Soaking in a wet pile of hay is one of the newest fads in skincare and pain relief.
The procedure, which is supposed to be based on a centuries-old method, is available at an Italian resort.
Farmers in the Schlern Dolomites would rest among bales of hay and awaken feeling rejuvenated.
In order to relieve joint discomfort, the modern interpretation of this typically entails spending 20 minutes wrapped in hay and herbs.
The assertions that hay baths help reduce pain, however, are unsupported by clinical research or investigations, and many medical experts believe that any positive effects are purely anecdotal.
Hay bathing has] been around for hundreds of years. Farmers in Austria used to sleep on hay as a convenience but soon realised the health advantages of doing so.
The hay was used as a pain reliever, purportedly treating obesity, stiff joints, stiff necks and muscular cramps.
Additionally, farmers reportedly discovered that they would be brimming with vitality when they woke up in their hay bale. Soon, many other locals yearned for that "fresh out of the hay" radiance, and hay bathing developed into a recognised phenomena.
The traditional custom is currently gaining momentum.
Hay baths are expected to come back into fashion in 2022, according to trend forecasting website WGSN.
Hay bathing was listed among the top three trends in the wellness industry in a recent report by a forecasting company, along with "energetic healing" and marijuana massages.
Still perplexed? Here is how they function: The paper stated that treatments "employ fermented alpine hay together with medicinal herbs like arnica, heather and thyme, which are abundant in essential oils."
Hay is soaked in hot water that's about 40°C as you relax in a large wooden tub. A stable hand would be on hand to swat the flies away and clean your brow when it all got too much during the 40-minute treatment in which the hay reached a temperature of 60°C.
The spa visitor is then wrapped securely in this steaming, wet grass for about 20 minutes.
After that, there comes a comedown phase where you are covered in plush linen sheets and your skin continues to absorb the hay's natural oils.
However, there is one item we would want to bring back from the treatments of yore – the wine – even if we think that sounds far more restful than the traditional hay baths.
Traditional hay bathing would involve drinking a lot of wine, but since alcohol causes you to become dehydrated, it's probably not a good idea to indulge in a drink after your bath.
And if you're curious about what a hay bath feels like, let's face it, it sounds a little bit prickly.
Adrian Bridge, a British travel writer, tested the Heubad treatment on his YouTube channel, and this only served to reinforce our worst fears about this trend.
He said that the process was "excruciating" and "itchy," and that the fermented hay smelt awful. Additionally, he believed there might have been bugs in the hay, which wasn't ideal given the lack of a post-treatment wash.
Sadly, there aren't any locations in South Africa that now provide the option of being buried alive in silage for the sake of tranquilly. But don't worry, we're sure to catch on eventually.
You can travel to northern Italy in the interim to experience the original hay bath. Hay isn't just for horses, as it turns out.
Read the latest issue of IOL Health digital magazine here.