The heat is on

How hammams are becoming a worldwide wellness trend

- STEPHANIE VERMILLION

I'VE TRIED COUNTLESS lotions and potions for healthy skin, but never in my life have I experienced a full-body glow like the one following my trip to a Moroccan hammam.

In these public bathhouses, appointed attendants lead you through a series of steamy bathing and exfoliation rooms that range from warm to toasty to cold.

I experienced this beauty bliss more than a decade ago, but in recent years, the traditional hammam has soared in popularity among travellers, with resorts and spas around the world offering either authentic or innovative variations of the timeless treatment. Some predict the market for hammams will more than double in the next ten years. Bathing culture's recent rise is most evident through the cold-plunge craze. And while jumping into cold waters and ice buckets has its health rewards, you need the hot component for the full benefits. Hammams, which incorporate the yin and yang of temperatures, hit two growing travel areas: wellness and cultural immersion.

According to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, hammam-style bathhouses – which are separated by gender – were prevalent during the Roman Empire. They abounded across Europe and North Africa to the Eastern Mediterranean, and typically followed a hot-warm-cold process like the one I enjoyed in Rabat, Morocco. In addition to improving skin – a by-product of the deep exfoliation, purifying steam and moisturising – the hammam is believed to aid respiratory health, detoxify the body, foster relaxation and even improve sleep.