Frequently Asked Questions

What type of fabric do you use?
The fabrics I use are premium quality, 100% cotton quilting fabrics, made by manufacturers such as

Robert Kauffman, Clothworks and Maywood Studio.

	Medium Heat Therapy Pillow

The flaxseed is organic, are the herbs also organic?
The fillings for my pillows are all organic. The flaxseeds are purchased from a Wholesaler of Natural Foods located in Marin County (just north of San Francisco). Their sources are from both inside the US and Canada and are certified organic. The chamomile and about half of the lavender I use come from mountainroseherbs.com. The spearmint and the other half of the lavender is grown in my garden.

What is the life expectancy of the pillow?
This depends of course upon how often you use it and how well you take care of it. If you use it only occasionally, it should last several years. If you are using it 3 -4 times a day, every day, expect 3-4 years of use. (I have heated each of my personal and in office pillows well over a thousand times. ...I have had each of them for 3 to 4 years, and they still look good and hold heat well.)

When using the pillows for massage, do you place them directly on the skin, or on a sheet or towel?
For Massage therapy: I always place the heat therapy pillows on top of the sheet and blanket I normally have over the client, you could also use a towel between the skin and the heat therapy pillow.

For Personal Use: It is best to have something between the Heat Therapy Pillow and the skin, both for comfort and to prolong the life of the pillow. I often tuck the body wrap behind the collar of my shirt or pajamas, or place the Large Heat Therapy Pillow on the bed between the sheets and duvet.

Placing ANY heating pad or cold pack directly on the skin is not recommended.

How long does it take to heat them?
It depends on the model and power of your microwave.… for a typical microwave, approx 1 to 1 1/2 min for med, 2 to 3 min for large, 2 min for the body wrap. If you have an older model microwave (over 10 years old), it may take up to twice as long.

How long do they retain the heat?
Flax seed pillows will retain heat for around 25 minutes. If under a blanket or sweater, they will retain the heat for longer (up to several hours). How long they retain heat will also depend on how warm the room is and how large your heating pad is.

Chai enjoying her heating pad

Do you make other sizes?
The only custom pillow I make is the Extra Large Heat Therapy Pillow. It is similar to the Large Heat Therapy Pillow, but longer, measuring approxmately 12 by 35 inches, and containing 6 3/4 lbs of flaxseed. This is a BIG heating pad, so please be sure that you have a large enough microwave to hold it.
If you'd like to order one, please email me for more information. (I will need to have a follow up phone call, so please include a phone number and good times to call.)I am not making custom pillows at this time.

How long will it take for me to receive my Heat Therapy Pillow?
This depends on how busy I am. Each pillow is hand made to order. Most of the time I can make the product within 2 days of receiving the order. (Sometimes the same day.) However, during the busy season (October thru March, and especially just before Christmas) it may take a little longer. If it will take more then 3 business days to prepare and mail the order, I will post that information on the SHIPPING page.

If you are ordering my products as a gift and have a deadine to meet, please call or email, and I will let you know how long until the product is ready to ship. From then on the product will be in the hands of United States Postal Service Priority Mail, which should take 2-4 days, depending upon where in the United States you are located. Wellness Massage is located in California.

Flax seeds are great for retaining heat or cold. Flax-filled heated pillows provide a gentle, moist heat, which promotes healing, while their therapeutic weight is gentle and conforms to the body.

Flax seeds are flower seeds rather than grain (such as rice). They contain 30-40% oil, which remains inside the seed to be warmed again and again. Most grain products loose their ability to retain heat as the water cooks out of them over time.

When heated, flax seed pillows retain half their heat after an hour. Under the covers, the pillow will still be warm hours later.

Flaxseed pillows may also be chilled for a calming and soothing cold pack. Use to cool a sunburn, fever, hot flashes or inflammation, or place on the neck or wrists to cool down on a hot day.