Steam Showers and Steam Baths

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The healing and relaxing effects of steam can be easily enjoyed in the comforts of one’s home. With the steam shower and steam bath kits available from dozens of manufacturers, an ordinary shower enclosure can be transformed into a spa for as little as $2,000. These systems are digitally controlled, quickly installed and calibrated for a consistent, pleasant steam experience to rival any health club sauna—all in the privacy of the home bathroom. ThermaSol’s Serenity Light and Music System at work during a steam shower session. Photo courtesy of ThermaSol. Steam’s Healthy History Humans have enjoyed the health and wellness benefits of steam for many centuries. Although the first uses of steam by humans is in dispute, steam baths, spas and saunas were used by the ancient Greeks, Romans and Aztecs and later by the Turks and Russians. In modern times, the steam experience has been largely limited to hotels, health clubs and spas. As the trend of investing in the bathroom remodel and spa experience grew, residential spa fixtures like the jetted tub and shower tower massage units became more accessible and affordable to the average homeowner. The steam shower and steam bath systems are another product line in a series of residential bathroom upgrade options designed to transform the bathroom into a private spa. “It’s like a full-body facial,” says Mitch Altman, CEO of ThermaSol, manufacturers of steam shower systems and products, describing the effects of a steam shower or bath. In a steam shower, steam that is heated to anywhere from 110 to 120 degrees F is sent from a steam generator to a steam head mounted on a wall within an enclosure. The enclosure is filled with hot steam, which increases circulation, releases toxins, increases caloric consumption, de-stresses and relaxes. Unlike a sauna—which operates at 175 to 190 degrees F in up to 35 percent humidity—the steam room experience occurs at 100 percent humidity and lower temperatures, which keeps the skin hydrated and supple. Steam System Packages Most basic steam shower or steam bath systems include the steam generator, a steam head (much like a shower head) and a control device. The steam generator runs on electricity (208, 220 or 240V is common) and connects to the home water supply. Piping runs from the generator to the steam head, which is mounted in a hole on the shower enclosure wall. The steam generator is connected by wire to the control device, which is also commonly mounted inside the shower enclosure. These three parts—generator, steam head and controls—comprise the basic steam shower or steam bath package available from manufacturers. Accessories The basic steam system package has a few attractive upgrade options. Like the modern bathroom—which can be accessorized in countless ways by countless products—added features and devices can bolster the steam system. In addition to the basic generator, steam head and control device, steam system options can include aromatherapy features, chromotherapy fixtures and speaker systems aimed at incorporating all the senses into the overall bathroom spa experience. The aromatherapy feature can be incorporated into the steam shower or steam bath system in a couple ways. The manual approach enables the user to apply a few drops of essential oils to a built-in reservoir on the steam head. When the system is turned on, the steam head heats up, vaporizing the oils and mixing it with the steam. Automatic units can be purchased and installed alongside or near the generator. These units can hold larger quantities of oil, are controlled by the wall-mounted control device and inject oil into the steam before it comes to the steam head. Chromotherapy options usually come by way of a ceiling-installed lighting fixture that can bathe the user in any combination of soothing colors. “Our chromotherapy includes mood lighting, white light, and color combinations for the seven chakras,” says Altman. “Each color combination is set for the soothing of a particular body part.”

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