanced with marine minerals, is sometimes used to supply therapeutic showers. These may be experience showers in a thermal suite, where various pressures and temperatures are used to recreate weather such as “sea mist” or “tropical rain”, or Vichy showers, which are horizontal showers used in treatment rooms to shower off a scrub or body mask, without you having to get off your treatment table.
Curative benefits
- Stimulates circulation
- Improves the oxygen supply to cells
- Stimulates the lymphatic system
- Promotes the immune system
- Improves the muscular system and firms the connective tissues
- Detoxifies
- Purifies
- Regulates the body’s acid-base balance
- Antibacterial and reduces inflammation
- Helps to overcome stomach and intestinal issues
Conclusion:
In Thalasso treatments, the entire marine environment is put to use towards the well-being of the whole body. In particular, the sea air which is also rich in trace elements and helps dilate the blood vessels and accelerates exchanges between the human body and the environment. As in contact with water, the body relaxes and recharges itself with energy. After a thalassotherapy spa, you’ll probably feel refreshed and relaxed. However you feel, treat yourself to a long, rejuvenating shower in fresh water and take some time out to enjoy the oceanic serenity.