9 Most Outrageous Spa Treatments

 Exotic spa treatments have proliferated in recent years and the claims made in their favor, sometimes backed by celebrity endorsements and spread by social media, have multiplied as well. These include cleansing, detoxification, waist reduction, wrinkle removal, and general aesthetic enhancement and wellness.

Many of the treatments feel foreign to Americans — they come from Korea, Japan, or Brazil and seem to unlock some mysterious beauty secrets, like the exfoliating properties of nightingale droppings or the cleansing powers of mugwort. Sometimes it seems that ancient practices — such as colon hydrotherapy — are re-born, suggesting the revival of some long-forgotten ritual. And some of the regimens have gone beyond exotic and seem downright bizarre, like allowing fish to nibble off the dead skin from your feet.

Click to see the nine most outrageous spa treatments.

Perhaps even more alluring for Americans is the star appeal. How can you resist trying a seemingly outlandish detox when Oprah and Madonna swear by it or Gwyneth Paltrow blogs about it?

The effectiveness of these treatments is dubious at best, and they can actually be counterproductive. In many cleansing treatments, for example. useful bacteria can be flushed out of the body.

Most of these treatments have met with a great deal of skepticism and, in some cases, actual medical warnings. When not performed properly, these treatments can be dangerous. That doesn’t seem to stop consumers who are willing to brave carcinogenic chemicals for straighter hair or possible organ compression for that hourglass figure.

Costs of these therapies can vary greatly. It runs about $50 to sit atop steaming herbs for an hour and closer to $150 to have your colon irrigated. The urine therapy is free of charge. As outrageous as they may sound, these treatments have their fervent adherents — like fad diets. But unlike diets, they’re more about self-indulgence than self-denial.

To identify the nine most outrageous spa treatments, 24/7 Wall St. considered treatments that are available at spas in the United States. To make the list, the benefits of the treatment had to be in doubt, and there also had to be clear risks or downsides to the treatment.

These are the nine most outrageous spa treatments.

1. Mugwort V-Steam

The V-Steam has been practiced in Asia for centuries, but most Americans hadn’t heard about it until Gwyneth Paltrow sang its praises on her Goop website earlier this year. For the treatment, the spa-goer sits on a commode-like contraption over a steaming mix of medicinal herbs. The vapor is said to cleanse the uterus and aid with a range of female ailments. And while the ‘V’ stands for vagina, men are welcome to give it a try, too. Tikkun Spa in Santa Monica, California, claims it helps with hemorrhoids, relieves muscle tension, and acts as a sleep aid. But while the trend is catching on, the medical world does not seem convinced. Not only do they not see any health benefits, numerous doctors have warned about the possibility of burning the delicate area and messing with the body’s natural bacteria.

Cost: At Korean-style spas around the country, you can warm your bottom region for 30 minutes over steaming herbs for around $50.

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2. Ear Candling

>Cost: You can order an ear candling manual on Amazon for about $6.

Ear candling is a treatment for removing excessive ear wax. A tapered cone is inserted into the ear and then lit from the opposite end. As the flame from the burning cone approaches the ear, it is said to create a vacuum that draws out the wax. Candling is touted as a chemical-free home remedy, and fans say it is a relaxing process and effective at cleaning ears. But the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota disagrees. According to the medical research group, candling can do more harm than good — not only can it burn the ear canal, it can also push wax further into the ear canal. And doctors with the American Academy of Audiology say, “It is not reasonable, rational, safe, or effective, and indeed, it should simply never be done.”

3. Fish Spa Pedicure

>Cost: If it is not banned in your state, a half-hour fish pedicure runs about $50.

For this treatment, customers dip their feet into a tank filled with tiny Garra rufa fish. The fish nibble and suck at the feet, removing dead and dry skin. Fans claim the process exfoliates and improves circulation, while also relaxing the body like a massage. But some worry that the fish could transmit diseases. While the Centers for Disease Control has not found a direct link between the pedicures and illness, it notes that the treatment has been banned in many states over safety concerns. Among these are the possibility that the fish could be diseased, the tanks could be unsanitary, and that open cuts could become infected. There is also the issue of animal abuse, as the fish have been starved in order to make them ravenous for human feet.

4. Geisha Facial

>Cost: A Geisha Facial lasting about 60 minutes will set you back around $180.

