When it comes to making your clients feel comfortable in the spa, some things are easy and simple… such as providing clean sheets, towels and blankets. Personally, I like to fill the room with great music and the gentle scent of a single essential oil, which sets the stage for a great treatment from the moment clients walk into my facial room. By involving as many of their senses as soon as they walk in the door, it will help set them in a calming and relaxing frame of mind.
The real difficulty comes in helping my client to feel comfortable during a painful treatment. The treatment area that comes to mind is in extractions of an active acne client. I have the perfect tools, training and skill to ease their discomfort, but they still have their nerve endings. Each impaction has to be worked on one at a time and the amount of discomfort builds with each one.
I use a very simple method: I have clients hum during the exact moment that I have to clean out the pimple or pustule. This technique works like a charm. I find that keeping the total extraction time under 12 minutes is ideal in creating less stress that my clients can tolerate.
Other areas that I find my clients need extra comfort is in the area of stress relief concerning achy, sore muscles. When I have to work on a sore muscle, the best tool I use is to distract them with a funny story while I work on the pressure points relating to the muscle. Laughter is one of the better forms of medicine.
In 1976, Shelley Hess wanted to become a medical researcher to find a cure for acne. Even with Johns Hopkins medical studies, Hess’ career path took a turn, leading her to being mentored by a Tibetan doctor on holistic practices. For 11 years she was guided into the skin care career she currently holds. Although Hess did not become a doctor, she found a way to assist thousands of men, women and children by handling many skin care problems and giving back a sense of confidence to those who found difficulty in feeling content about their appearance.