Health Benefits of Pedicures

The average human takes between 8,000 and 10,000 steps every day, and this can add up to over 100,000 miles in the course of a lifetime. However, walking means significant wear on your feet, and many people are in search a for solution. Pedicures might be the right answer you are looking for.

At A Xena OrganicSkincare and Spa, we’ve got you covered. Our pedicure services are perfect for basic foot care- from simple cleaning/nail care to relieving tension with foot and calf massages. There are several specific health benefits that are directly attributed to pedicures. Let’s look at some of these and learn how our Spa can bring them to you.

Early Detection

One of the primary benefits of a pedicure is that it allows many people to detect ailments. Common concerns that can be picked up during a pedicure include corns, bunions and fungal infections, all of which are much easier to treat when they’re found during early stages.

Lowered Infection Risk

Various foot care — clipping, cutting and properly cleaning nails — will prevent infections. At home, or at an inadequate beauty spa, you may not have your nails cut properly. At Xena , we make sure we cut your nails correctly so they don’t have a chance of growing inward. Moreover, by removing dirt and bacteria from the feet during a pedicure, we will also be preventing nail disorders, fungi and foot odors.

Circulation Promotion

For most people, the massage feels like the cherry on top of a pedicure sundae. But not only does it feel amazing, there are health benefits attached to it too! Actually, this helps promote circulation and relieve tension not only in the feet but also in the calves, which at the same time can reduce pain and help with heat distribution. No more cold feet when you get under the covers at night!

Muscle Knots - How to make them go away

Flowers are in bloom and the weather is warming up. There’s a new energy of life and vitality in the air. You might be doing a deep spring clean or preparing your veggie garden beds. Maybe the nicer days have you outside running or riding your bike along the Willamette River. Whatever it is that you are doing, I’m sure you’re starting to feel some muscle tension and may even be feeling pain from muscle knots. You might be asking yourself, as many clients have, “Why do I get these stubborn knots and will they ever go away?” 

Q:“WHAT ARE MUSCLE KNOTS?”

A:“Knots” aren’t actually knots at all, but are areas where muscle fibers contract together and limit blood flow. This can cause stiffness, immobility, and pain. Several contracted muscle fibers in the same area create a “knot.” Because these fibers are already contracted, their strength and range of motion is greatly reduced. This cycle of pain and dysfunction can cause muscles to become weakened and more irritated. This, then, can refer to other muscle groups making them contract. When a muscle is knotted it restricts blood flow. Oxygen and nutrients have a harder time finding their way deep into the muscle, and it’s harder to process the elimination of waste. Ever felt a crunch when massaging a knot? That crunchy feeling can be scar tissue, metabolic waste buildup, or fascial adhesions in your muscle.

Muscle knots can be present in both superficial muscles, like the trapezius, and deeper ones like the rhomboids, which reside under the trapezius. Typically muscles knot and seize due to repetitive motion, posture, or stress. Do you notice upper back pain in the trapezius and rhomboids? It could be due to repetitive actions like working at a computer all day, looking down at your phone, or diving deep into a novel you can’t put down. However, there can also be emotional causes; depression, grief and heartbreak will typically round the shoulders forward to protect the heart. 

Q: “ARE MUSCLE KNOTS PREVENTABLE?” 

Get that glow this 2024

Of course I enjoy putting on a bit of makeup and getting my glam on as much as the next person, but getting that radiance without using make-up can often feel just as good—especially in the summer when extra makeup can tend to melt away in high temperatures. After all, nothing says summer like that glowing, dewy skin where we truly light up from the inside without anything extra—just us, looking fresh-faced and beautiful. The warmer months can be a wonderful time to cut back on make-up, add more sunscreen, and let our natural sun-kissed goodness shine. 

Here are a few simple tips to put your best face forward

Exfoliate! Chemical exfoliation can be as gentle as some citrus juice and honey, apple cider vinegar, or something a bit more active like a lactic acid peel. If getting to your skin goals needs a little more heavy lifting, you can talk to your local spa or esthetician and inquire about your options for professional treatments—they are all very different and there’s something for all skin types and goals. Regardless of the route you go, you will free your shine when you can exfoliate in an effective and safe way. Chemical peels, intense or mild, can improve skin texture, skin tone, and help you absorb your products more effectively without a barrier of dead skin blocking all the goodies from getting in. Starting from the ground up, exfoliation ensures the best possible starting point for your pared back summer look.

Everything you’ve wanted to know about Microdermabrasion

 

Nothing is quite as refreshing and relaxing as receiving a professional facial. Facial services can be hugely beneficial for achieving your long-term skin care goals. Whether you are concerned with acne, fine lines, wrinkles, dry or sensitive skin, facial treatments can be a great tool for ongoing care (not to mention they feel amazing!). But sometimes, it feels like a facial doesn’t quite get the job done. If it has been a really long time since your last facial, or you are dealing with more than just the occasional blemish, you might want to try an alternative facial treatment, like microdermabrasion. Let’s take a look at what microdermabrasion is, how it works, and what it can do to help you achieve your skin goals. 

Microdermabrasion, or “microderm” for short, is a physical tool used to sand away the outermost layers of skin. It works by physically exfoliating the dead skin cells of the face and removing them with light suction. Older generations of microdermabrasion machines sprayed tiny abrasive crystals over the surface of your skin, then sucked them back up at the same time with vacuum suction. Most newer models, like the one we use in our microderm services at the Pearl Day Spa, use a diamond-tipped wand that creates dermabrasion via vacuum pressure pulling the skin against an abrasive tip.

No apologies for loving myself!

      

But I always help out extra at work/home! Why don’t I get as much from from others as I give to them?!” Perhaps on this occasion the answer lies not on the outside, but within. At first glance, I know some you might already be feeling irritated by this suggestion. You’re thinking: Surely if people would just do what I wanted/expected, I would feel more satisfied and loved. I would argue that you might still be sitting there, arms crossed, feeling disappointed, even if that were the case. The simple, yet hard to accept, thing is that much of the love we often seek from others is also accessible inside of us, and basing our satisfaction on the action (or inaction) of others is a recipe to be perpetually disappointed. At this point you might be rolling your eyes thinking this sounds too crunchy for your tastes. But I assure you, there is truth in them there hills. It might not always be an easy task, and I still believe the love you have toward yourself can make up a large portion of the love you experience in the world.  

I am not suggesting that we don’t need others. There is a LOT of research and science to back up the fact that we need the support of others. We are animals, after all, and we are built for community, story, and interaction. Nor am I proposing existing in a boundary-less world where you are accepting of bad behavior from others. What I AM proposing is investing just a little bit of time in yourself. Get to know *you*. What do you like? What brings you joy? What helps you feel loved, seen, and appreciated? How do you communicate that information to those around you to ensure a healthy give and take in life’s relationships? By answering some of these questions, you can curate a list of Self-Love activities that let you love yourself and feel more satisfied with the world around.