TOKYO, Feb 12 ― Classic sea baths and ultra hot baths are old news when it comes to wellness trends; sand baths are gaining followers around the world. In certain countries, sand therapy is considered a genuine source of rejuvenation. Some of the places where the trend is well developed include Egypt and Japan, where inhabitants take advantage of its numerous virtues, both for health and for the skin.

Japan is known for its onsen or hot springs culture, but the city of Beppu also allows tourists to enjoy much more unusual baths... made of sand. At the Beppu Kaihin Sunayu, for several years now, for about ten dollars, men and women have been able to be buried in the sand in order to benefit from the virtues of each grain deposited on the whole body. This practice is called sand therapy, and it is of growing interest in Western countries.

But what is it exactly?

If you're a parent, you have likely already found yourself in a situation where you're at the beach and your children insisted on covering you entirely with sand. You probably thought twice about it, then gave in, despite a certain claustrophobia associated with the fear of being abandoned under a blazing sun. Well, your children gave you a valuable free sand therapy session. Ain't life grand?

In reality, much more reglemented, sand therapy ― also known as psammatotherapy ― consists of taking a real sand bath. It consists of slipping into a hole dug for your size, and then being completely covered with sand, which gets shaped by experts around your body. Only the head, which rests on a cushion of sand, remains free. Some may find that the position isn't very pleasant, but it is nevertheless the source of many benefits for those who are used to it, starting with a total feeling of relaxation and well-being.

Exfoliation and toxin elimination

Heated by the sun but not hot enough to burn the skin, the sand provides virtues identical to those of a sauna session, for the simple reason that it makes the person it covers sweat. This facilitates the elimination of toxins and impurities from the skin, activates microcirculation of the blood, and allows the cutaneous skin layers to benefit from all the minerals present in the sand. The skin emerges more radiant and healthier. Which isn't nothing!

Sand baths may also help relieve certain symptoms of rheumatism. However, it is better to talk to your doctor before jumping into the sand. Lastly, grains of sand are known to be highly effective exfoliants. Sand therapy can therefore help eliminate dead skin. Multiple virtues that everyone can enjoy during these baths ranging from just 5 to 15 minutes. This is something to be taken into account, because burying yourself in the sand for too long can be dangerous. ― ETX Studio