Getting rid of pesky weight-gain areas can be a nightmare. If hours on the treadmill are not giving you the stomach you desire, maybe a trip to the salon could help flatten your abs.

Body wrapping, an increasingly popular technique now offered at select salons across the country, can provide a quick and easy solution for those problem areas.

Surprisingly enough, the practice of wrapping bodies as a beauty treatment has been around for more than 30 years. Victoria Morton founded and developed the formula, which initially was only reserved for the Hollywood elite. However, beginning in the late nineties, salon owners throughout the U.S. became certified in this now popular technique.

Lauri Matthews, a former nurse and owner of Healthy Image Body Wraps, discusses why she recommends body wraps for total body renewal. Incidentally, Matthews has been working with body wraps for almost two years.

aFm: How can you tell if the body wraps work?
Matthews: The body wraps work because they assist in flushing unwanted waste products and chemicals from the body. Once this begins to happen, positive results can be seen. For example, the skin begins to tighten, tone and smooth, problem areas begin to decrease and energy levels improve. Most users report an overall improvement in appearance and a feeling of enhanced well-being.

aFm: How often do you suggest receiving a body wrap?
Matthews: Our wraps are made of all-natural electrolytes and minerals, so there is no toxicity. Therefore, one can get as many wraps as often as they desire. For special occasions such as weddings, parties, reunions, etc., some people even choose to have several wraps in a single day to achieve maximum results. Most people however, have one to two wraps per week until their goals are met. Once those goals are achieved, a maintenance wrap every other month or so helps the body push out any newly stored toxins and impurities.

aFm: Why is a body wrap a favorable alternative to conventional weight loss methods?
Matthews: We work from a system and I always tell people they’ve got to work on their own methods to maintain weight loss. We can help the troubled, specific areas, but we can’t be responsible for overall health. However, using body wraps is a terrific motivator to keep up a healthy image.