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What is wrong with this picture? It makes an eye pleasing marketing photo, but concerns me. Hot Stone Therapy is a useful tool to a massage therapist! Precautions need to be taken though to protect both the client and the massage therapist. 

Training in spa modalities touches on many techniques and not all students embrace the nuances needed to be safe and skillful. With hot stone we are trained to heat the stones in a hot water bath up to 150 degrees. If one was to place stones heated to this temperature directly on bare skin and left them for 15-30 minutes the client would be burned. It is likely they would burn in 5 minutes or less! Certainly, by the time they felt discomfort! Hopefully they would have sense to speak up especially if the therapist hasn’t checked in on the comfort level. The marketing photos lend themselves to calling the technique warm stone therapy! 

Given the temperature we are trained to bring the water bath to, it stands to reason that we are trained to protect the client with a barrier between their bare skin and the hot stones. Please don’t assume your therapist’s training was more than a one-time class demonstration! Or trade out in lab! Make sure you understand the safety issue and that your therapist does as well. A well-trained therapist will tell you that the photos are just marketing to please the eye. 

My training had us laying clients on the stones using as many layers of towels necessary for the client's comfort. Given this technique my first question to a client inquiring about this service is “are you a princess and the pea type of personality?” It is okay if you are! I will just adjust the technique to accommodate your needs. I will lay the stones on top of you using towels to protect your skin. 

What to expect face up: 

1: You will be instructed to disrobe to your comfort level just like in a regular massage, lay face up under the sheet 

2: You will be helped to sit up. A well-organized therapist will already have all the towels in place under you. They will ask you to hold the other half of the towel as they place an appropriate stone to coincide with your lumbar, channeling stones on either side of the spine, one for each scapula/shoulder blade and one at your neck. Then they will help you lay down making sure the stones are placed comfortably. If the heat is too much do not hesitate to speak up! Even if it takes a few minutes to realize it! Also don’t hesitate to speak up if you really can’t handle laying down on them. A good therapist will not mind! They’ll make sure they have plenty of time between appointments to account for changes. 

3: A large stone will be placed on your abdomen. 

4: One stone will be placed under the gluteus, hamstring, knee, calf and ankle of each leg. Again, don’t hesitate to speak up if the heat is too much. 

Some therapists also place warmed stones between the toes and cool stones on the face. I don’t do this personally! I have found most clients find it bothersome. 

5: The massage will be given using oil, hands and heated stones that the therapist has chosen to fit in their hands. The therapist will determine the comfort level of the stones they are using based on their tolerance to the heat, so again if they are too hot speak up!  

6: Once an anterior massage is complete the stone on abdomen along with the stones under you will be removed. Face cradle will be positioned and you will be instructed to turn over. A posterior massage will be done using oil, hands and heated stones. I usually give a 60-minute massage that doesn’t include the time to place the stones. So, expect to spend a little extra time about 5-10 minutes.   

Face down adjustments: 

The stones will be laid out essentially the same as if you were laying on top of them. The stone for the abdomen and possibly the neck will be eliminated. You will be protected with towels and a blanket will be used to maintain the heat of the stones for 15-20 minutes. The massage will start with areas that have no stones on them. The head, arms and feet. Stones will be removed as an area is moved to, to be worked on. Starting with one leg than the other. This allows for the stones to send penetrating heat to the muscles as long as possible. The massage will be given with oil, hands and heated stones.