One spa treatment that actually takes place outside of the day spa and off of the massage table is the use of hot springs. Hot springs have no universal definition but are essentially geothermal springs that consist of natural water sources with nutrient rich water that has positive impacts on one’s skin, health and well being.

To understand the positive impacts of hot springs, it is important to understand how they work. A lot of the heat that these hot springs generate is created by decaying elements, many of which are radio active. The water is heated geothermally which essentially means it is heated naturally by the layer of the Earth known as the mantle. The water is heated by the hot rocks that are heated based on the geothermal gradient.

Many hot springs are found on, around or near active or inactive volcanoes, which makes sense. Knowing this, it is important to enter hot springs that are regulated, monitored and deemed acceptable to enter. Paying to enter a hot spring or a spa with a hot spring guarantees that the water quality and temperature has been tested and is a small price to pay to ensure your own safety. If you choose to enter an unsupervised hot spring, there is a risk of being seriously burned, scalded or even killed.

The minerals contained in the water in hot springs are known to have positive impacts on joints, pain and with physical disabilities, injuries and rehabilitation. In addition, these hot springs are good for improving skin quality, cleaning and exfoliating and creating softer, more healthy skin all over one’s body.

Hot springs can be found in different parts of the world and often draw tourists and those who travel from far and wide to reap the benefits of the hot springs.