General
Hamam/Hammam or Turkish bath comes
from Turkey. This is the eastern version of steam bath. The Turks were originally using steam for prevention purposes. Hamam steam bath temperature is about 45 to 50 °C.
Hamam is a bath with dry and wet steam and it is complemented with essential oils and massages. The body is gradually warmed up within 20 to 30 minutes. There is no sudden heat, which strains the body.
The temperature is also pleasant for guests suffering from cardiac failures. The sweating stage is followed by exfoliation – which is carried out by the Turks with a massaging sponge – in order to remove the devitalized epidermic cells from the skin.
After exfoliation the entire body is covered with olive-oil soap and the massaging stage starts. It is recommended to take a cold shower between steam bathing and the massage.
Interesting facts
In the traditional Arabic Hamam males and females are segregated or they are only allowed to use the muscle relaxing and detoxification effect of the hot and steamy air on different days. In Turkey bath resorts are still very popular, they are one of the important venues of social life.