Naked, Healing, and Unbothered: How a Korean Spa Supports My HS Journey
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There’s something transformative about walking into a space where nobody’s hiding, especially when you’ve spent years hiding your skin. For those of us living with Hidradenitis Suppurativa, finding places that feel both safe and healing is rare. Korean spas, also known as ‘jjimjilbangs’ have become an unexpected sanctuary for both my mind and body.
What Exactly Is a Korean Spa?
A Korean spa, or jjimjilbang, is more than your typical spa or a place to get a facial or a quick massage. It’s an entire wellness experience rooted in rest, detoxification, and full-body care. They’re often called bathhouses too. The best part? They’re super affordable, usually open late, some even 24/7, and you pay one flat fee to enjoy a ton of amenities. Whether you book extra services or just want to relax and reset, it’s totally worth it.
Here’s what you’ll typically find:
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Gender-separated areas with hot and cold soaking tubs, steam rooms, body scrubs, yoni steams, and more
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Co-ed areas with dry saunas, clay/charcoal/salt rooms, ice and red-light rooms, nap zones, and a cafeteria offering Korean comfort food.
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A calm, screen-free vibe where the only thing on your to-do list is to be
You can stay for a few hours or spend the whole day, personally, I have an 8-hour minimum rule. These spaces are designed to help you rest, restore, and reconnect with your body… so why not soak up every minute?
My First Korean Spa Experience (Before I Even Knew What HS Was)
The first time I ever went to a Korean spa was pre-diagnosis. I was already managing symptoms of an inflammatory skin condition but had no name for it yet, it just felt like something I had to quietly survive. I was self-conscious about my scars and definitely not the kind of person who thought naked in public would ever be part of my healing journey.
One day, a friend told me and another girlfriend to pack a bag with a bathing suit and a change of clothes, gave us a mysterious address, and said not to ask too many questions. I love a good adventure, so we showed up. We pulled into an empty parking lot, and I knew we were being pranked. But the real location was a gorgeous building we'd passed earlier, one we were lowkey admiring. She didn’t give us the correct address on purpose because it would’ve ruined the surprise. Jokes on her though, I didn’t even know what a Korean spa was, so yeah…
She picked us up and took us to this magical place and told us we were about to spend the day relaxing like never before. My curiosity was definitely piqued.
At the check-in desk, they explained the rules. We got matching uniforms for the mixed-gender areas, and were told that in certain spaces, we’d need to be completely naked if we wanted to participate.
I hesitated for a second, but then figured, “If it’s not going to kill me, I’m game.”
We headed into the locker room (separated by gender), changed, and entered a whole other world. There were so many different types of sauna rooms: clay, charcoal, salt, steam each with its own unique benefit. We spent the day sweating, detoxing, and relaxing to the 1000th degree.
I was in love. Not just with the experience, but with how deeply my body responded to it. I left feeling lighter, calmer, and more connected to my skin than I had in a long time. And that day? That was the beginning of my obsession with Korean spas and a subtle but powerful shift in how I viewed healing.
🌿 5 Ways Korean Spas May Help with HS
1. Detox Through Sweat
Ok, I know a lot of warriors want to stay as dry as possible. Because the obvi, moisture isn't a flare's best friend. However, sweating is one of your body’s natural ways of releasing toxins and clearing skin pathways. Sauna sessions, especially in clay or charcoal rooms, can support the lymphatic system and reduce inflammation without harsh methods.
For HS warriors, this may help reduce inflammation, calm the immune response, and clear buildup in hair follicles that could otherwise trigger flares.
2. Improved Circulation = Better Healing
Alternating between hot and cold pools or saunas boosts blood flow. And blood flow = oxygen + nutrients = healing. It’s especially helpful in supporting tissue regeneration in HS-prone areas. That equals better support for wound healing and flare recovery.
3. Exfoliation (With Caution)
The famous Korean body scrub is amazing and can leave your skin baby soft, but not ideal during active flares. If you’re in remission or have unaffected areas, light exfoliation will help slough off dead skin and keep follicles clear. Some spas let you self-scrub with salt, which I prefer, since I can skip sensitive spots.
Bonus tip: Bring your own exfoliant, go light-handed or skip the scrub altogether and opt for a long soak + gentle rinse.
4. Stress Reduction
HS and stress go together real' bad. Jjimjilbangs are set up to melt your stress. They offer quiet zones, heated rooms to nap in, and zero outside distractions.
Think: sweat out the stress, sip some citron lemonade, nap on a heated floor, maybe some red-light therapy and repeat.
Lower stress = lower cortisol = less flare activity over time.
5. Body Acceptance
Let’s be real: when you live with a visible skin condition, public nudity can feel terrifying. But Korean spas offer a unique kind of freedom. However, there is no pressure to be naked, I've gone with people who didn't feel comfortable being fully nude, so they opted out of the tub experiences but still had an awesome time in the fully clothed co-ed areas.
This might be the biggest gift. When everyone’s naked, no one cares. Bodies of all sizes, ages, and conditions are just there. You start to see your body not as something broken, but as something human. Something worthy. That shift? It’s everything. It's a powerful shift.
🚫 What to Avoid or Modify If You Have HS
To stay safe and get the most out of your visit:
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Don’t scrub active flares. It’ll only make them angrier.
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Avoid extreme heat if your skin is inflamed, opt for warm rooms instead of the hottest saunas.
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Bring your own gentle products. Use your HS-safe cleanser, moisturizer, and healing balm post-spa to prevent irritation.
🍉 My Pre-Spa Ritual
Before heading to the spa, I like to prep my body for all the sweating, soaking, and healing. I keep it simple but intentional:
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Hydrate with purpose. I drink watermelon-infused water (sometimes with a little mint and lime) and snack on fresh watermelon to hydrate from the inside out. It’s anti-inflammatory, refreshing, and gives my skin a juicy head start.
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Light, nourishing food only. Nothing heavy, just fruit or a small gut-friendly bite to keep me fueled without weighing me down.
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Protect my skin. I apply a thin layer of balm to any flare-prone or high-friction spots before I go. A little pre-care goes a long way.
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Pack wisely. Flip-flops, gentle cleanser, healing salve, and loose clothes for post-spa comfort.
It’s a mini ritual that sets the tone and helps me get the most out of the experience.
💖 My Post-Spa Ritual
When I get home from the spa, I treat it like a healing ceremony:
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Hydrate. Over and over. I drink lots of coconut water to replenish electrolytes and keep that glow going from the inside out.
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Eat light. Just like before the spa, I stick to nourishing, easy-to-digest meals, think fruits, broths, or something anti-inflammatory. Nothing heavy, just support.
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Shower and cleanse gently. I skip anything with fragrance or harsh ingredients (which, let’s be real, we shouldn’t be using anyway).
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Apply healing balm to HS-prone or friction zones for post-detox protection.
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Rest. I nap, journal, drink tea, and let my body soak in all the benefits.
Softness is the assignment before, during, and after.
🧘🏾♀️ Empowered Takeaway
You’re allowed to take up space even in healing. Especially in healing.
Whether you’re flaring, in remission, or somewhere in between, your skin deserves rest, care, and love. And if a hot room full of naked strangers is where you find a piece of that healing?
Then babe, go sweat and glow like the radiant, resilient soul you are. Your healing deserves softness.