This treatment, also known as a “bird poop facial,” relies on the guanine and natural enzymes in nightingale droppings to supposedly brighten and smooth the complexion. The unlikely face cleaner was first discovered by geishas in Japan who used it to remove the heavy, zinc make-up they wore to make their skin look like porcelain. At the Shizuka Spa in New York, sanitized and powdered nightingale droppings are mixed with other ingredients, including green tea and rice bran, and brushed onto the face. Featured on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and the View, the Geisha Facial has its passionate adherents. But dermatologists are not convinced by all the fuss, saying you could probably get the same result from a cheap drugstore facial mask.

5. Brazilian Blowout

>Cost: Depending on the salon, a Brazilian Blowout ranges from $100 to $600.

A Brazilian Blowout is a hair salon treatment that uses amino acids and methylene glycol to temporarily straighten curly or frizzy locks. The product is applied to hair and then bonded with a flat iron. As it heats, it emits formaldehyde gas. The federal government lists formaldehyde as a carcinogen and in 2011 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning to the product’s manufacturer, the North Hollywood-based Brazilian Blowout, saying the treatment contained a “poisonous or deleterious substance.” In 2012, the manufacturer settled a $4.5 million class action lawsuit with consumers and hair stylists who were harmed by it. The product, however, has not been recalled and despite all the toxic press, it remains popular in America.

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6. Waist Training

>Cost: Waist-training corsets start around $20.

While the suffragettes campaigned to free women from constricting clothing such as corsets,
Kim Kardashian and her gym-toned pals have embraced the binding garment. In their quest for ever tinier waistlines, women — and men — are sporting waist-training corsets that, when worn regularly, supposedly shrink the body’s core. Experts agree that while it may be a quick fix, a corset does no permanent re-sizing on its own and could, in fact, cause some rib damage or internal organ compression. Exercise and healthy eating are still the best and safest ways to that hourglass figure.

7. Stem Cell Treatments

>Cost: Treatments vary hugely from $3,000 to $30,000.

There has been a lot of excitement, and plenty of controversy, over the use of stem cells to treat diseases. Research is underway around the world to find and develop stem cell treatments for heart disease and diabetes, for example. But stem cell treatments are also being promoted for cosmetic purposes, and this has alarmed many in the medical community. Clinics and spas around the country are offering untested stem cell treatments for both medical and cosmetic purposes. The treatments claim to address everything from aging to autism. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) has warned that the marketplace is saturated with unsubstantiated and sometimes fraudulent claims that may place consumers at risk. According to Scientific American, one woman had a $20,000 facelift that involved injecting her own stem cells into her face, especially around her eyes. Unfortunately, the clinicians also applied a filler that caused the stem cells to turn into bone in her eyelid. Lengthy surgery was needed to undo the damage. To date, the FDA has approved just one stem cell procedure, and it is for a cancer treatment.

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8. Colon Hydrotherapy

>Cost: Still, if you’re feeling flush a 60-minute session runs around $150.

Can Oprah, Madonna, and Leonardo all be wrong? Probably, because whatever the detoxifying claims for this treatment — which works like an enema and pumps water into the large intestine — there is no scientific evidence of a therapeutic benefit for colon hydrotherapy. In fact, it may be detrimental. First, according to a Georgetown University study, toxins don’t build up in the colon so there is nothing harmful to cleanse. And second, what is removed may be necessary for good health and proper bowel function. Moreover, the cleansing solution used may cause infection or other complications.

9. Urine Therapy

>Cost: Free

You can skip all the costly spa treatments and try this one at home yourself. Urine therapy is a treatment that uses one’s own urine — either internally or externally — for health benefits. Urea, which is an organic compound excreted in urine, is also used in many skin care products, from moisturizers to exfoliators, which means you have most likely already been applying urea to your skin without realizing. Some practitioners suggest washing your face with your urine or applying it like an astringent to help prevent breakouts. There are also those who believe that ingesting urine works much like a vaccine, building immunity by introducing a weaker version of a toxin. Madonna told David Letterman she peed on herself to cure athlete’s foot. However, there appears to be no scientific evidence of a therapeutic use for untreated urine. Scientific American even reported that urinating on jellyfish stings may make the pain worse.