Rockville, MD Spa and Massage

In a massage room awash in shades of plum, one of Serenity Spa Wellness Center's licensed therapists plunges deft fingers into muscular structures to weed out pesky pain points and break up congregations of tension. Increasingly relaxed breaths drift out of the private room, past cedar-colored planks, and toward the far-infrared sauna, which uses dry heat in an effort to draw toxins from the body or elicit confessions from ice-cream smugglers. Aestheticians blend ingredients for facial treatments and combine fragrant swirls of essential oils, catering to individual skin and health issues. In the reception area, hands warm around mugs from a coffee bar, and floral-patterned or zebra-print chairs cradle guests.

The massage therapists at Vanity Wellness perform two kinds of massage: reflexology, which targets trigger points in the feet in an effort to affect the rest of the body; and body-relaxation massage, which combines Swedish and deep-tissue strokes with stretching to inspire a sense of calm. Aromatherapy oils can accompany either service, treating noses to more pampering than 1,800-thread-count tissues.

Massage therapy has the unique ability to induce a state of relaxation and simultaneously relieve pain and tension. The bodywork experts at Massage Pro know how to knead muscles to achieve both of these benefits. And, understanding that everyone has a particular set of therapeutic needs, they offer a variety of massage modalities that ranges from Eastern therapeutic massage to hot-stone massage to sports massage. Along with massage, the staff stimulates circulation with cupping-therapy sessions and invites visitors to rid themselves of toxins and pesky magic school buses during far-infrared-sauna sessions.

At City Massage & Bodywork, nationally certified massage therapists help clients unwind physically and mentally with massage techniques including soothing Swedish strokes, deep tissue’s targeted kneads, and the simmering stress relief of hot-stone therapy. Massage upgrades such as aromatherapy and sauna sessions extend relaxation to other senses and sensations. The spa takes care to only book a few clients for each therapist each day, ensuring they don’t deplete their own energy reserves or run out of nicknames for each person’s individual muscles.

Japanese screens and soft music set the scene for collective healing in Jus Massage's community acupuncture room. In private chambers, licensed massage therapists knead away tension with 1 of 10 massage modalities, and afterward offer cups of tea to sip in the common area. The clinic's aestheticians perform facials with Dermalogica products, and give complimentary face mapping to determine different facets of skin quality.

After honing the techniques of muscle manipulation at the Baltimore School of Massage, Antonio Grandez has spent the last eight years perfecting his craft. With steady hands and laser-like focus, he delves into sore backs, shoulders, and limbs to loosen tight muscles and bring his clients on one-hour sojourns into relief and relaxation. Along with stress-banishing Swedish techniques, the therapist specializes in deep-tissue massage, which targets spots of chronic pain, and sports massage, which is formulated to ease injuries stemming from athletic endeavors such as spending a day as a soccer ball.