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What is a Mud Treatment?

Nychole Price
Nychole Price

Children aren't the only ones who like to play in the mud. Mud treatment is becoming popular around the world for many reasons, including improving blood circulation, detoxifying skin, purifying skin, blackhead and blemish removal, anti-aging treatment and natural healing of certain medical disorders. The mud used in spa treatments is not the typical kind found in a person's yard, but more of a combination of several types of minerals and clay. There are several different types of mud treatments, each using a different variety of mud.

Peat therapy is a type of mud treatment with several uses. These uses include, but are not limited to, relief of musculoskeletal pains, eczema, detoxification, insomnia, relaxation, arthritis, fibromyalgia, infertility, immune system stimulation and common aches and pains. Peat is a type of mud containing water, sulfur, humic and fulvic acids and cellulose. It can be added to warm or room temperature water, or applied as a hot or cold pack, depending upon the desired results. This type of mineral treatment can be performed at a spa, or in the comfort of one's own home.

Peat therapy, a mud treatment, might be helpful to those with insomnia.
Peat therapy, a mud treatment, might be helpful to those with insomnia.

Peloid is a type of mud therapy used in the treatment of rheumatoid and gynecological disorders, osteoarthritis, skin diseases, and sciatica, as well as common problems such as blackheads, blemishes and wrinkles. A peloid treatment can only be performed in a mud treatment spa, as it is very expensive. Peloids are composed of humus, minerals and virgin clay that must be matured for a minimum of two years in special man-made ponds.

A mud treatment known as peloid therapy may offer relief for problems with the sciatic nerve, which can cause pain and numbness down the leg.
A mud treatment known as peloid therapy may offer relief for problems with the sciatic nerve, which can cause pain and numbness down the leg.

Parafango packs are used to slow down the degradation of elastine and collagen in the skin, soothe muscle tension, and reduce localized swelling around joints. Parafango contains paraffin, seaweed extracts and volcanic mineral ash. Paraffin is highly regarded for its heat conducting features, as it cools four times more slowly than water. This type of mud treatment is applied by soaking part of the body in the mud, or by brushing it onto the desired area. It is then allowed to harden into a waxy coating.

The mud treatments offered by some spas are designed to improve circulation and detoxify the skin.
The mud treatments offered by some spas are designed to improve circulation and detoxify the skin.

Mud masks are another type of mud treatment, often used in the treatment of skin blemishes are as part of an anti-aging regiment. They are available at most beauty supply stores and are relatively inexpensive. Unlike mud treatments available at beauty spas, this variety often contains dyes, perfumes and preservatives that may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.

Discussion Comments

anon995561

Miracle moor 9000 years old mud from Ireland is the best peat

I have used for therapeutic effects and it's certified organic and 100 percent natural. Peat has great health benefits. Peat is a compound manufactured entirely by nature, and is so rich in nutrients such as organic minerals trace elements phtohormones amino acids enzymes vitamins and essential oils, that science hasn't even come close to duplicating its therapeutic effects. -- Bill

LisaLou

@orangey03 - I am so glad to know that a peat treatment helped with your aches and pains. I have fibromyalgia, and some days are much worse than others.

Something like this sounds like it would be a welcome relief. My life is pretty stressful, and I know this doesn't help my symptoms at all.

Just being able to relax and be pampered like that sounds like it would be therapeutic in itself. Adding something like peat therapy could only make things better in my opinion.

Since I wouldn't be able to afford many trips to a spa, buying some to keep on hand to use at home sounds like a good idea.

On those days when my joints hurt all over, I plan to lock myself in the bathroom with a good book, give myself a peat treatment and see how much better I feel.

sunshined

Many spas are offering mud treatments, and if you ever have the chance to get one, I would take advantage of it.

My husband gave me a day at a spa for a birthday gift and I had a hard time deciding on which services I wanted to enjoy.

I knew for sure that I wanted to try a body mud treatment as I had heard many good things about them.

The spa I went to offered both mud treatments and a body wrap using hydrating lotions and oils. I knew I would get some moisturizing lotion after the mud treatment and wanted to try something different.

