In 1950s, the use of paraffin wax for variety of necessity was introduced. Consequently, paraffin was bath was employed as an alternative to medications during wars. Eventually, seeing the benefits derived from this petroleum-derived wax, beauty therapists start to use paraffin wax for other purposes, including skin care. Nowadays, paraffin wax bath is widely used for both hand and foot care in various therapies and treatments.

Benefits of paraffin wax for hands and feet

Paraffin wax bath is a deep heat therapy, which is beneficial for skin around hands. During winter, paraffin wax bath gives comforting warmth, while during dry summer, it is a suitable treatment that will moisten the skin of the hands and palms, reducing the effects of excessive heat and dryness. Compared to mere water treatment for hands and feet, paraffin wax has got some benefits, such as:

• Paraffin wax is considered as a deep heat therapy, with which the natural oil from petroleum can be thoroughly absorbed. Oil cannot easily dissolve in water, so that paraffin wax treatment gives more benefit than oil treatment in water.
• Although hand and foot treatment that uses warm water to immerse the body parts can give similar effects to paraffin wax treatments, the latter will not likely to cause the hand and foot skin to be shriveled. Hence, compared to warm water bath, paraffin wax bath is more beneficial for the hand and foot skin look appearance afterwards.
• Since paraffin wax lets maximum oil absorption, it is beneficial for minimizing the hardened skin and thus, may help get rid of calluses and corns on the palms and bottom of foot. Regular paraffin wax treatments also help prevent calluses and corns from coming back. On the other hand, warm water treatments dries the skin out and can possibly worsen the hardened skin area.
• Warm water treatment, which is combined with baking soda or alcohol-based mouthwash may be beneficial for improving cracked heels. However, water will not be able to attach itself to dirt left in the exposed skin area. On the contrary, paraffin wax will attach this dirt and dispose them once it hardens and is peeled. Thus, it does not merely soften cracked heels, but also gets rid of debris and dirt in it, promoting faster healing.
• Properly-performed paraffin wax also has a benefit in improving skin inflammation, as it promotes proper blood circulation while performing deep heat therapy. Proper circulation will promote relaxed muscles and thus, minimize the risks of rheumatism and joint pain that are often experienced in feet.
• The ability of paraffin wax in performing deep heat therapy is also beneficial for treating clumsy calves, as this deep heat will promote faster digestion and break fat tissues into smaller molecules that can be disposed out of the body easily. Combined with proper exercises, paraffin wax tighten the calves and thus, reduce the appearance of flabby lower legs.
• If you spend most of your times sitting on the floor, you might notice over-dried ankle part, which is cosmetically uninteresting. Paraffin was treatment can improve this condition by nourishing the affected skin and promote better blood circulation for faster tissue regeneration on site. The wax also helps getting rid of impurities under the skin surface to improve the skin appearance.

Disadvantages of using paraffin wax treatment for hands and feet

Despite all its benefits, paraffin wax is considered as a luxurious spa treatment, which cannot be found in all parlors. It is caused by a couple of disadvantages of paraffin wax treatments, such as:

• Additional required cost for the equipment, such as the paraffin wax bath container, disposable gloves, and hand towels, which add production costs to the salons and spas.
• Unendurable mess, which needs to be taken care after any paraffin wax treatments. In some cases, the wax is hard to clean thoroughly from the salon seats and sofas, which adds additional cleaning efforts.
• Although excellent, the effects provided by paraffin wax are short-term. They will not last for a long period, which requires people to go back to the salons or spas to get these effects. This requires cost and time, which is complicated for some people.