Body wraps have now long been touted as a method for not only losing weight, but as quick reduction methods to shed inches from waist lines. They come in a variety of different options to treat anything from eczema to eliminate toxins from the body, and even tighten and improve skin tone. There has developed however, a range of opinions as to whether body wraps actually work or not, and whether or not they are in fact, even healthy for individuals to attempt.
Many salons that offer body wraps that claim they can take a anywhere from 6 to as many as 20 inches off your waist line and body in one sitting. The procedure is relatively a simple one and is done through special minerals, clays, salts, and muds that are applied to the body, which is then wrapped up and usually left to soak.
While different wraps may require different sitting times, the average wait times is approximately one hour in most salons and spas. After applying the mixture, the individual is often laid down on a table, and wrapped snuggly and comfortably in a thermal blanket. This is thought to allow a person to “sweat out” the toxins and other impurities in the body. Many individuals claim to lose inches from their waist, thighs, and sometimes calves and arms as well. They also claim to have better skin tone, with the added benefit of softer skin as well. Some individuals claim to feel better, lighter, and even more energetic after applying body wraps.
However, some people purport that such body wraps can indeed be harmful to one’s health. It is commonly thought that logically, as fat is not water soluble, that fat is not indeed what is being lost by using a body wrap. It is theorized by means of logical deduction, that what is being lost rather, is water weight, and that this is accomplished by dehydrating the body. If this were the case, the process of body wrapping could indeed be harmful to those that are highly susceptible to complications due to dehydration, such as the very young, elderly, and those with certain medical conditions.
However, for those of young adulthood, or middle age, aside from purportedly being a “taxing” method of weightloss on the body, there does not appear to be any noticeable long term health concerns. One should however, be very careful to observe how the claimed inches were measured. Many testimonials, such as the one written online by Ronita Dutta, documenting her own experience
( http://www.ivillage.co.uk/beauty/bodybasics/cellulite/articles/0,,548152_551143,00.html ) note that while many inches were in fact lost during the body wrap, the total is a combination of all the inches lost from the entire body, not just the waist line.
In addition to being a highly effective, though controversial method of weight loss, wraps are also highly available. Most salons and spas offer such treatments, and the treatments themselves range from approximately $80 and up. However, if you are unable to afford regular wrap treatments, and have found that they work well for you, you can find do-it-yourself body wrap kits available here.