What is a Flexible Spending Account (FSA)?

A Flexible Spending Account is a tax-advantaged account, set up through your employer, that allows you to set aside a certain amount of your earnings to pay for qualified expenses. Contributions you make to your FSA are deducted from your check before taxes are calculated. The purpose of the FSA is to help cover out-of-pocket medical, dental, and vision expenses such as health insurance co-pays, uninsured treatments, or even over-the-counter drug purchases.

How does a Flexible Spending Account work?

At the beginning of the plan year (usually January 1st), your employer will ask how much you want to contribute for the year. Each month, the amount of money that you have pre-determined will be deducted from your paycheck and put into an account for your use during that same year. There is a limit of how much can be deposited into an FSA account, so check with your employer on the limit.

You can access the funds in your FSA account two ways:

• You may pay out-of-pocket then submit a copy of the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) or the provider’s invoice and proof of payment to the plan administrator. A reimbursement check will be issued to you as long as the expenses are approved.
• Some employers offer an FSA debit card that can be used at the point of purchase. Please note that unlike other debit cards, FSA debit cards are not accepted at every merchant that accepts Visa or MasterCard. The merchant must be coded as an approved business. Ex: You visit a spa to make an approved purchase for prescription cream for Rosacea but the FSA debit card doesn’t process. Even though it’s an approved purchase, the card doesn’t recognize the business as a medical facility. In the case that your card is declined at the point of purchase, you must pay out-of-pocket and submit the appropriate paperwork for reimbursement as described previously.

What are the benefits of a Flexible Spending Account?

An FSA saves you money by reducing your income taxes and your out-of-pocket medical expenses. The contributions you make to a Flexible Spending Account are deducted from your pay before your Federal, State, or Social Security Taxes are calculated and are never reported to the IRS. You decrease your taxable income and increase your spendable income. A Flexible Spending Account, when utilized to its fullest potential, can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year.

You may be able to pay for lab fees using your Flexible Spending Account.

What expenses are eligible for reimbursement?

Any expense that is considered a deductible medical expense by the IRS and is not reimbursed through your insurance can be reimbursed through the Flexible Spending Account. Here are a few examples:

• Laboratory fees
• Acupuncture treatments
• Fees in excess of amounts allowed by your insurance
• Birth Control Pills
• Co-payments on covered expenses
• Deductibles
• Meals, transportation and lodging
• Nutritional supplements, vitamins, herbal supplements, etc. can only be included if they are recommended by a medical practitioner as treatment for a specific medical condition diagnosed by a physician, according to the IRS website.

A complete list of eligible medical expenses and explanations can be found on the IRS website.

What is the difference between a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and a Health Savings Account (HSA)?

The most important commonality between the two accounts is that you are allowed to set aside the money before you pay income taxes on it. The FSA is a spending account, which indicates that you are expected to spend the money that you have set aside within that year. The HSA is a savings account, meaning, you may save that money until you need it, even if you don’t need it until many years later.

Bethany Cox, LMT & Certified Facial Reflexologist

At Seasons Wellness Clinic and Seasons – The Spa, we use essential oils on a daily basis. I am often asked what essential oils are and why we use them. In short, essential oils are the natural, aromatic liquids found in shrubs, flowers, trees, roots, bushes, and seeds. In order to provide the most benefit to the body, Seasons only uses 100% pure therapeutic grade Young Living oils. And because we believe that essential oils should play a role in everyday life, we offer these oils for purchase to our clients.

In my massage practice at Seasons – The Spa, I use Young Living essential oils and lotions every day. These essential oils have many therapeutic benefits such as helping to calm and soothe muscle tension with blends of peppermint, coconut oil, lemongrass, oregano and sweet almond oil. I have had advanced training in Young Living essential oils and techniques using the oils and would be happy to answer any questions you may have by leaving a comment on this post.

Young Living Essential Oils are available at Seasons.

In the next few months, I will be writing a series of blog posts to highlight different essential oils and their benefits. My first blog post will highlight orange. Orange, as a pure essential oil, not only relaxes the mind with its sweet citrus scent, but it is also great for the immune system. To read more about this essential oils and to find out how you can receive a FREE orange Young Living essential oil, click here.

