Can acupuncture help you conceive? For months the rumors seemed to spread like wildfire, was she or wasn’t she? She must be pregnant because she has a glow and gained a few pounds, and no she can’t be because she was just spotted drinking champagne at that award show in LA. Last week Mariah Carey put the rumors to bed once and for all by confirming what was super obvious – after years of trying she was finally pregnant. Mariah Carey and her husband Nick Cannon sat down with Access Hollywood to explain their long journey which involved painful moments like a miscarriage suffered two years ago, and how a chat with fellow powerhouse singer Celine Dion (who just had a set of twins) introduced her to the treatment she credits for helping her conceive. Bringing a child into the world is the most precious gift Mother Nature bestowed upon womankind, but for some it doesn’t come easy. In the video below, Mariah explains how acupuncture became apart of her calming daily routine. Mariah says that acupuncture helped her reduce her stress level which was so crucial in getting her pregnant.

Massages, facials, body scrubs… you can’t get enough! And that’s great. But did you know you’re barely scraping the spa surface? New technology, reinvented techniques and pop culture all shape the way we spa today. Here, Spa Week officially announces the definitive list of the latest in emerging spa treatment trends, from holistic to glamorous.

Treat yourself to a wellness and beauty adventure this Spa Week®, $50 spa treatments September 13-19 for the West Coast and Chicago, October 11-17 for the rest of the country. The Fall spa directory launches August 16 for the West Coast, September 13 for the rest of the country, when you’ll be able to see which spas are offering which services. Try one, try all— Spa Week is the time to indulge and experiment. All these treatments will be available for just $50!

1)      Fighting Allergies

Sinus massages, breathe-easy facials and cold & flu bath salts are just a few of the spa services you’ll be seeing this upcoming Spa Week, just in time to soothe your seasonal allergies. Treat your immune system and clear your sinuses in the spa with new treatments using Eucaplyptus, humidifiers and Lymph drainage movements , to name just few of the techniques being used to assist in allergy relief.

2)      Bikini Glamour

Vajazzling made its sparkly splash last Spa Week, when bedazzling your bikini became the hot new standard in girly glamour. Other treatments are quickly emerging in its footsteps to pamper your private parts: Bikini/Bum Facials are being offered to give the same attention down there as a esthetician would to your face: toner, extractions and masks included. Also, post-Brazilian waxing rituals such as Airbrush painting and Vattooing are now the latest in vaginal adornment.

3)      Sleeping and Dreaming

Insomniac? A good night’s slumber with proper REM cycles can be just as rejuvenating as a spa treatment, so one of the hottest trends emerging in the industry is a dream-worthy mix of the two to promote better sleeping patterns. Scents such as Rosewood, Palmarosa and Vanilla are used to guide you off to never-never land while massage techniques make for a complete relaxation experience.

4)      Lash Extensions

Eyelash length, thickness, volume and darkness have gone way up on the beauty priority lists of women now more than ever. While new drugstore and professional lash volumizers continue to crowd the lash-enhancing market, the Fall Spa Week event is poised to give women more professional lash-extending options than ever before.

5)      Instant Inch Loss

Remember that magical, completely safe instant weight-loss pill you always dreamed of? We’re not saying it’s been invented (sorry), but the spa is becoming a go-to place to get instant, (almost) magic-like results in addition to providing long term benefits. Colon Hydrotherapy is becoming more popular as a quick, easy cleanse, and hot new med-spa services like the 7E Treatment and Ionithermie give immediate results by targeting muscles with waveform technology.

6)      Reiki and Energy Work

Turn your trip to the spa into a journey for the soul. Reiki, energy work and holistic healing deliver health benefits ranging from injury recovery to spiritual growth. By engaging the flow of your “life force energy,” practitioners are turning spa-goers into active believers. Look for treatments with an energy component this coming Spa Week, and may the force be with you.

7)      Acupuncture

This ancient holistic healing technique is no newbie to the spa scene, but the granddaddy of healing is suddenly making a resurgence. The World Health Organization advocates the use of acupuncture to treat over 40 conditions, from anxiety and other stress syndromes to musculoskeletal pain and injury, and the Fall Spa Week event will encourage more spa-goers to forget their fears of needles and reap the benefits of this treatment—for their face, body and both.

8)      Botox on-the-go

Pick up dry cleaning, get Botox, grab lunch… what? Yes, the age-defying treatment has become so mainstream that spas are now offering it hassle-free, and even appointment-free. Add the $50 Spa Week price tag, and suddenly “to-tox-or-not-to tox?” is one of the easiest decisions to make.

9)      Hot AND Cold Stone Massages

Spa Week’s favorite sweetheart treatment has always been the Hot Stone Massage, but the newest twist is cooler than past seasons. Instead of using all hot stones, this treatment includes the application of cold stones as well, adding multi-dimensional stimulation. Alternating the hot and cool stones helps every cell in the body receive more oxygen and nutrients and encourages a more effective removal of toxins.

10)   Champissage

Also known as Indian head massage, Champissage has been practiced for more than 1000 years in India and has now been interpreted as a custom ritual at many spas. Traditionally, it began as a system of family grooming, with mothers massaging their daughters’ hair with oils to encourage long, lustrous locks. Over time, it began to incorporate massage of the face neck and shoulders, specifically yours this upcoming Spa Week.

