How to Heat Stones for a Hot Stone Massage

A hot stone massage is one of the most relaxing and soothing services one can enjoy from a licensed massage therapist. The heat and smooth texture of the stones combine to relieve aches and pains and soothe away stress. You can buy and heat your own stones at home with a few simple items and easy-to-follow steps. The cost is minimal and the result is a sense of warmth and relaxation that will chase away winter chills and the aches and pains that accompany them.

Things You'll Need

• Set of stones (the most commonly used are basalt stones; found at health food stores and natural markets)
• Electric skillet
• Wooden tongs

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Instructions

• 1

  Place the basalt stones in the bottom of an electric skillet in a single layer. Add enough water to cover the stones by about one-half inch.

• 2

  Turn the electric skillet on medium high heat. Since all electric skillets are different and may heat up at a faster or slower rate, you will need to play with the temperature and adjust it accordingly. The idea is to heat the stones to a deep warmth without making them so hot that they burn the skin or make the person getting the massage startle at their excess warmth.

• 3

  Test the warmth of the stones by removing them one at a time from the electric skillet with a pair of wooden tongs. (Wooden tongs won't destroy the non-stick finish in the electric skillet.)

• 4

  Determine that the stones have reached the proper temperature when you can remove one from the skillet and hold it in both hands without it feeling like it is too warm to the touch.

• 5

  Turn the skillet down to a setting that is above "warm" but significantly cooler than the medium high heat you used when first beginning to heat up the stones to keep them at the right temperature.