Lisa Best, Licensed Aesthetician

She’s no johnny-come-lately. Lisa has been in the beauty business since 198…well you get the idea. She knows a thing or two about helping you look your best. Lisa is certified in many different skin procedures including: Microdermabrasion, Intense Pulsed Light, LED treatments and much more. She has extensive knowledge about the skin through practice and advanced education both in the U.S. and abroad.

You’ve asked, and we’ve listened. Seasons Aesthetician, Lisa Best, is here to answer some common questions you have about your skin! If you would like to see your skincare questions answered on our blog, email: office@seasonswc.com with the subject line: Ask An Aesthetician.

Q: Some people think freckles are “cute” but I don’t. Is it possible to get rid of my freckles?

A: Freckles are cute but if you want to get rid of them, I can help. Freckles are dark spots of melanin that occur on people who are pale or fair-skinned. To fade freckles, we suggest having a photofacial and using a lightening product with hydroquinone (like Obagi Clear). Photofacials make your skin more youthful by making freckles less noticeable. Photofacials use thermal energy and light to promote collagen production in the skin dermis. The freckle absorbs the wavelength and the pigment is broken apart. The fragmented pieces are absorbed into the body. There’s barely a trace of the original freckle. For best results, we recommend having a series of photofacials, use Obagi NuDerm Clear and use a broad spectrum SPF daily.

Q: My skin is starting to show signs of laxity/sagging, is there a facial that will help?

A: Yes! The Hydradermie Lift. The Hydradermie Lift uses muscle stimulation to tighten your muscles. Its like an exercise for your face! But just like exercise, you can’t be do it once and expect to get the best results. For best results it should be done in a series – usually 4-6 treatments once a week and then once every 2-3 months for maintenance.

Q: I have age spots on my hand and chest! Is there anything I can do to get rid of them?

A: Photofacial treatments (IPL) on the hands and chest work great for fading age spots. The IPL treatments may take a few treatments before noticing a major difference, but eventually the spots will fade. You will need to wear sunscreen everyday or they will come back!

Q: Facials, facials, facials. How will I ever choose? Is it ok to tell my Aesthetician that I would like something in particular?

It is absolutely ok for you to tell the Aesthetician that you would like something in particular. To help you choose, decide if you want a more relaxing facial, corrective facial or a little of both. If you aren’t a seasoned spa-goer and still aren’t sure, we are here to help. At Seasons, we provide clients with complementary consultations and we use a VISIA skin analysis machine to take pictures of your skin. The VISIA gives us a detailed picture of your skin and shows skin damage, texture, wrinkles, giving us a good idea of where we need to start on your skin care regimen.

Q: I wash my face every morning and every night but I still have blackheads. What should I do?

A: We are all plagued by those pesky blackheads. Blackheads are created by a build-up of excess oil in the pores. When this oil is exposed to oxygen, it turns a dark color. To get rid of them, try a product that has Benzoyl Peroxide 5%. Apply a thin layer of the benzoyl peroxide to the blackheads and allow it to dry. Repeat this process at night before bedtime, and your blackheads should disappear. At Seasons – The Spa, we have lots of great products and facials to help with blackheads.

Q: I am starting to get wrinkles! Is there anything I can do to prevent wrinkles without getting Botox injections?

A: You have probably heard about the Clarisonic Pro but what about their newest gem, the Opal? The Clarisonic Opal uses sonicare waves penetrating serum deep into the skin resulting in a smooth appearance. I would also suggest using Retin A every night. Retin A increases collagen production and helps prevent the signs of aging (consult a skin care specialist or physician before using Retin A). Obagi products are also great for transforming your skin and reducing fine lines and wrinkles.

Q: I have Rosacea. Can it be cured? If not, is there something I can do to suppress the symptoms?

A: Unfortunately there is no cure. But you can suppress the symptoms during a flare up. Depending on your skin and the severity, we would try procedures such as IPL and red light treatments to help strengthen capillaries. Products such as Obagi Rosaclear and Guinot Red Logic are also really good for clients with Rosacea. Make an appointment for a consultation with your Aesthetician to make sure you are taking advantage of all of the great procedures and products for your skin – and aren’t doing something that could make it worse.