The mud includes algae and seaweed that is supposed to help detoxify the body while you are wrapped in it. I have heard that some people are bothered by this treatment if they are claustrophobic, but I loved it!

I felt so refreshed and clean when it was all washed off and would definitely do this again sometime.

orangey03

@kylee07drg - Peat therapy worked great for me. I am in my early thirties, and I have been having aches and pains for no reason. I decided to give the spa a try, because it seemed more pleasant than taking medications.

I had warm peat applied to my body. It felt like sunbathing as the warmth entered my body and permeated my bones. Just like the sun can ease an aching joint on a warm day, the warm peat loosened up my stiff parts and relaxed me deeply.

I felt so much better after a treatment that I decided to get some to use at home. Now, whenever I'm feeling arthritic, I do some peat therapy, and it always makes me feel better.

The smell is strong, but if you like the outdoors, it shouldn't bother you. Just take a warm shower afterward and wash with some scented shower gel, and the scent will disappear.

kylee07drg

I have fibromyalgia, and I have considered trying peat therapy. I know what regular peat is, because I have used it in my garden, and it seems a little strange to think of wrapping myself up in this.

To me, peat smells like the earth after a warm rain. This is a pleasant smell, but I don't necessarily want to cover my body with mud because of it.

I'm afraid that the smell might be too overwhelming. If it works for pain, I could deal with the aroma, though. Has anyone here ever tried peat therapy? Did it work for you, and would you recommend it?

wavy58

Peloids sound extremely fancy. I've never heard of waiting for clay to mature. I imagine that only the rich and famous use this type of treatment, because who else could afford it?

Personally, the only mud treatment I will probably ever use is the kind that comes in a tube at the drugstore. I have applied this type of mud mask to my face before, and it does seem to help dry out my oily skin.

The rest of my body can be overly dry at times. I imagine that an allover mud treatment would probably not be good for me.

Perdido

My grandmother discovered parafango mud treatment while vacationing at a spa. My mother and I had bought her a spa package for her birthday, because she had been complaining about getting old and having joint pain.

The lady at the spa told her that the parafango treatment would be ideal for her condition. When she found out it might also make her look a little younger, she got very excited about it.

Since she ached pretty much all over, she had it applied to her whole body. She said that her swelling and inflammation did go down after being coated in mud.

anon164998

i agreed with mud treatment. my son has severe eczema which was finally treated with mud.

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    • Peat therapy, a mud treatment, might be helpful to those with insomnia.
      By: bramgino
      Peat therapy, a mud treatment, might be helpful to those with insomnia.
    • A mud treatment known as peloid therapy may offer relief for problems with the sciatic nerve, which can cause pain and numbness down the leg.
      By: rob3000
      A mud treatment known as peloid therapy may offer relief for problems with the sciatic nerve, which can cause pain and numbness down the leg.
    • The mud treatments offered by some spas are designed to improve circulation and detoxify the skin.
      By: gofasadi
      The mud treatments offered by some spas are designed to improve circulation and detoxify the skin.
    • Some types of mud therapy are used to treat osteoarthritis as well as rheumatoid disorders.
      By: Lisa F. Young
      Some types of mud therapy are used to treat osteoarthritis as well as rheumatoid disorders.
    • A peat therapy mud treatment can be used to treat infertility.
      By: diego cervo
      A peat therapy mud treatment can be used to treat infertility.
    • Mud therapy is used in the treatment of sciatica, among other ailments.
      By: Sebastian Kaulitzki
      Mud therapy is used in the treatment of sciatica, among other ailments.
    • Peloid may be used to reduce the occurrence of blackheads.
      By: Doruk Sikman
      Peloid may be used to reduce the occurrence of blackheads.
    • Some people choose to apply moisturizer to the face after removing a mud mask.
      By: Konstantin Yuganov
      Some people choose to apply moisturizer to the face after removing a mud mask.
    • Peat therapy may provide relief from eczema.
      By: Jingling Water
      Peat therapy may provide relief from eczema.