The Turkish bath, also known as the Hammam, is a traditional ritual dedicated to the care of the body and mind that has very ancient origins, particularly in the cultures of Asia Minor and the Middle East.
Today, the steam bath is still synonymous with pleasure and regeneration-a salus per aquam experience that is increasingly sought after, in accommodations as well as inside our homes.
The Hammam is a hot steam bath that regenerates and purifies the body. This practice involves staying in a space with humidity up to 100 percent and a relatively low temperature of about 48°C. On the right balance between these values depends the quality of the experience and the benefits to our body.
The origins of the Hammam or steam bath go back much further and are closely related to the ancient Roman bathing tradition. This culture of hygiene was later adopted and developed by the Byzantines and then the Muslims after the conquest of Constantinople in the 15th century.
Saunas and steam baths are both types of hot baths but differ significantly in terms of the environment and the type of heat used.
In a sauna, the environment is usually dry and hot, with temperatures as high as 100°C. Heat is generated by a stove that heats volcanic stones, and humidity is relatively low (20-30%). The sauna is generally composed of wood, as the environment is particularly dry. As the fine wood heats up, it releases particularly pleasant natural aromas. Users sit on wooden benches or beds and can pour water over the hot stones to momentarily increase humidity and generate steam, if they wish. Sauna sessions usually last about 10 minutes and are interspersed with cooling down or cold showers.
In the Turkish bath, on the other hand, the environment is very humid (100 percent humidity), with relatively low temperatures ranging from about 40°C to 48°C. In modern Hammams, the air is enriched with steam through special equipment called steam generators. Using technologies developed in-house, the steam generators manage to ensure a very high quality of steam: very dense, purified, almost completely lime-free, and uniform over time. For Turkish baths, materials are used that must be able to withstand the constant change in humidity and the action of water, so no wood is used but stones specially prepared for skin contact or more contemporary materials, such as Slimtech or porcelain stoneware.
In general, both saunas and hammams offer benefits for relaxation and well-being.
Modern hammams can also be built at home, in one’s own shower, or in a specially designed space. The quantity and quality of steam in the room used as a Turkish bath is regulated by mechanisms of very sophisticated technology, called steam generators. Steam generators are special boilers that take running water, purify it, decalcify it, and transform it into hot steam that is introduced of the Hammam through the steam nozzles.
The steam dispensers also have important functions: they regulate the speed of introduction, the way the steam circulates through the cabin without stratifying, and they check temperature and density.
The Turkish bath, a hydrotherapeutic treatment in the form of hot steam, has incredible benefits on the general psychophysical condition of those who are about to fully enjoy its pleasant effects. Stress and the annoying consequences that result from this physiological reaction find an effective remedy in the fulfillment and general relaxation that steam brings to body and mind.
Indeed, the steam bath acts as an excellent antidote to tension, relieving all forms of stress.
But the well-being derived from the steam bath is not limited to the psyche. In fact, there are numerous benefits that the body derives from a Hammam session.
In fact, the action of temperature and steam stimulates the pores of the skin to open, inducing sweating. This is a natural and healthy effect because, in this way, a deep cleansing of the epidermis is promoted through the elimination of toxins and impurities. Cell renewal is accompanied by a positive effect in reducing skin problems, such as acne and dermatitis.
The beneficial properties of the steam bath also benefit those suffering from localized pain: a deep cleansing of the epidermis through the elimination of toxins and impurities. Cellular renewal is then accompanied by a positive effect in reducing skin problems, such as acne and improved circulation in fact results in greater oxygen supply to damaged areas and this can only mean a direct reduction in pain, for faster healing.