They are an accessory we can’t live without. At Seasons, utilizing the latest technology is a commitment, both for your health and wellness as well as your convenience.

One fun way we’re utilizing technology for your convenience is with the use of QR Codes. Notice below a barcode arranged in a square pattern. Each QR code is embedded with data that will take your smartphone on a journey! A QR code might contain a coupon. It could contain information about products. Or it might even link to a website. QR codes are a quick and easy source of information for consumers.

So how do you read a QR code? Depending on the type of smartphone you have, you’ll need to download a free app called a code reader. We’ve tried RedLaser and QRReader, but there are many that work well. Once you’ve downloaded a code reading app, just scan the QR code using your camera and watch the magic happen! Who knew technology could be so much fun?

Historically, relying on a consensus statement to treat or not to treat a particular patient has been shown to result in poor care and, as such, society consensus statements and practice guidelines are considered to be worst level of evidence in support of a particular therapy or treatment. A number of organizations, including the World Health Organization and others, have ranked the strength and accuracy of various types of evidence used in the medical decision process. In all scoring systems, the highest strength of evidence is randomized control trials and meta-analyses, with lower scores for other types of evidence. All grading systems place consensus statements and expert opinion by respected authorities (societies) as the poorest level of evidence, because historically they have failed to adopt new concepts and treatments based on new knowledge or new-found understanding demonstrated in the medical literature (1-6).

For instance, a recent study published in the 2009 Journal of the American Medical Association studied the evidence supporting the practice guidelines and consensus statements published by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association. It was found that only 11% of the recommendations, practice guidelines and consensus statements were based on quality evidence and over half were based on poor quality evidence that was little more than the panel’s opinion. The review also found that even the strongest (Class 1) recommendations, which are considered medical dogma, cited as a legal standards and often go unquestioned as medical fact, were only supported by high quality evidence 19% of the time and not revised based on new evidence (6).

Similarly, the Endocrine Society, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the American Thyroid Association also have a long history of guidelines and recommendations that are not supported by the medical literature and fail to adjust or abandon recommendations when new understanding and knowledge contradicts their recommendations. A case in point is the recommendation by these societies that a normal TSH adequately rules out thyroid dysfunction, despite massive amounts of literature that demonstrate this not to be the case (see Diagnosis of Hypothyroidism) or that T4 only replacement is adequate for most patients. A doctor who simply follows outdated society treatment guidelines that relies on a simple laboratory test and ignores the clinical aspects of a patient is not practicing evidence-based medicine. (1-7). Such doctors may be adequate as lab technicians, but as doctors and clinicians they fall short (1-7). This method of practice is consistently rebuked as improper and poor medicine, but has become the standard used by a large percentage of endocrinologists and physicians who feel medicine can be related to simply reading “normal” or “abnormal” in a laboratory column.

Discussing the lack of scientific basis of most medical society’s consensus statements and treatment guidelines in Internal Medicine News, Dr. Diana Petritti states, “Expert opinion and consensus statements can be quite misleading when used as the basis for a practice. Expert opinions imply that there is something that the experts know that clinician doesn’t know. I don’t think it’s always appreciated that it’s only opinion. There is a tendency to make guidelines and recommendations seem authoritative. I believe that physicians think that there is a great deal more behind authoritative recommendations than there might be when you lift the lid of the box and see what’s underneath(8).”

There has been significant concern by health care organizations and medical experts that physicians are placing too much reliance on consensus statements and failing to learn of new information presented in medical journals. Thus, they lack the ability to translate this new information into treatments for their patients. The concern is that doctors fail to practice evidence-based medicine, erroneously relying on what they have previously been taught and on “expert” societies instead of changing treatment philosophies based on new information as it becomes available. This is especially true for endocrinological conditions, where physicians are very resistant to changing old concepts of diagnosis and treatment — despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary — because it is not what they were taught in medical school and endocrinology residency.

