Crystals and other semi-precious stones have been used to treat any number of conditions for centuries, and their popularity is experiencing a bit of a spike lately due to their growing use in health spas.

Spas around Asia are increasingly offering treatments such as skin massage with crystal wands – said to help revitalize skin cells, leaving them velvety soft – or the placement of crystals on specific chakras, the force centers associated with traditional Indian medicine, to relieve pain and promote relaxation.

“The chakras are the energy centers in the body, usually from the torso to the top of the head, and they’re linked to colors and through color they’re also linked to the stones and their properties,” said Sheila McCann, the director in charge of spa brand quality for the Shangri-La hotels and resorts chain.

Traditional hot stone massages usually use basalt, a black volcanic rock that absorbs and retains heat. But more exotic stones, apart from being more expensive, can offer physical advantages.

“Jade doesn’t hold the intense heat of basalt, which some people find uncomfortable; Jade has a gentler warmth that works very well in treatment,” Ms. McCann said. A new Shangri-La hotel in Beijing will offer a massage with amber, which until now has been rarely used.

Really nice NY Times article that covers how crystals are being used without getting too much into panning them. You can read the whole thing here.

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