A Mud Bath is a soak or bath in mud or with mud, usually taken warm. Mind that mud baths are part of so-called Fangotherapy, which involves the use of mud, peat, and/or clay for therapeutic purposes. Mud baths may also be applied as a mud wrap, which is rather a high-end, luxury spa treatment where the skin is covered in mud for a certain period, sometimes applied with bandages around the mud-wrapped body.
Historically, the use of mud baths goes back for centuries if not millennia, all over the world, and is thought to have many beneficial properties. They have been applied to treat neurological, rheumatologic, gynecological, and cardiovascular health issues, and notably to heal or alleviate a range of skin conditions, such as psoriasis, acne, eczema, dermatitis, and rosacea.
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Additionally, mud baths are applied to tone, firm, slim, relax, and soothe muscles, joints, and other body tissues, ease inflammation, detoxify the body through sweating, and alleviate stress and anxiety because of its calming effect.
Nevertheless, one can’t use any kind of mud. Therapeutic mud contains certain minerals that are present under specific geological conditions, such as near certain hot springs, volcanic ash deposits, certain parts of seas, oceans, and rivers, lakes, and so on. The most common minerals found in therapeutic mud include sulfur, zinc, bromide, magnesium, and specific salts, all depending on the region, and it may be mixed with volcanic ash and/or organic peat.
Typically, mud baths are taken naked (or only partially clothed) to actually cover and penetrate the skin as much as possible, except when only taken as a mud mask for the face. As a rule one gently and gradually immerses oneself in a mud bath because of the necessity of adjustment of the body to the mud’s high temperature. It’s generally advised that a mud bath doesn’t take longer than fifteen to thirty minutes.
Do mind that a mud bath or wrap dehydrates the body intensely due to sweating, which can be dangerous for the vital functions of the body; it’s therefore recommended to drink plenty before and after having taken a mud bath. Additionally, pregnant women and people that suffer from blood pressure issues, a heart condition, skin infection or heat sensitivity are advised to first consult a professional healthcare provider before having a mud bath.
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