With a body wrap, you’ll feel as though you’re treating your whole body to a facial mask. Pamper yourself with this spa treatment, designed to help rid your skin of toxins. To learn more about its benefits, read on.

A body wrap, sometimes called a body cocoon or a body mask, is a spa treatment in which a technician slathers your entire body with mud, seaweed, or another substance — the way you would apply a facial mask — then swaths you in plastic, elastic, sheets, or towels that keep you warm and encourage perspiration.Some spas offer body wraps designed for quick weight loss — the perspiration the wrap stimulates can lead to the loss of water weight. But most offer wraps designed either to rid the body of toxins or to soften and moisturize the skin. Because the treatments are relaxing, many people also find them effective for the relief of stress.

Before your body wrap. Once you’ve booked an appointment for a wrap, no preparation is necessary, though you’ll want to shower and shave beforehand, both to feel more comfortable during your treatment and to remove any dirt, grime, or hair that could interfere with the wrap’s effectiveness.

During your body wrap. Once you’ve undressed, your technician will probably start the wrap with a quick exfoliation session, either with a dry brushing or with a salt or sugar scrub. Exfoliating before the wrap helps rid your skin of dead cells that could block the effects of the wrap; it can also help open up your pores, to increase the wrap’s effectiveness.

Depending on what your spa offers and what you prefer, you might be covered with clay, mud, seaweed, algae, lotion, or cream, to which herbs, vitamins, enzymes, or minerals have been added. A wrap is not a massage, though some spas pair the treatments or include wraps in multitreatment packages. Once your skin is slathered, your clinician will wrap you in plastic or elastic and leave you in the wrap for, generally, 20 minutes. (The entire treatment may take one hour or more.) You might be left alone during this time, or you might be treated to a scalp massage while the treatment remains on your skin.

Wraps may help reduce fine lines and improve skin tone, and the relaxing they encourage can help reduce stress. The stimulation of the skin may help improve circulation. Various wrap ingredients are designed for specific benefits:

• Salts may help with exfoliation.
• Mud or aloe vera may help remove toxins.
• Seaweed may help tighten the skin and reduce the appearance of cellulite.
• Lotions with emollients may help soften the skin.

After your body wrap. Your technician will unwrap you, and you’ll either shower or berinsed off with a handheld or Vichy shower. The treatment will likely be finished with an application of moisturizer.Wraps range in price from $80 to $300, depending on the spa, the length of time of your treatment, and the ingredients included in your wrap. They are often offered as part of a package of spa treatments.

Most people can safely enjoy body wraps, but the treatment is not recommended for people who have diabetes or high blood pressure, those who are undergoing certain treatments for cancer, or pregnant women. If you’re claustrophobic, you might not feel comfortable during a wrap, which fits snugly around the body.

If, however, you think you’re someone who could benefit from such a treatment, try a body wrap — it can be pleasurable as well as therapeutic.