Real Men Don't Do Facials, Or Do They? aka How to Lose a Cold in 72 Hours

My last two past articles were about traveling and eating in Shanghai and Singapore (see past articles.) So, I thought I would digress a bit this week.....


First the Cold

I caught a cold - a really bad one - a few weeks ago and only lost it last week. That's almost 2 weeks! It had all the usual symptoms: a nasty fever, an unrelenting cough and all-round aches.
I was spent and not my usual self.

I seldom get sick.....perhaps once a year. But, with a heavy events, filming and travel schedule, it was bound to catch up to me. It did.

I tried everything. I even traveled up to Shanghai for 4 days with my frat brother, Dr. Lim, and that didn't help a bit! I guess the alcohol, cigars and late nights countered the effect of having a doctor by my side 20 hours a day!

So, I was ready for anything that worked.....I was ready for my own remedy.

First came a 1 hour steam bath at my club. In the steam, out of the steam, into a cool shower.....over and over again. Yeah, sweat it out. If it works for the Scandanavians, it should work for me.

Second, I soaked for another hour in the club's jacuzzi.....almost 40 degrees C......with all the jets pounding my aching body. Ah, hydro-therapy....it was beginning to work.

Third, I had a deep heat massage and brought my own bottle of Tiger Balm. This was a 45 minute trip to heaven!

But, all of this was still not enough.....what could I try next?


Off to the Spa


I've only been to a day spa a few times in my life. Once to a day spa in Hong Kong after one of my many pollution-filled trips to China.

Once to a terrific 10, 000 square foot weekend spa with it's own spa suites in Haikou, China, near the airport.

And, another time to the Queen of Spas, Chiva Som, in Thailand. So, I guess I'm not a novice with spas, but I'm not exactly a regular either.

I managed to find a day spa in Singapore after my Tiger Balm massage was about to wear off. It was located in the center of town at Ngee An City above the Takashimaya department store.

After side stepping their pitch to buy a few thousand dollars of treatment, I finally agreed to try a facial with all the works....the eyes, the neck etc!

Now, being in the TV business, I'm familiar with makeup and pruning. But, I never really thought real men did facials or if facials were really enjoyable until.......

First, there's was the microscope analysis by a sweet 20 something from Malaysia. My skin was wrecked. Too much sun from biking, hiking and beach volleyball; not enough sun block; and, not enough sleep! I didn't have the heart to tell her I was also sick as heck with this nasty cold!

Women will know this, but for the guys sake....treatment began with an icy, but soft facial scrub.....some tonic patted into the skin.......a full scale attack on the black heads and white heads......a massive collagen massage for my eyes, face and neck performed by some high tech penetrating tool......and, finally a heavy mask each with a great scent and cool temperature directly on my face with a thin gauze-like fabric placed over it and then a heavy layer of thick-as-mud ointment which weighed at least a kilo.....

I was left to sleep for at least 3o minutes while the mask worked without suffocating me.

It was a terrific experience.....probably something I wouldn't brag about with my jock friends from high school track or my iron pumping buddies at the gym, but it was 2 hours of pampering, a few zzzzzzzz and a great feeling afterwards.

After two more days of steam baths, jacuzzis and massages....the cold was gone, too!

Hey, fellas, the women have been holding out on us.....give it a try!