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Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Pedicure, Manicure, and ..... giant snail massage...

Heard of ‘Achatina fulica’ …… it  is a species of land snail that  thrives in many types of habitat in areas with mild climates, listed as one of the top 100 invasive species in the world.  The French have long appreciated snails on a plate with butter and garlic ~ here is something on what they are used for when alive….

Read ‘Thiru Kutrala Kuravanchi’ written by Thiru Kooda Rasappa Kavirayar….,. it is written on Courtallam and ThiruKUtrala Nathar, the deity at this place.  Courtallam has numerous waterfalls and cascades an dit considered the spa of South India.  The South West Monsoon brings in the cold breeze with mild temperature. The waters are considered to have medicinal qualities.  People apply varied oils on themselves and stand in the falls ~ a few seconds the oil would be gone due to the force and strength of water and one feels very fresh …. ~ there are also various types of massage with oil done by specialists !

In recent times, you see lot of boards advertising ‘massage’ especially the Thai message; you see many Vietnamese or people with similar looks ………. ~ and this post is certainly not on them and not on what people perceive that they are doing here..... Thai massage – or Nuat Thai - is unique among massage therapies in combining both physical and energetic aspects. It is a deep, full-body massage progressing from the feet up, and focusing energy lines throughout the body, with the aim of clearing blockages in these lines, and thus stimulating the flow of blood and lymph throughout the body.  

Now the whole World appears ‘beauty conscious’ and even in villages ‘fairness creams’ sell hot.  Good marketing techniques and advertisements in TV and everywhere else have ensured market for skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, towelettes, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and gels, deodorants, hand sanitizer, baby products, bath oils, bubble baths, bath salts, butters and many other types of products.

People, especially women indulge in manicure, pedicure and more.  Manicure is a cosmetic beauty treatment for the fingernails and hands performed at home or in a nail salon.  It is replete with  filing, shaping of the free edge, treatments, massage of the hand.  Similar service to improve the appearance of feet and nails is called pedicure.   Had posted long back on :  “fish pedicure”. .   read that earlier post : http://www.sampspeak.in/2011/05/have-you-heard-of-garra-rufa-and-fish.html

There are some types of fishes and you would have observed that in some ponds, when you venture down for bathing, you can feel fishes nibbling you.   This type of fish is popularly called the Doctor fish.  There are two varieties -  Garra rufa and Cyprinion macrostomus.  Other nicknames include nibble fish, kangal fish, and doctorfishen; Garra rufas  are associated with Turkish spas.  There are claims that these fishes would cure psoriasis and would work through hard skin on heels, stimulate acupuncture points, improve blood circulation and relax the body reducing fatigue.

Now getting back to the one at the start of the post : ‘Achatina fulica’ – the giant snails……..  Having live snails crawling on your face sounds like the thing of nightmares, but in this beautiful World some Companies have already started making people pay for that.  "Slime from snails helps remove old cells, heal the skin after sun burn and moisturize it,"  claims a spokeswoman for Tokyo-based beauty salon - as she places  three gastropods on a woman's face. She continues that – this way, one can have 100 percent pure snail essence directly on the skin. Snail slime is believed to have an anti-aging effect on human skin, and some cosmetics are already sold with essence of escargot.


In the special clinic, the snails alone cost 10,500 yen ($106). Elsewhere, the treatment involves having three of the creatures slither up and down your face ~ has found its way in UK and USA as well….. a top dermatologist who is  a regular consultant on Channel 4’s Embarrassing Bodies, has a team of fully trained 'snail facialists' who will make sure the creepy crawlies don’t venture too near the nostrils, mouth and eyes.

Are you ready for one ?......

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

Photos courtesy : www.dailymail.co.uk

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