What Is Hot Stone Massage Therapy? | Hot Stone Massage

Hot stone massage therapy is the application of hot stones to the body when you are giving a massage.

Typically the stones are basalt stones, which are river rocks, and once you apply the lotion to those stones they turn a nice beautiful black ebony color. Typically the stones are heated in a hot stone warmer, which is somewhat like a crock pot, up to about one hundred and forty five degrees, the lowest temperature that they normally are is one hundred and thirty five degrees, and it depends on the area of the body that your placing the stones, how hot you want them.

On the extremities you typically want the stones a little bit cooler than, lets say, on the back or the feet you can handle a little bit more heat. Also, interestingly enough, often times fair skinned people can handle a little less heat that people with a little darker skin, or Mediterranean skin.

At the end of the day hot stone massages are a really nice relaxing way for deep tissue to be delivered into the muscles or even lighter pressure, that heat really helps you access those muscles much faster, and it's a lovely, relaxing, therapy.