This concern is particularly clear in an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine entitled “Clinical Research to Clinical Practice: Lost in Translation” (9). The article was written by Claude Lenfant, M.D., Director of National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, and it is well supported. He states that there is great concern that doctors continue to rely on what they learned 20 years before and are uninformed about scientific findings. According to Dr. Lenfant, medical researchers, along with public officials and political leaders, are increasingly concerned about physicians’ inability to translate research findings in their medical practice to benefit their patients. He says that very few physicians learn about new discoveries from reading medical journals or by attending scientific conferences; thus, they lack the ability to translate new knowledge in the field into enhanced treatments for their patients. He states that a review of past medical discoveries reveals how excruciatingly slow the medical establishment is to adopt novel concepts, noting that even simple methods to improve medical quality are often met with fierce resistance. “Given the ever-growing sophistication of our scientific knowledge and the additional new discoveries that are likely in the future, many of us harbor an uneasy, but quite realistic suspicion that this gap between what we know about disease and what we do to prevent and treat them will become even wider. And it is not just recent research results that are not finding their way into clinical practice; there is plenty of evidence that ‘old’ research outcome have been lost in translation as well (1).”

Dr. Lenfant discusses the fact that the proper practice of medicine involves the combination of medical knowledge, intuition and judgment and that physicians’ knowledge is lacking because they don’t keep up with the medical literature. He states that there is often a difference of opinion among physicians and reviewing entities, but that judgment and knowledge of the research pertaining to the patient’s condition is central to the responsible practice of medicine. “Enormous amounts of new knowledge are barreling down the information highway, but they are not arriving at the doorsteps of our patients. (9).”

These thoughts are echoed by physicians who have researched this issue as well, such as William Shankle, M.D., Professor, University of California, Irvine. He states, “Most doctors are practicing 10 to 20 years behind the available medical literature and continue to practice what they learned in medical school….There is a breakdown in the transfer of information from the research to the overwhelming majority of practicing physicians. Doctors do not seek to implement new treatments that are supported in the literature or change treatments that are not (10).”

This view is echoed by the Dean of Stanford University School of Medicine who states that in the absence of translational medicine the delivery of medical care would remain stagnant and uninformed by the tremendous progress taking place in science and medicine (11).

This concern has also received significant publicity in the mainstream media. An example is an article by Sidney Smith, M.D., former president of the American Heart Association, published in 2003 in the Wall Street Journal entitled “Too Many Patients Never Reap the Benefits of Great Research.” Dr. Smith is very critical of physicians for not seeking out available information and applying that information to their patients, arguing that doctors feel the best medicine is what they’ve been doing and thinking for years. They discount new research, Dr. Smith says, because it is not what they have been taught or practiced, and they refuse to admit that what they have been doing or thinking for many years is not the best medicine. He states, “A large part of the problem is the real resistance of physicians…; many of these independent-minded souls don’t like being told that science knows best, and the way they’ve always done things is second-rate (12).” The National Center for Policy Analysis also expresses concern for the lack of ability of physicians to translate medical therapies into practice (13).

A review published in The Annals of Internal Medicine found that there is clearly a problem of physicians not seeking to advance their knowledge by reviewing the current literature, believing proper care is what they learned in medical school or residency and not basing their treatments on the most current research. The review found that the longer a physician is in practice, the more inappropriate and substandard the care (14). Thus, it is not a surprise that the scientific evidence as expressed in the literature is often opposite to what is continually repeated as dogma by most physicians and those considered to be “experts.”

Another example is a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (15). In reviewing the study, the National Institute of Medicine reports that there is an unacceptable lag between the discovery of new treatment modalities and their acceptance into routine care: “The lag between the discovery of more effective forms of treatment and their incorporation into routine patient care averages 17 years.” (16) In response to this unacceptable lag, the Business and Professions Code passed an amendment relating to the healing arts. This amendment — CA Assembly Bill 592; An Act to Amend Section 2234.1 of the Business and Professions Code — states: Since the National Institute of Medicine has reported that it can take up to 17 years for a new best practice to reach the average physician and surgeon, it is prudent to give attention to new developments not only in general medical care but in the actual treatment of specific diseases, particularly those that are not yet broadly recognized [such as the concept of tissue hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia] (17).

