A major concern for many people when they come to get a massage, especially if it’s their first time ever receiving one, is how much of their clothing they’ll need to remove and how they’ll be covered throughout the massage. It’s perfectly understandable. As your therapist, I’m asking you to put yourself in a rather vulnerable state, and I have the upmost respect for that. My focus is making you comfortable every step of the way. So there’s a few things you might want to understand so that you can stay as relaxed as possible during your massage session. 

First and foremost, as for how much of your clothing you’ll need to remove, this is entirely up to you and the type of massage you want. There are some massage techniques that can be performed while you’re fully clothed. However, the more common methods do require at least partial undressing to be able to be most effective. For example, if your back is sore from a little extra work over the weekend, I can do some compressions and mobilizations that can help while you’re fully clothed, but to access some of those deeper structures in a more precise manner, taking off your shirt will allow me to do just that for those hard to reach back muscles. That will also allow me to use lotion or oil to glide across the skin as I work, making the entire experience a whole lot more pleasant and relaxing. 

The second thing I should mention is that no matter what clothing you decide you’re comfortable removing, you will remain covered at all times. Your pelvic area and, in the case of women, the breasts will always be covered. Part of our training as massage therapists is centered around how to cover and uncover specific areas of the body while maintaining modesty. So we can uncover your leg without ever exposing anything above the thigh and tuck the linens just so to prevent any unwanted exposure. The same goes for your arms, your chest, stomach, back, and even the glutes.  

Again, my focus is on making sure you can relax and enjoy your entire massage, and part of that is covering and uncovering areas in a way that ensures your privacy while still allowing you to have the best massage experience possible. If you ever feel uncomfortable or have any questions or requests, please don’t hesitate to speak up. The last thing I want is your mind taken over by thoughts of worry or discomfort while you’re getting a massage.