Q. What can I do to make sure I’m getting the most out of my massage session?   
A. Tell your massage therapist what you need! Any information you share with your therapist about how your body feels today—and since your last appointment—helps make your session better. Take the time to perform a mental body scan the day of your appointment. Where do you feel pain or tension?
Tell your massage therapist everything you’re feeling—even if you think it’s insignificant—so he has the information he needs to plan an effective session. Taking an active role in setting session goals helps you make the most of your massage!

-Massage Therapist/Educator, Kristin Coverly, LMT

Q. What are some dos and don’ts for someone with sensitive skin?
A. Sensitive skin is seen frequently by skin care professionals. By definition, it is actually thinner skin—with blood vessels and nerve endings close to the surface—that is more reactive to stimulants and irritants.
For starters, don’t expose sensitive skin to heat sources, including the sun, as heat causes vasodilation, increasing blood flow and redness. Do use treatments that cool and soothe. Cool steam, cool compresses, and cool gel masks are all good ideas. Soothing, calming effleurage massage (massage with a circular stroking movement) with cooling hydration products can calm those nerve endings and help diminish redness.

-Skin Care Educator/Product Developer/Therapist/Author, Mark Lees, PhD, MS, CIDESCO