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!

In a society based on instant gratification—5 minute teeth whiteners, news the second it breaks—nobody wants to wait until next week for anything anymore.

Naturally, one of the hottest growing spa treatment trends is instant inch loss. Last week I visited the Tribeca Spa of Tranquility in NYC for a treatment called Ionithermie, which vows to shed inches instantly, flush water weight, detox, smooth cellulite and tone your muscles all at once. When someone says you can lose up to 8 inches in one hour, you listen up.

First, a word on the spa: It’s a charming, welcoming, nicely equipped spa on a quiet street, staying true to its name. It’s one of those spas where you want hug the owner. Gary is his name, so you know.

Ionithermie is a complicated process as far as spa treatments go. First, my therapist Suzanne took measurements, marking me up with Sharpie dots, then laid me down, brushed my body with with a brush, and slathered me with Formula A+B as a base coat to improve circulation. She then applied Afina (for slimming) and Aferligine (for firming) to my body, and let it seep in while she whisked a bowl fresh clay made with algae and water. The clay was applied to a few layers of gauze that were soon wrapped around my tummy, back and thighs, but not before the electric currents were installed.

The Electrodes are installed and painted with clay before wrapping around body

Suzanne's power trip... AKA the device she used to adjust current levels during my treatment

Then came the fun part: SHOCKWAVES. I was really not expecting this. After being been glossed with the Electrodes’ version of kerosene, Suzanne pinged my abdomen with the best ab workout I’d had in weeks. It tingled like pins and needles as Galvonic currents opened my cells to allow the products to enter and fluid to exit (the detox). There was no pain, but it did take a few minutes to get used to the bizarre sensation. Then, she switched to Fradic currents to stimulate muscles, which made me question whether or not I was actually doing sit-ups at the moment.

In fact, Suzanne said many of her clients are New Yorkers who are too busy to work out. Some may call it cheating. I say it’s genius.

The results: I lost 2.3 inches total, with measurements taken in 4 different spots around my midsection. I felt an instant firmness in the texture of my skin and the muscles beneath, and felt like an ever-so-slightly slimmer me.

The recommended treatment protocol is to go 3 times in the first week, and 10 within the month to sustain the results for up to a year. For $140-$200 a treatment (or $50 during Spa Week), this may be a worthwhile investment for the body you’ve never quite been able to attain.

Here’s an Ionithermie video at Tribeca Spa of Tranquility, done by Spa Week’s Social Media gal who came before me:

Tribeca Spa of Tranquility
462 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10013
212.226.4141