11)   Everything Seaweed

You’d like to be… under the sea? Why? Just go to the spa. Seawater and seaweed have similar mineral contents with approximately the same percentage as the human body. Because of this, seaweed wraps help detoxify the body, eliminate excess fluids, increase blood circulation and regulate hormonal levels. More treatments than ever are incorporating Seaweed this Spa Week. Go for a dive.

12)   Simply… Oxygen

Human beings’ star life-sustaining molecule is getting more and more play inside the spa. One of the new treatments is Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Therapy, which dissolves oxygen in the blood plasma and all body cells, tissues and fluids at up to 10 times normal concentration—high enough to sustain life with no blood at all. Oxygenating facials are also increasing in popularity, as oxygen continues to secure its reputation as the #1 skincare essential.

Experiment with these treatments and experience the true spa lifestyle for just $50 a piece during Spa Week. Make sure you’re signed up!

Needles. Many are petrified of them, drawing up visions of their childhood pediatrician charging at them with big scary flu shot or crackheads on the sidewalk.

Yet many think about needles and a sense of calm settles in their soul. After my first acupuncture session last week at NY’s Giving Nature Center, my thoughts stand firmly with the latter. Beyond my perception of needles, I’ve become a believer in this ancient healing tradition and look forward to sharing this experience, and all its benefits, with you.

Acupuncture is a form of natural healing that’s been around for over 2,500 years. The World Health Organization advocates the use of acupuncture to treat over 40 conditions, from anxiety and other stress syndromes to musculoskeletal pain and injury. Treatment with acupuncture involves the insertion of hair-like needles into specific points along pathways of energy flow known as “meridians.” The stimulation of these selected treatment points reestablishes balance in the body to restore function and relieve discomfort and pain.

I walked into my acupuncture session with a headache and slight lower back discomfort, and left feeling neither. Did the needles hurt? Not at all. Some I couldn’t even feel, others I noticed a bit of pulsating pressure surrounding the needle. I’m sure they were only doing their job.

Today at 12 noon EDT I had an acupuncture Facial at Asia Tui-Na Holistic Health and Traditional Chinese Medical Center in New York City. Our apologies that we were unable to do the live-stream as planned due to firewall restrictions. However we were able to film it with actual video, so we’ll have that up as soon as we can edit. Thanks for your understanding, and sorry again! We owe you a live acupuncture session.

ACUPUNCTURE FACIAL RECAP:

First of all, contrary to popular belief it was completely ouchless. Inserting the needles is a very quick and easy process. Just a slight tap and it’s in. There’s nothing in them–no liquids or medications–the needle alone does the trick.

My acupuncturist Dr. Yun Li explained a lot about Yin and Yang, which can be summarized in short: Acupuncture helps balance and move you from yang (weakness and imbalance) to yin (normal). After checking my pulse (weak) and tongue (puffy and pale, which also indicates weakness) it was confirmed that balance was needed. I’m sure it looked something like this:

After a few more needles in my legs and feet, I laid there resting for 30 minutes in silence. Dr. Li finally came back, removed the needles as nonchalantly as one would remove a needle from a tomato shaped pin cushion.

I showed the owner of the spa this photo afterwards and she said: “You shouldn’t be smiling! You should be relaxing.” Oops. Regardless, my face felt immediately firmer afterwards… and looked it too. After a brief loopy moment sitting up, my face and body now feel a new burst of circulation. To think those meticulously placed hair-like needles could have the same firming and wrinkle-reducing effects as your normal facial is amazing.

The “holes” have “closed,” but a cool energy is still present where the needles were placed earlier. Pin me up again soon–I’m a believer! Read more about Asia Tui-Na and their very well-priced acupuncture packages HERE.

Also, check out our deals page for acupuncture deals from Green Tea spa in NYC this July.

Photo courtesy of Style Bakery

Celebrity Suspect: Lindsay Lohan

Case: Unless you don’t have access to a radio, TV or the internet, or been spending most of your days under a rock, you’ve probably heard that Lindsay Lohan’s hard partying ways have finally caught up with her. For real this time. In court, she plead with Judge Marsha Revel to overlook her 9 missed alcohol counseling sessions and careless probation violations. After a very dramatic bucket full of tears she was still sentenced to 90 days in jail and 90 days in a drug and alcohol rehab facility.

Spa Treatment Sentence:
Judge Revel did a good thing. Lindsay needs to slow down and to put her life back on track. Before she goes off to big house we think Lindsay could use a little zen and balance. We’re sentencing Lindsay to an Acupuncture Session at Green Tea 38 Spa. (Check our Spa Deals and get your own session for just $60 this month, minus the jail sentence.)

Image Courtesy of RTE Ten

If you’re looking for a good basic video Q&A on acupuncture, watch the video below.

If you’re looking for an incredibly insightful blog post about the history, meaning and bountiful benefits of acupuncture, alongside a detailed personal account of the treatment and why one of our SPA MADNESS bloggers is now hooked on the ancient Chinese healing ritual… you must read Afrobella‘s recap: “Experiencing Acupuncture.”

We sent Patrice from Afrobella to the prestigious Ruby Room in Chicago to try out the acupuncture they are offering during Spring 2010 Spa Week, and we were thrilled to be the catalyst to her newfound mindset of spiritual spa-going.

If you’re inspired by Afrobella and would like to try getting pinned up like pin cushion to bring balance to your body and soul, what better time to try than Spa Week? Browse all the spas across North America offering acupuncture for just $50 April 12-18 on our Spa Directory, and start booking your appointments TODAY!