It's not your typical spa experience, but celebrities and TV reality stars have made it a mainstream go to spa treatment to help them rebound from a cold or a long night of one too many drinks. They are called IV infusions, and it is a custom made cocktail mix of various vitamins and nutrients delivered via a saline drip. It claims to help with fatigue, a weak immune system, and even hangovers.
"It is definitely a comfortable experience. The worst part of it is the three second needle poke -- and other than that, once the needle gets removed and you have the little plastic catheter all is good," said Stefanie Perez, Viu Spa.
Stefanie says her spa has recently seen a bump in business after celebrities like Rihanna posted pictures of herself getting the treatment on social media. "Rihanna is popular for having on her Instagram a bunch of photos of her having IV infusions, and she calls it the party girl drip."
The average treatment consists of 500 to 1000 ml of fluid and it takes about one hour to complete.
Board Certified Physician Uma Rao says, vitamin infused IV treatments can be beneficial, but only for specific patients. "The elderly because they have natural atrophy to the stomach, so they can't absorb vitamin B12, or people who are sick with cancer and maybe they can't eat."
Doctor Rao also says, if you are going to try an IV infusion ask what is it. The safest supplements will be vitamins that are water soluble.
