What Is a Sinus Facial?

A sinus facial is a facial built around steam and gentle massage over the sinus pressure points of the face: along the brows, beside the nose and across the cheekbones. It is meant for the days when your face feels heavy, puffy and stuffed up. It is a comfort treatment, not a medical one, and it is still a facial, so your skin is looked after too.

How is a sinus facial different from a regular facial?

The difference is where the attention goes. A classic facial like the Deluxe Facial is centered on the skin itself: deep cleansing, an enzyme peel, extractions and a mask.

The Sinus Facial at Spathetics spends its time on warmth and touch. It uses steam, and the massage follows the areas of the face where sinus pressure tends to sit. The service page lists what is included.

Where are the sinus pressure points?

Your sinuses are air-filled spaces in the bones of the face. When people talk about sinus pressure, they usually mean a dull, full feeling in a few spots:

• Above and between the eyebrows.
• On either side of the bridge of the nose.
• Under the eyes and along the cheekbones.
• At the temples.

Massage over these areas uses slow, gentle pressure and sweeping movements. It should never hurt. If any spot is tender, say so and Ashley will ease off.

What does it feel like?

Warm and quiet, mostly. Breathing warm, moist air is something many people find soothing when they feel stuffy, for the same reason a hot shower feels good with a cold. Facial massage relaxes the small muscles around the eyes, brow and jaw, which tend to tighten up when your head feels full.

Most people describe the result as their face feeling lighter and less tense. How long that feeling lasts is different for everyone, and it is fair to think of it as relief for the day, not a fix for what is causing the congestion.

What a sinus facial does not do

It is important to be plain about this.

• It does not treat or cure a sinus infection.
• It does not replace allergy medication or anything your doctor has prescribed.
• It does not diagnose why you are congested.

See a doctor if your symptoms come with a fever, last more than about ten days, get better and then worse again, or include severe facial pain, swelling around the eyes or changes in your vision. Those need medical care, not a facial.

Who is a sinus facial for?

• People whose face feels heavy and stuffy when the seasons change.
• Anyone who gets that full, tight feeling once the furnace has been running for a few weeks and the air in the house turns dry.
• People with seasonal allergies who are between flare-ups and want something soothing.
• Anyone who carries tension in the brow, temples and jaw.
• People who want a facial that is more about relaxing than about extractions.

November is when a lot of this arrives at once in central Illinois. The weather swings from mild to cold and back, the heat comes on indoors, and cold season is under way.

When should you skip it or reschedule?

• If you are sick. A fever, a fresh cold, the flu or anything contagious means staying home and rebooking. You will not enjoy lying on your back with a blocked nose, and it protects the next client.
• If you think you have a sinus infection. See your doctor first.
• If steam bothers your skin. Heat can bring on flushing in skin that is prone to redness, such as rosacea. Tell Ashley, and she can adjust.
• If you have had recent facial surgery, dental work or an injury. Ask your doctor when facial massage is fine again.
• If you are pregnant or have a medical condition and are not sure, check with your doctor.

How do you get the most out of it?

• Drink water before and after.
• Arrive without heavy makeup if you can.
• Tell Ashley where you feel the pressure most, and mention any products or scents that bother you.
• Leave a little time afterward. This is not a treatment to rush out of.

At home, a humidifier in the bedroom and a moisturizer suited to cold weather both help skin that is drying out from indoor heat.

Is it the right facial for you?

If what you want most is clearer pores or help with breakouts, one of the other facials is likely a better fit. If your face simply feels heavy and you want warmth and gentle massage, this is the one. The current price and length are on the Sinus Facial page, and you can book an appointment online whenever you are ready.