Ask Susie: What is the Minimum Age for Spa?

Question:

Dear Susie,

I was wondering what the age limit is on spa treatments. I would like to treat my young niece.”

-D.X.

Answer:
 

Dear D.X.,

It’s amazing how often this question comes up these days as it appears that more and more people want to visit (and sometimes travel to) a spa with a teen, pre teen or even younger child.
 
While the answer is “each spa has its on age restriction policy and it’s best to contact them directly or check their website” I made a list of things that are affecting the conversation about this issue right now as I thought that might be helpful.  In addition, here is a link to SpaFinder’s top 10 Spas for Kids that I think give some great options.    
 

• You can usually find a spa’s age policy on their spa menu and on their website
• Many spas consider age 16 or 17 to be the minimum in order to enjoy the spa as an adult.  (This is often the case with fitness facilities as well.)
• Teen services are generally considered available for those between 12 and 16 or 17 and most often focus on things like facials that emphasize skin care, make up, hair, massage for athletic injuries, etc.
• Pre-teens or kids services are generally considered for those 5 years old and up and are generally focused on beauty salon services such as manicures with nail art, hair, play makeup, etc.
• Baby spa treatments are on the radar in a few places – recently Kourtney Kardashian took her young 5 month old son to a swanky spa for a 30 minute massage.
• Reasons given for age demarcations fall usually into 3 categories  1. having to do with body physiology, 2. having to do with comfort of other guests and 3. having to do with liability and potential problems that could arise
  1. body physiology issues might include things like heavy weight lifting being contraindicated for youngsters or essential oils being too potent for younger skin, etc.
  2. comfort of other guests might include the issue of young children running around being noisy, teens being loud and ill-mannered, general disruption of quiet areas and the inability to relax because of distractions, etc.
  3. liability issues and such might include accidents that may happen in a Jacuzzi, sauna, steam or pool, the reporting of inappropriate touching behind closed doors, etc.
• As a result, be prepared for some of the following restrictions: Parents must be with kids and teens during services, only fully clothed services are available for kids and teens or body massages are not available for kids and teens at all.

In time there will likely be more options available for parents and children to spa together.  After all, healthy choices such as exercise, nutritious foods, relaxing spa treatments and stress reduction are great models for living a spa lifestyle.

We now have younger generations who have grown up seeing their parents go to spas (this isn’t so true of many baby boomers whose parents didn’t generally go to spas) making it a much more natural part of vacationing and living in general.

Warm regards,
Susie