The Principals of Medical Ethics adopted by the American Medical Association in 1980 states that a physician shall continue to study, apply, and advance scientific knowledge, make relevant information available to patients, colleagues, and the public (18). This has, unfortunately, been replaced with a goal of providing merely “adequate” care. The current insurance reimbursement system in the United States fosters this thinking, as the worst physicians are financially rewarded by insurance companies. While it is true that the best physicians are continually fighting to provide cutting edge treatments and superior care that the insurance companies deem not medically necessary, even these physicians eventually get worn down and are forced to capitulate to the current system that promotes substandard care.

This was clearly demonstrated in a study published in the March 2006 edition of The New England Journal of Medicine entitled “Who is at Greater Risk for Receiving Poor-Quality Health Care.” The study found that the majority of individuals received substandard, poor-quality care, and that there was no significant difference among different income levels or whether or not the individual was covered by insurance. It used to be the case that only those in low socioeconomic classes without insurance received poor-quality care. But insurance company restrictions on treatments and diagnostic procedures have made the same poor care afforded to those of low socioeconomic status the new standard-of-care for society at large (19). An example of this is a physician’s failing to spend the time to adequately assess a potential hypothyroid patient and instead simply does a TSH test.

Most physicians will satisfy their required amount of continuing medical education (CME) by going to a conference a year, usually at a highly desirable location that has skiing, golf, boating, etc. Physicians are rarely monitored as to whether or not they actually showed up for the lectures or went skiing instead. One must also understand that the majority of conferences organized by medical societies are in fact sponsored by pharmaceutical companies. These payments by pharmaceutical companies are called unrestricted grants, so that the society has free reign to do what they want with the money and thus can claim there is no influence of lecture content by the companies. The problem, however, is that if the society wants to continue getting these “unrestricted” grants, they must think twice about providing content that the sponsoring pharmaceutical company might disapprove of. Consequently, ground breaking research that goes against the status quo and does not support the drug industry receives little attention.

Evidence-based medicine involves the synthesis of all available data when comparing therapeutic options for patients. Evidence-based medicine does not mean that data should be ignored until a randomized control trial of a particular size and duration is completed. A physician who tries to avoid the need of being a physician and is fine with just being a technician or health care provider will adamantly defend the “one-size fits all” method of diagnosis and treatment. But the best doctors who truly practice evidence-based medicine and not merely the perception of such will not rely on consensus statements to best provide their patients. Instead of relying on old dogma, the best physicians will seek out and translate both basic science results and clinical outcomes to decide on the safest, most efficacious treatment for their patients. Further, the best physicians will continually assess the current available data to decide which therapies are likely to carry the greatest benefits for patients and involve the lowest risks.

References

Anna Stephens, WHNP

What is a Medi-Spa (Medical Spa)?

A medical spa is a hybrid between a medical clinic and a day spa that operates under the supervision of a physician. Dr. Nathan Goodyear is the overseeing physician at Seasons – The Spa and Seasons Medical Aesthetics. The spa menus at medi-spas will vary, but you can usually receive treatments such as laser hair removal, IPL (intense pulsed light) treatments, microdermabrasion, photofacials, injectables like Botox and dermal fillers, and chemical peels. For a the spa menu at Seasons, visit: www.seasonswc.com.

Compared to other day and medi-spas, what makes Seasons the best choice?

We are constantly learning, evolving, adding services, and exploring new technologies to offer our clients the superior service they have come to expect. Our clients are not the only ones who have noticed! Seasons – The Spa was named ‘Best of the Delta – Best Medi-Spa 2010′ by Delta Style Magazine and Seasons was voted ‘Best Small Business 2010′ by Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and Louisiana Tech University College of Business.

What types of training have you received for medical spa procedures?

I attend advanced training every 4-6 months with a clinical trainer from Merz Aesthetics, makers of Radiesse dermal filler. I’ve also attended training with Empire Medical in 2008 and again in 2010. Empire Medical offers a more general type of training including Botox and many types of dermal fillers. In addition, I’ve received advanced training from Allergan, makers of Botox and Juvederm.

How much experience have you had with facial fillers in the lips or nasolabial folds?

I have been injecting this area for over 3 years.

How will I choose the filler that is safest and best for me?

