A Spicy ‘Spa Weekend’ Scene Shows Acupressure Boosting Desire—but Does It Really Work?
An expert shares a simple how-to guide for recreating this massage at home
Key Takeaways
- ‘Spa Weekend’ stars Leslie Mann, Isla Fisher, Michelle Buteau and Anna Faris.
- A viral clip shows Adam Demos using acupressure to 'unlock' Mann's character's emotions.
- An acupuncture expert says two key points, Pericardium 6 and Heart 7, can help rev desire.
Looking for a good laugh? Then be sure to catch Spa Weekend, starring Leslie Mann, Isla Fisher, Michelle Buteau and Anna Faris in theaters this weekend! It’s funny, driven by female friendship and filled with laugh-out-loud moments that everyone will love. Don’t believe us? Just watch the clip above that features a funny—and sensual—moment from the movie. And it turns out there’s some real science behind this spicy scene. Keep reading to learn more about the film and how acupressure really can help spark desire.
What is ‘Spa Weekend’ about?
Spa Weekend is a female-centric comedy written and directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, the creators of Bad Moms. It’s rated R and the plot follows three friends—Jane (Mann), Coco (Buteau) and Sophie (Faris) after their spa weekend gets crashed by their trainwreck friend Mel (Fisher).
“Half the time, the hardest part of this job for me personally was trying not to laugh as I’m entering a scene,” Adam Demos, who plays Mann’s onscreen love interest Kai, told People magazine earlier this month. “Because I’m watching how funny these ladies are, and then I’m trying to keep it together.”
All about the spicy ‘Spa Weekend’ scene
Ahead of the movie’s release, Woman’s World got the chance to see a sneak peek of the film, featuring Demos and Mann. In it, Demos’s character Kai can be seen giving Mann’s character a form of acupressure massage on her hand. Mann’s character moans with pleasure before claiming she can’t feel it. Kai then moves to a different part of Jane’s hand, which he says will help her get in touch with her emotions. Jane then begins to tear up, but doubles down that she cannot feel a thing.
It’s funny, sensual and really captures the essence of this hilarious film. But is it real? We spoke to an expert who revealed if hand acupressure can really help you tap into your sensual and emotional side.
Can acupressure really boost sensuality?
According to Andrea Izquierdo, a doctor of acupuncture with over 10 years of experience, acupressure “works by stimulating acupuncture points in the body to elicit a chemical chain reaction in your body. Depending on which acupressure points we press, they will have a particular action.”
Izquierdo explains that pressing down on a key point known as the “Pericardium 6,” which can be found in the inner forearm/wrist, a few finger-widths above the wrist crease, and “Heart 7,” which can be found on the wrist crease on the pinky side, can help calm the mind and help people feel more sensual. It can even help ease menopause symptoms.
“Our bodies aren’t going to be able to get into a state where sexual desire can flow naturally if there’s a lot of stress or anxiety. These points can help calm the mind and get you into a state where you feel centered and calm, allowing those desires to flow more naturally,” she explains. That said, “There can also be underlying conditions for why a woman is experiencing low libido. In those cases, I would recommend getting further evaluation by a medical professional or acupuncturist.” One condition that may fly under the radar: hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), or persistent low desire that causes distress.
“In terms of menopause and anxiety, Pericardium 6 also helps clear heat, which goes hand in hand with menopause symptoms where there may be hot flashes or night sweating,” she continues. “Pericardium 6 is a good point to help clear heat, open up the chest, improve energy in the heart and calm the mind.”
What about bringing emotions to the surface?
In the film, after helping her release parts of her sensual side, Kai moves to a different part of Jane’s palm to help her release the more emotional side. While Izquierdo says that there’s no hard science behind hand acupressure and emotional release, she does say that there are some more holistic beliefs surrounding the phenomenon.
“Acupuncture points have been shown scientifically to access the central nervous system, and these points have traditionally been used in Chinese medicine for that reason,” she explains. “There aren’t scientific studies particularly on these two specific acupressure points for this purpose, so I wouldn’t say there’s scientific evidence specifically showing that pressing these two points creates emotional release. What we do know is that acupuncture points access the central nervous system. Acupressure gives us a way to stimulate these points ourselves. It’s something that we always have available to us.”
How to try acupressure at home
If you are wanting to try hand acupressure yourself, Izquierdo recommends keeping your routine simple.
“Focus on Pericardium 6 and Heart 7. Massage the points on both hands using a circular motion and link the pressure with your breath. Breathe deeply while you’re massaging the points. Spend about 30 to 60 seconds on each area and go through three rounds,” she says, “The important part is to focus on the pressure, massage the area and link it with your breathing. It’s a simple tool you can use to help calm the mind and nervous system and bring the body into a more centered, calm state.”
Need a visual guide? Check out these short clips on how to massage Pericardium 6 and Heart 7.
Spa Weekend is in theaters now.
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