Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Steam Showers Then and Today

By Margaret Smith


Steam showers are thought to start with the Romans. Romans came up with steam bath that was fed by natural hot springs. These steam baths were typical in Rome and most were created for public and communal use. The Romans, better known for their opulence and love of pleasure were signified by the wide use of these baths. In fact, these were a part of daily life and formed an enormous aspect of their culture. Many Roman emperors produced these baths to improve their popularity among the population and as a result kept the entrance fees to a bare minimum.

There also are traditional Finnish saunas that are comparable to the steam baths, where wet steam baths were used for cleansing, leisure, and detoxification and as a social activity as well. In Scandinavia and the Baltics, saunas and steam baths were often family activities. In fact, most cultures have a tradition of some sort of steam room, including Native American huts and Japanese mishiburo, dating to the 12th century. Hot steam is even said to increase the immune system because it tricks your body into thinking it has a fever and therefore stimulates the body's natural defenses. Warm, moist air opens the pores, and hot steam relaxes muscles after a workout and opens bronchial pathways in asthma sufferers. It cleans the skin of toxins through the pores and can be more beneficial and less aging than soap and water.

Today, steam showers are believed to be the present day day therapy and a luxury as well. They are very easy to install or retrofit into the space. There are small, enclosed shower spaces, with a steam generator where water is delivered to a boil and the vapor is released into the stall. The generators are connected to the building's plumbing and can be set up up to 25 feet away from the shower itself. The generator is based on the size of the space it is servicing and should offer a temperature control to prevent burning. Modular models are available that can be retrofitted in an existing bathroom with minimal construction, replacing a standard bathtub. These units are generally fabricated from acrylic and include the steam mechanism, vapor-lock door and shower heads. Some even include a jet tub feature as well.

Custom blueprints are also available in the market. They can be fitted to bathrooms that are built and finished with stone or tile walls, floors and ceilings which should be mortar based, not drywall mounted. Doors are fully sealed to retain the steam. There are numerous amenities available such as rain showerheads and massaging jets. At the super deluxe end are steam suites which can accommodate from two to ten people and include aromatherapy, jets for all body parts, media hooksups for entertainment, and mood lighting.

Steam showers are now experiencing resurrection in popularity. Nearly anyone can partake although there are some groups of folks that should refrain or seek the opinion of their medical professional. Those include people with high blood pressure, diabetes, or circulatory problems, children and pregnant women.




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