At your personal consultation, we will discuss your beauty goals as well as discuss different options available. After determining what areas most concern you, we will decide which filler best suits your needs. Not all fillers can be used in all areas of the face.

Does insurance cover medi-spa procedures or is financing available?

The type of medical insurance that most of us have will not cover medical spa procedures. These procedures are considered cosmetic by almost all insurance companies. Fortunately, the cost involved for most medical spa procedures is minimal and there are other options for paying for medical spa procedures such as credit cards and Care Credit financing. For more information about Care Credit, please contact our Ruston office at 318.255.1155.

Dr. Nathan Goodyear

I admit it. Those low T commercials are great marketing. The middle-aged man dancing with his testosterone shadow, all his strength, energy and vigor restored. His simple solution? Testosterone supplementation. It paints an oversimplified picture of men, as if we are nothing but testosterone sponges. When we get low, we just stop off at the local testosterone dispenser and we are good to go. However, the truth is not that simple about low T.

Low testosterone is a very common problem in men today. But it is much more complex than just adding testosterone to solve the problem. Men are complex. (And you thought only women were complex!) Looking at the specific causes of low T in an individual is a critical part of creating a plan to solve the low T problem.

What is testosterone? Testosterone is the predominate hormone in men. From the moment of conception, it is the key to male development. It is what makes a man a man. It is what gave us Tim “the tool man” Taylor.

What is low T? Quite simply, it is low testosterone. Symptoms include fatigue, reduced libido, estrogen dominance, weight gain, and loss of confidence and motivation. Low T is, in many ways, the middle-aged man suffering the dreaded “mid-life crisis.” Think about it. At the same time that women experience menopause, men are experiencing their own life change. Men are just as hormonal as women; however, the symptoms of change are different.

Low testosterone is a lot more common than you think. Approximately 40 million US men suffer from low testosterone. Only a fraction of these men are symptomatic, which means most men with low T don’t even know it.

Not only is low T a silent problem, it is a growing problem. Men are discovering low T at younger ages, too. I’ve seen men as young as their mid-20’s with low testosterone. Typically, however, most men living with low T are in their 40’s and beyond.

What is the cause of low T? It would be convenient if the answer was simply low testosterone production. But look at our bodies. We are complex creations. In most cases, low T results from a combination of issues.

Cause #1: Excess weight. Today, we eat so many items that suppress the body’s natural testosterone production. Just look at the American diet. Americans eat up to 200 pounds of refined sugar, 90 pounds of fats, 63 dozen donuts, 60 pounds of cakes and cookies, 23 gallons of ice cream, 22 pounds of candy, and 15 pounds of chips, popcorn, and pretzels annually. Obviously, this leads to excess weight.

Excess weight, especially around the mid-section, becomes a major estrogen-producing factory. Not only does the associated weight gain help produce more estrogen, but the enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen increases as we age as well. We become estrogen dominant. Increased weight = increased estrogen and decreased testosterone.

Cause #2: The environment. The environment is full of hormone-like chemicals. Xenoestrogens are environmental estrogens. They range from pesticides and insecticides to plastics to hormone-laden meat and dairy products. Although not native to the body, the body views them as estrogens nonetheless. Xenoestrogens = increased estrogen and decreased testosterone.

Cause #3: Hormones. That’s right. Even giving testosterone to some men can be a problem. A 27-year male patient came to me after he was given testosterone for a suspected low T problem by another physician. The testosterone replacement made him feel worse. Why? He was already estrogen dominant, and the additional testosterone was like throwing gasoline on the fire. His proposed cure, testosterone supplementation, turned out to be the source of his problem: excess estrogen. Too much testosterone = increased estrogen.

What is the answer to low testosterone? There is no single answer. Answers are found through customized testing which determines exact hormone levels. From these results, we can create an individualized therapy plan. Because we are all created uniquely, causes can vary. Likewise, your therapy plan should be unique. Your symptoms are clues to the underlying problem. By uncovering the problem’s root cause, an effective treatment plan can be developed which will solve those health issues and eliminate your symptoms.

The truth about low T? Only a few men really need testosterone. The majority of men need weight loss, reduction of estrogen, and the elimination of environmental xenoestrogens. It is easier to simply supplement testosterone. But that will NOT treat the problem at the source and achieve true healing.

