Wrapped in comfort
Published in the Hutchinson Leader, February 17, 2004

By Kay Johnson
Staff Writer

This is a hard time of year. Winter seems to stretch out indefinitely and spring is as elusive as sighting a robin in February. To break up the monotony of my black, white and gray surroundings, I seek distractions to help make the time pass more quickly. Some folks play cards, others take up snow sports and some prefer the comfort of staying indoors. Me, I’m completely self-indulgent. I believe in pampering myself. I’m always up for something that smells good, feels better and puts me in a positive state of mind.

Recently, I had a glorious experience at the Sanctuary Salon and Day Spa in Hutchinson. Tamra Rolf, the owner, called me and asked me if I’d ever had a Slenderizing Body Wrap. No, I hadn’t. Did I want one? You bet.

According to information provided by the company, the Slenderizing Body Wrap product that Rolf uses offers an effective inches-off regiment, as well as rejuvenates the skin.

Rolf has been offering body wraps since last year. As far as she knows, she’s the only one offering them in the area. She had received many requests for them, but hadn’t found a product she liked. When she tried this product, she was pleased with the results. She lost 10 inches with her first wrap and 14.5 inches with the second.

“I was very skeptical,” Rolf admitted. “That’s why I try everything on myself first. I need to feel good about it before I share it with my clients. The Slenderizing Body Wrap is a good way to jumpstart a diet. It gets people excited.”

The wrap works by flushing toxins from the body. It also reshapes the body by tightening it.

Getting started
The two-hour spa service begins by Rolf asking the client to remove her clothes, but to keep her underwear on or to slip into a bikini. The thought of putting on a bikini was too frightening for me, so I opted for keeping my underwear. From there, she measured me all over, marking with an ink pen exactly where she placed the measuring tape. This process takes some time because she measures everything from your right and left calf to your upper right and left arm. After the wrap is completed, Rolf remeasures the client to determine the cumulative inches lost.

The process
After Rolf completes her measurements, she applies an organic mud product all over your body. It smells heavenly. She begins at the ankles and works her way upward to the shoulders. The purpose of the mud is to act as a sponge to draw impurities from your body.

After that, she began wrapping me — mummy like — with warm ace bandages that had been infused with a lemon-scented herbal treatment. She began wrapping me from my ankles and worked her way upward. This was a wonderful experience. I felt very warm and it smelled heavenly. About halfway through the wrapping experience, I felt so completely relaxed that I thought I was going to fall asleep on my feet. When she finished, I looked trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey. My body was entirely wrapped from my ankles to my shoulders, as well as my arms. It was hard to bend or to even move.

When I was all wrapped up, Tamra helped me into a plastic suit — pants and a zip-up jacket. I looked and felt like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. From there, I stretched out on the massage table, where she wrapped me in warm blankets.

This was truly a delightful experience. This must be what it feels like to be in a mother’s womb. I felt toasty warm. It didn’t take me but a few seconds before I was out like a light. I can’t say enough about how good this felt. It was wonderful. Rolf checked me from time to time to make sure I was comfortable.

After resting for about 45 minutes, she came back into the treatment room where she gave me a hot-oil foot massage and a scalp massage. Yes, this, too, was wonderful.

The results
When Rolf told me it was time to get up, I was completely disappointed. I could have rested there all afternoon.

Rolf helped me sit up and step off the massage table. Once standing, she helped me take off the plastic suit. Then she stripped off the elastic bandages, which have cooled off by now. To prevent chill, Rolf had turned on a space heater whiched added extra warmth to the area.

Once I was free of my mummy wrappings, she measured me again, placing the tape on the previous marks she had made.

When all the calculations were done. I had lost a grand total of 15 inches. I lost 2-1/4 inches off my waist, about an inch off each thigh, about 2-1/2 inches off my stomach and about 3 inches off my buttocks. I also lost 2 inches off each arm.

When I looked in the mirror, my waist was more defined and my stomach wasn’t as round. My body felt tighter and my skin felt softer. My clothes were looser fitting, too.

When I went home later that afternoon, I tried on a leather coat that used to fit, but hasn’t recently. This time I could button it. Imagine that.

Some thoughts
Rolf had told me in the beginning that the inches lost would be permanent unless I gained weight. So far, it’s true and it’s been almost three weeks.

Would I do it again? Absolutely. The relaxation part of the treatment was 100 percent worth it to me. The lost inches were a bonus.

(Kay Johnson is a staff writer at the Hutchinson Leader. She can be reached at johnson@hutchinsonleader.com)

© 2004 Hutchinson Leader