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I t p a y s t o b e A B M P C e r t i f i e d : w w w. a b m p . c o m / g o / c e r t i f i e d c e n t r a l 41 strong solvents. Peanut oil has a very strong smell and may cause serious allergic reactions. ALLERGIC REACTIONS TO OILS During the health history intake, ask clients about food allergies to nuts or other substances. While an allergic reaction or skin sensitivity may occur with any substance applied to the skin, nut allergies are increasingly common, so these oils (peanut oil in particular) can cause mild to serious reactions. LOTIONS AND CREAMS Lotions and creams are popular with clients because they leave the skin smooth but feel less greasy than oils. Another reason to use them instead of oil is because some massage techniques work best when the therapist's hands can sink into the tissue and grab it instead of sliding over it. Creams are heavier than lotions and so provide longer-lasting slip. Lotions are absorbed rapidly but work well for certain techniques like deep tissue and for areas like the feet and face. Lotions and creams are emulsions: a blend of two unmixable substances (in this case, oil and water) held together by an emulsifying agent. The ingredients of some products are high quality and natural, held together by a vegetable-based emulsifier. Others are synthetic, heavily processed, and held together by an emulsifying wax, which is a chemical mixture of fatty alcohols and thickening agents. GELS Gels may be natural substances like aloe vera gel, or a combination of natural and artificial ingredients in a gel-like formulation. Some massage gels are quite heavy and leave a residue on the skin as oils do. Natural gels tend to be absorbed very rapidly and leave little, if any, residue on the skin. Seaweed gels that are meant to be left on the body (as opposed to those made for body wraps that are meant to be removed) make a good massage product. Seaweed aids the body in detoxification because of its action on the thyroid. Seaweed products should not be used on clients with iodine or shellfish allergies, or with clients on thyroid medications, as they may cause serious reactions. SAFE HANDLING Pick products carefully and fully research them to ensure they are appropriate for your practice. Keep products, especially unrefined oils, refrigerated between uses, and follow good sanitation protocols when handling them. Remember you are the one most exposed to a product. While you want quality products for your clients and their care, you have your hands and forearms in the product for up to 30 massages a week. Make sure you're using products you know and trust. Note 1. Z. Friedman, et al., "Correction of Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency in Newborn Infants by Cutaneous Application of Sunflower Seed Oil," Pediatrics, 58, no. 5 (November 1976): 650–4; H. Bohles, M. A. Bieber, and W. C. Heird, "Reversal of Experimental Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency by Cutaneous Administration of Safflower Oil," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 29, no. 4 (April 1976): 398–401. Anne Williams is the director of education for Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals and author of Massage Mastery: from Student to Professional (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2012), from which this article was adapted, and Spa Bodywork: A Guide for Massage Therapists (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2006). She can be reached at anne@abmp.com.