# Body Wrapping? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 9, 2001, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-wrapping/53838 "2001-02-09T21:23:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![meek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@meek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meek)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-wrapping/53838/1 "2001-02-09T21:23:33Z")
Forgive me if this has been answered already - my search on this topic did not return anything useful. A lady friend of mine told me she was going to get a “Body Wrap” done at her salon. She said it helped her lose inches from her waist and thighs. I suggested that she’d probably get the same results if she used a tensor bandage in a sauna. Was I wrong? Are these treatments beneficial to the body? ---
**Author:** ![Stupendous\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Stupendous\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stupendous_man)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-wrapping/53838/2 "2001-02-09T22:48:27Z")
I found this online: “Body wraps offered by salons and spas also usually promise more than they deliver. Wrapping the body can purge tissues of excess water. Following treatment, patrons may fit into smaller dresses or notch their belts tighter, but the effect is temporary and it doesn’t reduce body fat…” Seems like one of those fancy-sounding modern crap treatments to me. ---
**Author:** ![lesa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/34f0e0/32.png) [@lesa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lesa)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-wrapping/53838/3 "2001-02-09T23:17:08Z")
Also be skeptical of any promise to reduce your size by “inches.” The usual technique is to measure you many times, and add up all the measurements. So if you lose 1/8 inch just above the knee, and 1/8 inch a little above that, and 1/8 inch a little higher, etc. - they add it all up and call it an inch. So if they measure in 10 places, they call that 1 2/8 inches. “But that’s not all…” Of course, you have two legs, so they then measure the other one. They add that to the first one - wow! You lost 2 1/2 inches!!! Uh, no. It’s only 1/8 inch. If people didn’t fall for this I would think it was funny. After all, why stop at measuring in 10 places? Why not measure in 100 places on each leg? Then measure in 100 places on the torso. Hey, how did that body wrap work? Great! I lost 50 inches! I completely disappeared! ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2001, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-wrapping/53838/4 "2001-02-10T23:39:02Z")
Also, fat will compress temporarily (say, less than a day) - so the body wrap will cause you to lose a bit around the waist and hips just long enough for them to talk you into buying more sessions. You don’t actually lose that much water weight. Actually all she needs is a box or two of Saran Wrap and a good friend 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JavaMaven1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@JavaMaven1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JavaMaven1)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-wrapping/53838/5 "2001-02-11T03:21:04Z")
The only good reason to get a body wrap is when you’re trying to look a little slimmer for a special day occasion, i.e. a reunion, when you want to fit into a slightly smaller size. It all starts to come back, though, once you take that first drink of water… ---
**Author:** ![meek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@meek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meek)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-wrapping/53838/6 "2001-02-11T06:01:15Z")
I’ll pass this useful information on to her. I agree **Stupendous man**. It seems like one of those fancy-sounding modern crap treatments to me too. She also claims that this treatment is good for her skin. :rolleyes: Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-wrapping/53838/7 "2001-02-11T14:01:15Z")
> [@](#): > > Seems like one of those fancy-sounding modern crap treatments to me crap - yes modern? - wasn’t there a I Love Lucy show where Lucy and Ethal used a body wrap? ---
**Author:** ![meek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@meek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meek)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-wrapping/53838/8 "2001-02-11T20:06:54Z")
Probably **k2dave** - or was it a mud bath in that episode? I can’t remember. 🙂 ```auto Anyone know what the "treated solution" is that they soak all the wrapping in? My guess is a mild skin cleanser. To think they charge her almost $80 for this stuff. (Although I don't know if that included her hair cut.) ```