Students do not have to look far or dig deep into their wallets to be pampered on a routine basis and create a healthy lifestyle at the same time.Prices for massage therapy are now more affordable than ever across the nation, and businesses in the Fort Worth area are a part of that trend.

“Nails, tanning, facials – so many of these services that were once considered luxury items are now becoming affordable, and massage is just one of those,” said Frank Stockton, owner of the Fort Worth franchise Massage Envy.

The franchise has had great success in drawing in clients with their $39, one-hour introductory sessions.

“Even the wealthy want to save money, and they come here,” Stockton said.

The Fort Worth location of Massage Envy has seen its fair share of students from TCU ranging from athletes, to groups of girl friends, to young men shopping for gifts.

Perhaps Massage Envy’s signature purple, “coincidentally the same purple that TCU has,” is what helps to draw students in, Stockton said.

The Fort Worth School of Massage also offers reasonable prices for a massage session. The School sees about three to five TCU students a month, said Joetta Payne the school director and owner.

According to their Web site, the School offers hour-long massages by their students for $30 and other spa services ranging from $45 to $60.

“It’s not just for the rich and spoiled,” Payne said. “Which is what people think of a lot when they think of getting a massage.”

Though the prices at both the school and Massage Envy are low, Payne said, the service and experience is not expected to downgrade at all.

“It really is upscale,” Stockton said. “Our goal is to give somebody a $150 to $200 experience for $40.”

In addition to the affordability, massages are becoming mainstream because people are realizing that it is a part of a healthy lifestyle, Stockton said.

Massage can boost your immune system for up to 48 hours afterwards, increase your circulation, get rid of toxins and metabolic waste, cure headaches and back aches and improve skin tone, Payne said.

“Massage is like working out,” Payne said. “The more you do it, the better your body responds to it.”

One of the most frequent ailments that clients come in with is stress, Payne said. She believes that today’s students have more stress in general because of the demand of homework, keeping a job and life’s uncertainties.

Stress causes you to get sick, and massage therapy can take care of this problem, Payne said. For everyone, half way through a massage your blood pressure drops, she said.

The younger, the better, Stockton said in reference to what a good age is to begin getting massages.

Students and faculty can also take advantage of the health benefits from massages at the Campus Recreation Center, which offers massage therapy and spa services. For $50 you can get a one-hour stress-reducing full body massage, according to the Campus Recreation Web site.

Molly Boulay, a sophomore interior design major, frequents the Rec Center’s massage department for health reasons.

“I started getting massages when I was 17 after I had a really bad car accident,” Boulay said. “It really makes you feel better.”

Massage therapy not only relaxes or heals patients but it can bring satisfaction to the providers as well.

“I know they feel good when they leave,” Stockton said. “It makes me feel good to know that I helped someone receive something that they appreciate.