Panchakarma is a type of ayurvedic cleanse designed to eliminate said toxins in the body. (Ayurveda is a holistic medicine system that originated in India as many as 5,000 years ago, and informs alternative healing treatments we use still today.)

"The name 'Panchakarma' refers to five actions designed to decrease toxic buildup and bring balance to the organism by way of physical support and the administration of uniquely relevant medicines—through several applications and orifices—as well as by provoking various pathways of active purging in the context of a mono-diet fast," said Sadie Adams, owner of the buzzy Los Angeles– and New York City–based facial studio Take Care Face & Body; ayurveda expert; and Sonage ambassador. In ancient texts, the five stages include medical vomiting, enemas, bloodletting (usually by way of leeches), nasal flossing, and passing stools. Obviously things have changed since then, but there seems to be a misinterpretation about what exactly a modern Panchakarma entails.

It's true—getting massaged with copious amounts of oil and two sets of hands on the regular is part of the deal. But so is oleation, or the consumption of oil to draw toxins out of the body. Kitchari is the only thing you're permitted to eat during a traditional Panchakarma cleanse, which is an Indian dish with lentils and mung beans simmered in loads of ghee and spices. Eating this on the regular can cause more bowel movements than you're used to. Elimination is the goal. Even more intense practices like enemas with oil, coffee, and chamomile tea help move the bowels. Jala netis, or nasal cleaning with the help of a neti pot and a piece of string, also help to remove excess waste from the body, but practitioners today typically use oil. It's not all as divine as a four-handed massage, but traditional practitioners swear by these cleansing techniques for deep healing.

By traditional standards, the cleanse is supposed to last 21 days, and each week is a specific stage, but many spas like Purya in Los Angeles offer treatments in smaller time increments. And even though this treatment is thousands of years old, there seems to be a surge in people requesting a Panchakarma treatment: Jordan Younger of the Balanced Blonde shared her Panchakarma cleanse earlier this year, and now celebrities like Busy and Hannah Bronfman are buzzing about it, too.

"Panchakarma may be making its way to the mainstream for its holistic approach as well as its efficacy as a multifaceted, down-to-earth cleanse," said Adams. "People are warming up to the idea of taking care of oneself, as well as preventive medicine practices that treat the individual and focus on root causes of imbalances rather than only the symptoms, help to address bodily imbalances and chronic diseases."