http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/lifeandtimes/a-different-kind-of-spa-experience-for-women/366851
March 31, 2010 Ade Mardiyati A Different Kind of Spa Experience for Women Some people may find the concept of a vagina spa strange. But just like going to a regular spa where one can get massages and skin treatments for relaxation, going to a vagina spa is meant to freshen and improve the health of a woman's most intimate organ. One of the few places that is said to offer the full treatment is VG Spa, part of Klinik Pasutri, a health clinic founded by celebrated sexologist Dr. Boyke Dian Nugraha. At VG Spa, a patient can choose from vagina-only treatment packages or whole-body treatments that include facials. These normally last anywhere from one-and-a-half to three hours. Peni, a therapist at the clinic, said that their clientele includes high school students and married women. "Many come here because they have a common vaginal health problem, such as a yeast infection," she said. "If there is no itchiness or smell, we recommend that treatment be done once a month. If it does, then once every two weeks should help." The vagina spa session begins with a procedure that incorporates a small device called the electro-stimulation machine. Flat strips connected to three cords are attached to the patient's lower back and the soles of the feet. For about 15 minutes, these body parts are stimulated with vibrations from the machine, which causes a sensation. Peni said that the objective of the whole procedure is to strengthen the muscles in the vaginal area. The next step is called cawikan , or bathing, using a mixture of herbs such as betel leaf, locally known as daun sirih, kayu rapat (Parmeria barbata) and some more fragrant plants. In Indonesia, daun sirih is very popular as it is believed to have a lot of health benefits for women, one of which is removing vaginal smell. Kayu rapat is said to tighten the vagina. The herb is aptly named - the word kayu means wood and rapat means tight in Indonesian. The mixture is dissolved in hot water, which gives out a fragrant aroma. When the water gets warm, the patient is seated on a wooden bucket filled with the mixture to submerge the vagina for about five minutes. By doing this, the patient is "cleaning" the area with the water. Totok - massaging the area - is then done for five minutes. Peni said that this is "to relax [the muscles] and help the blood flow better." The vagina is then subjected to ratus or fogging, which is said to have a number of benefits, such as reducing itchiness caused by a yeast infection and improve smell in the vaginal area. "Most beauty salons [only] offer this treatment, but that is not how a vagina spa is done. Vagina spas should include the early steps that we perform here, not only the ratus session," Peni said. For the fogging procedure, patients are made to sit on a chair with a big hole. Underneath the chair is a clay pot with heated charcoals sprinkled with the ratus powder, which is made of various herbs. The patient is asked to wear a special robe that covers the whole chair while she is seated. "This is so that the fragrant smoke can go straight to the vagina and therefore the fragrance is well spread down there," Peni said. The very last stage of the spa treatment is linggihan. A mixture of mint leaves and other mysterious plants that the spa declined to disclose were flatly wrapped in a thin piece of paper slightly thicker than a tissue. This is then attached inside the patient's underwear. "This is mainly to freshen up the vaginal area, thanks to the mint leaves in the mixture," Peni said. "Wear it for five to ten minutes and then you can dispose of the wrap." After all these steps are done, the patient is guaranteed to feel relief down under. Related articles Most Indonesians' Sex Lives Leave Them Yawning: Survey 9:05 PM 08/12/2009 Cervical Cancer: Stigma Prevents Care, With Deadly Results for Women 10:06 PM 30/03/2010 Women Prefer Macho Men When Health is the Deciding Factor, Study Finds 5:34 PM 17/03/2010 Piece of Mind: Mario's 'Biased' Tweet Irks Feminists 5:33 PM 17/03/2010 My Jakarta: Moammar Emka, 'Jakarta Undercover' Author 6:54 PM 18/02/2010 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