Now that you know the truth about low T, what will you do about it? If you have symptoms and need answers or more information, call our office at 318-255-3223.

Bethany Cox, LMT & Certified Facial Reflexologist

Where did you receive your massage therapy training?

I received my massage therapy training at Natural Health Institute at the downtown Nashville location. It was such a rewarding experience, and my instructors were so supportive and encouraging. We were taught massage as more of an art than simply a technique.

What are the benefits of massage/bodywork? And how often should I get a massage?

Health benefits range from helping lower blood pressure and easing muscle tension to simply relaxing the mind and body. Muscle manipulation within a massage loosens sore, over-worked and tight muscles that can cause nerve impingements. It also helps move toxins such as cellular debris out of the muscle as well as moving important nutrients into the muscles and throughout the body. Sometimes the best medicine is a nice, relaxing Swedish Massage to unwind from a busy day!

What should I expect from my first massage visit? And do I have to be completely undressed during the massage?

Upon arriving at Seasons, you will be welcomed by our spa concierge and invited to lounge in our wonderful waiting area. I bring clients back to the massage area where I explain a little about the massage. I always want my clients to feel safe, relaxed and comfortable during their session and encourage my clients to disrobe to their comfort.

How early should I arrive for my massage therapy session?

I prefer for my clients to arrive between 10 and 15 minutes early for their session. Our lobby is very soothing and tranquil, which creates a wonderful pre-massage experience. It helps calm the spirit and any anxiety about a massage session.

What type of massage oils do you use and do they have any therapeutic benefits?

I use Young Living essential oils and lotions. These essential oils are 100% pure and have many therapeutic benefits. The essential oils help calm and soothe muscle tension with blends of peppermint, coconut oil, lemongrass, oregano and sweet almond oil. I have had advanced training in Young Living essential oils and techniques using the oils and would be happy to answer any questions you may have at your appointment.

Massage has to hurt to do any good, right?

Even a deep tissue massage should never be uncomfortable to the point of pain. There is a difference between “productive pain” and “ouch” pain. At the start of a deep tissue massage, lighter pressure is applied in order to warm-up the muscles. When those muscles are warm, they are easier to manipulate, and therefore, do not hurt when deeper pressure is applied.

Bethany Cox, LMT and client during a Hot Stone Massage at Seasons - The Spa.

How much does a session of massage therapy usually cost?

Our massage sessions range from 30 minutes to 90 minutes and the cost starts at $35. For a full list of massages and prices, please visit our Spa Menu page.

Can I talk during a massage? Is it appropriate to ask my therapist not to talk?

Conversation is common during a massage session, but that is not everyone’s preference. This is a time for relaxation and I respect the client’s time for a peaceful session. Clients are especially encouraged to verbalize if the pressure is uncomfortable.

There are so many types of massage, how will I choose the massage that is right for me?

Specific massage modality is decided by the client. If you have specific muscle pain, a nerve impingement, or are simply achy, then deep tissue would be a great massage! Remember, pressure should never be more than you can handle. Hot Stone massage is also beneficial for achy muscles. Instead of penetrating the muscle through pressure, heat from the stones penetrate in a more relaxing session. Swedish massage is a wonderful massage for relaxing and lowering blood pressure and high stress levels. The newest massage on our spa menu is the Raindrop massage. The Raindrop technique is wonderful for detoxing the body as well as easing back pain and specific tension around the spinal area. No matter what massage you choose, remember to drink plenty of water afterwards to rehydrate the body and flush out toxins from the muscles!

To experience any of our relaxing and therapeutic massages, please contact the Spa Concierge at Seasons – The Spa. 318.255.1155.

Clarisonic’s innovative technology vibrates at 300 movements per second to clean, soften and smooth your skin. In just one minute, the micro-massage action brush head cleans better than traditional manual cleansing. The Clarisonic Skin Care System is safe for all skin types and gentle enough for use twice a day – in the shower or over the sink. You will notice a reduction in the appearance of pores, improved skin tone, a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles, and improved absorption of serums and moisturizers. Clarisonic PRO, $195. Clarisonic Mia, $149.