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Posted 07.31.08 New York's Weirdest Spa Treatments These procedures may have benefits, but they're not for the faint of heart By Amy Eisinger Forget chocolate manicures and caviar facials. The newest beauty treatments are getting a little fishy. Literally. Yvonne Hair, Nails & Tanning Salon of Alexandria, Va., for instance, allows small fish to nibble the dead skin from their clients' feet. Just $45 gets you 15 minutes with the fishies and a full pedicure. "If you're sensitive, it's really ticklish for the first few minutes, but then most people really enjoy it and come back for more," said one spa employee. But don't head to Virginia just yet, New York City has a few lesser-known beauty treatments with plenty of shock value. And while some almost sound enjoyable, others can be downright painful. Here are some of the strangest New York spa treatments worth trying at least once - just to say you did. THAI BLACK PEPPER BODY SCRUB, Poh Tree Thai Spa, 122 Ludlow St.; $135. (212) 598-4241. What to expect: This three-step full-body process starts with a green tea compound to moisturize the skin. Next, black pepper is rubbed all over, causing a strong tingling sensation. Finally, the skin is soothed again with a protein extracted from live silkworms. What it does: "The point is to make you hot and sweaty, which detoxifies your body and makes you lose water weight," said Andrew Unger, co-founder of Lifebooker.com. LEECH THERAPY, The Continuum Center for Health and Healing, 245 Fifth Ave., second floor; $600. (646) 935-2259. What to expect: These aren't your average bloodsuckers. The medical leech, Hirudo medicinalis, is actually regulated by the FDA and used to treat osteoarthritis. Leeches are placed on the body for 60 minutes of blood slurping before they're full, at which point they roll over and fall off. What it does: In the U.S., they're often used to reduce swelling and treat some medical conditions. But celebrities like Demi Moore also admit to trying them as a trendy new way of detoxing. THE GEISHA FACIAL, Shizuka New York, 7 W. 51st St., sixth floor; $180. (212) 644 7400. What to expect: Based on an ancient Japanese geisha practice, the treatment uses "uguisu no fun," or nightingale dung, as its main ingredient. The droppings are sterilized, ground into a fine white powder and then mixed into a mask, which is said to have a slightly "musky" aroma. What it does: For lightening, brightening and balancing skin tones that have been damaged by acne or the sun. PLATZA OAK LEAF TREATMENT, Russian Turkish Baths, 268 E. 10th St.; $35. (212) 473-8806. What to expect: The hottest treatment on this list. Clients sweat it out in a traditional Russian communal sauna - kept at far higher temperatures than usual. Next, they are swatted with a bundle of birch branches dipped in olive oil. "It's not pampering," said Melisse Gelula, editor-in-chief of Spafinder Lifestyle. Brace for it: The whole thing is finished off with a plunge in ice-cold water. What it does: "The belief is that it stimulates circulation, which is good for the immune system, like when you pat your cheeks and get a rosy glow," Gelula added. THE 'OTHER' FACE LIFT, Phit, 133 E. 58th St. (212) 935-4011. What to expect: A feminine med-spa, opening this month, that specializes in the newest beauty craze: cosmogynecology. The "other" face lift is a noninvasive procedure to firm everything up down there. Simple as that. What it does: The idea is it strengthen's your all-important muscles. "I like to think of it as a pelvic Pilates place," said Gelula. With Nicole Carter and Leah Chernikoff |
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