Paraffin Wax Treatments

A paraffin wax treatment or paraffin bath feels wonderful on the hands, forearms, ankles, feet, elbows and knees. This is a great treatment to add to your massage therapy practice.

Treatments in hot wax smell wonderful and make the skin so soft. The heat is great for relief of pain, as long as there is no swelling.

The massage therapist should have a good commercial paraffin bath which comes in assorted sizes. Normally, one that fits the hands and feet inside is all that is needed. If the body part that needs heat cannot be dipped, the wax can be painted on quickly, before it hardens. Wax comes in blocks that are scented with different fragrances. Unscented paraffin can be found too.

The paraffin bath heats up the wax anywhere from 125 degrees to 134 degrees Fahrenheit. The wax does not need to be changed with each client as the heat in the wax bath kills the germs as long as the bath is thermostatically controlled.

The client will normally be sitting in a regular chair and not a massage chair. Before beginning, make sure that the body area having the wax treatment is clean and dry.

Also, be sure that the wax is heated up to the manufacturer's instructions so it is hot enough to kill germs, yet cool enough not to burn the client or make him or her uncomfortable. Dip the limb quickly in and out of the paraffin once and let the layer of wax dry, which takes less than a minute. Repeat the process 4 to 6 times or until the wax is at least 1/4" thick. Once the wax layer is thick enough, wrap in plastic wrap. Kitchen plastic wrap is just right for this. Then wrap in a thick, dry towel for 15 minutes. Move to the next limb or area and repeat the process.

After the 15 minutes, take off the towel and plastic wrap. What appears to be a waxy glove should be left on the area. Peel the wax off. It usually comes off in one piece. Discard the used wax. Do not place it back in the paraffin bath.

The client's skin should feel soft and smooth. If a scented wax was used, the area will smell wonderful for hours. Painful joints are temporarily relieved and are much more flexible. This is a great treatment for arthritis and bursitis as well as strains and sprains. A word of caution---if the area is swollen and/or hot, do not perform a paraffin wax treatment.

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