“It focuses on the injury, whether it be the hamstrings, calves, or back,” she says. (For a specific sports or deep-tissue Massage Fusion session, she suggests massage therapists Ramon and Sara S.) Sanders, the spa director at Wellbridge Athletic Club & Spa, recommends Wellbridge’s 35-minute focused massage ($45). Boyd at ara suggests the 50- or 80-minute Massage Fusion ($95 to $135), a customizable session. If your ailments are simply strained muscles and achy joints, though, many spas suggest sports and deep-tissue massages. “A lot of our guests come in from Siteman Cancer Center, and we always make sure we understand based on their needs, what they can or cannot do,” says Kathleen Fuller, the Four Seasons’ spa director. If you’re recovering from a terrible illness or serious surgery, don’t go to a spa without a note from your doctor that specifies exactly what services you’re allowed to get. If you’re suffering from migraines, sign up for a headache massage ($45) at Ginger Bay. Looking for a simple escape? “If a client comes in to relax and falls asleep during their session, we let them sleep,” says Wellbridge’s Sanders. If you have aches from arthritis, ask for an arthritis-relief wrap ($75) at Vitality Unlimited Spa ( ). Too much partying the night before? Boyd suggests ara’s Turkish Delight ($150 for 80 minutes), a ritual based on skin-care practices in Turkish bathhouses. “It is unfair for the next client, who is on time, to lose some of their services,” says Pilcher at The Face & The Body.
Treatments can soothe stressed nerves, mark a special occasion, or lift the spirits of the downhearted. From their perfumed air to terry-cloth robes, heated massage tables to warmed oils, spas can be the ultimate indulgence.
Since then, a number of similar establishments have cropped up.
Louisans’ spines when she opened The Face & The Body, the region’s first full-service spa with an emphasis on skin care. Nearly 35 years ago, Peggy Mitchusson sent shivers of delight down St.