Relaxation. Easier said than done — at least for some people. Floatation Therapy, technically referred to as sensory deprivation, has been around since the 1950’s. And while the term “sensory deprivation” can sound intimidating, it is anything but. Floatation Therapy is surging in popularity for its benefits that range from simple relaxation and stress relief to ease of muscle pain to reduced hypertension.
Floatation Spas are all over New York and LA, and until recently you would have had to go to Atlanta for the closest floatation therapy tank in Georgia. Fortunately, OTP now has its own since Clark Salon in Canton recently opened floatation therapy in their salon! We were both lucky enough to give it a try so that we could accurately share our opinion on just how this whole thing works.
But, don’t just take our positive word on it – they have great online reviews such as:
The Floatation
Therapy is an amazing treatment. I’ve never had such deep and complete body relaxation before. I’m so glad that such a beneficial therapy is available in my backyard. I’m definitely going again, said Kathyrn Hale Had my first experience with a float and absolutely loved the experience. I will definitely do it again, said Gary Smith.
In general, Suzanne and I are both a bit high strung. Like many people, “relaxing” isn’t something we put on our to-do lists, so the idea of floating in a tub of water, just for the sake of desensitizing for an hour, took us some time to absorb. But, anything for Scoop!
Clark Salon has a lovely spa area that is peaceful and quiet. Upon arrival for my float, the staff informed me of the proper steps to take before entering the tub, during the float and after. Rest assured — some photos you see online of floatation “tanks” are much more enclosed and almost claustrophobic looking than what you will find at Clark Salon. The tubs at Clark are larger and open. You have your choice of colored lights, no light, music, or silence.
Feeling confident, I got in the tub. The tub is only filled with about 8 inches of water and 1000 pounds of epsom salt, which is what gives you the buoyancy to float. Upon getting in the tub, it took some time and effort to figure out exactly how to float, which I hear is not unusual. Once I figured out how to float, it became much more relaxing.
The water and room are all the same temperature — body temperature — which creates a feeling of nothingness, and makes the water, air and skin all feel alike. I actually drifted off to sleep a couple of times because I did that full body jerk and woke up! But that shows just how relaxing floating can be.
There is a bit of a learning curve with floatation therapy though, and I feel like it’s something you might get better at with more visits. Learning how to float, finding a comfortable position for your arms and head and getting used to the feeling of the salt on your body (any tiny cuts or abrasions will sense the salt) would improve with future visits.
I am lucky not to have any major ailments, but the float session most definitely helped my muscle soreness that I had from a workout the day prior.
The only potential drawback would be that you do need to take a complete shower and fully wash your hair after the float. I wasn’t prepared for that and attempted to run an errand afterward and had a salty, helmet like head of hair while doing so. But Clark Salon has a lovely, private dressing room with hair dryers and products, so next time I will take better advantage of using them or I’ll book a blowout!
If you are looking for a new way to rid yourself of pain or stress (who isn’t?) you should give floating a try. For about the same price as a massage or a facial, you can experience one of the hottest new methods in relaxation on the market, right in Canton. Package pricing is available.
Clark Salon & Spa is located at 10511 Bells Ferry Road in Canton.