While the entirety of our beauty regimens is obviously focused on trying to establish and maintain a healthy, youthful appearance, the fact is that the vast majority of it is centered on caring for and improving the appearance of our face. This is not terribly surprising, considering that our face is usually the first thing that others notice about us and it’s easily accessible to us.

That said, even vigorous, daily facial care at home isn’t enough to preserve healthy, youthful skin, and it benefits from regular, professional facial treatments that can more deeply and thoroughly clean it than we can at home. But if this is what we do for our face, what about our back–an area of our body that we cannot reach or care for very well at all? Luckily, there are back facials to help with this.

What is a Back Facial?

A back facial treatment is exactly what it sounds like–a deep cleansing facial that is specifically designed to nourish and repair the skin on your back. One of the primary reasons that individuals choose to receive back facials is because they suffer from acne on their back and cannot effectively treat it on their own due to accessibility issues.

However, back facials can be just as relaxing and enjoyable as regular facials and are an excellent way to cleanse, exfoliate dead skin, and deeply moisturize this hard-to-reach area. This makes it an especially wonderful treatment for those who wish to enjoy bathing suit season without feeling at all self-conscious.

While there are occasionally some variations depending on the individual’s specific skin issues and concerns, a back facial normally includes:

• A thorough, deep cleansing. The skin on our backs just doesn’t receive the care and attention it needs to be thoroughly and deeply cleansed, so this portion of the treatment is particularly helpful. The cleansing portion of the back facial helps to remove all the impurities that lie on the surface of the skin and includes the use of a cleanser that will address any specific skin issues you suffer from, such as oily or congested skin.
• A full exfoliation. This helps to remove the layer of dead skin that tends to accumulate on the surface of the back, as well as any impurities that lie beneath the skin’s surface and can contribute to undesirable skin issues. Well done exfoliation also serves to improve circulation and skin texture.
• A steaming and extraction treatment. Steaming helps to relax and open the pores so that any impurities that remain after cleansing and exfoliation can be carefully extracted.
• A purifying mask application. A personalized back mask can help to further cleanse and soften the skin, bringing about the more youthful, radiant skin you desire. In many cases, a clay mask is used when the individual suffers from oily or acne-prone skin, whereas a cream or gel mask is used when the individual suffers from dry or sun-exposed skin.
• A moisturizing treatment. It is important to hydrate the skin and restore nutrients it needs to remain soft, supple, and healthy, and freshly cleansed and purified skin is better able to absorb and retain this moisture.

Facials and back facials are both important parts of a healthy beauty regimen, as they essentially do for the skin what a professional dental cleaning can do for the teeth–clean more deeply and thoroughly than the individual can at home. Back facials can also help to clear up specific conditions the individual is concerned about, such as clogged pores, oily skin, dry skin, acne-prone skin, sun-damaged skin, hyperpigmented skin, and more.

If you love regular spa facials, consider interchanging them with back facials every now and again so that your back also receives the attention it needs and deserves.