Before I became a massage therapist I’d had a few massages, not too many, but every single time I would stand there wondering, “Take them off or leave them on?” I’m talking about underwear, panties, drawers, tighty whiteys, we had a variety of names for them when I was a kid. After I grew up I learned that going without was called, “Going Commando,” which I personally think is better suited to the gentleman as a term. But, I digress…
Recently I had a client come in completely freaked out. It seems she had run out of the house that morning ‘Commando’. Is that the way you use that term? I don’t know, but you get what I’m saying. She stood in front of me like a child, chin to chest and “confessed.” I think she expected me to send her home or scold her. Instead I just started laughing. Perhaps not the most professional response, but I just couldn’t help myself and she’s that kind of client.
When I was in massage school our instructors would stride through the lab proclaiming, “And you are required to take your underwear off for labs.” Thus we learned to work the glutes uninhibited. When we started working on the public for our practicals, underwear became a tricky subject. One instructor insisted practice clients be nude, another wasn’t so insistent and let the client choose. Thus we learned to work the glutes around and through underclothes. Both equally important skills.
So what is my policy at Harvest Moon Massage? I let the client choose. I tell them that the more they take off, the better their massage will be as I will be able to more efficiently work the hips and glutes. Some choose to remove, others not so much. I’m fine with both and I think most massage therapists feel the same way though I have been to some who tell you to keep your drawers on. I’m not sure what’s up with that, perhaps they’ve had some kind of trouble in the past. I just find it hard not to remove. After a year of getting massages in school and learning how much better a massage can be on the glutes and hips when the therapist has free access I just can’t not.
Of course, all of this talk about removing underwear brings up the subject of trust. It’s hard to bare it all to someone. I’m going to write a separate post on that. But for now, just know that it’s ok. Whatever you’re comfortable with, I can work with.
Harvest Moon Massage is Decatur, Alabama’s Exclusive Provider of Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy, Ashi-Thai and Bamboo-Fusion Massage
Going through school I was actually taught to have the clients leave them on, for the client’s comfort. Although I also learned how to work over them, around them, etc. It was also a point to learn how to drape properly if the client took them off as to not expose them. As long as you know how to drape properly, it’s not really a big deal to most clients/therapists either way.
Sometimes I’ll have clients that choose not to remove their bra, once I even had a client leave her pants because her legs were so ticklish, and instead of ignoring them like most therapists had up to that point, I gave her a fantastic compression massage on her legs and she was thrilled that it didn’t tickle her and that I didn’t ignore them completely. I guess the way you approach any situation can make or break your client’s level of comfort.
I personally don’t mind if they take them off or leave them on, I just respect any clothing that the client leaves on as a personal boundary, and check in with them about if they would like the area addressed or not.
Well said, Stephanie. I am a big proponent of meeting the client where they are.
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