Question from @sunjammers via Twitter

QUESTION:

When a massage therapist tells you to undress to your comfort level, what exactly does this mean?

ANSWER:

Most people feel most comfortable leaving on their underwear for a massage, but some enjoy going completely nude. Just know that to most therapist if you leave your underwear on, they will not work your gluts (i.e. butt region). I do most of my glut work through the sheet anyways, so having underwear on doesn't matter to me. Some therapist will request that you go nude. This would be your judgement call. Some spas will give you a robe especially if you have more than one service, so you don't have to keep undressing and dressing. Again, it's your choice how far to undress. I do have a few female clients that leave their bras on (especially if they are nursing moms) and that's fine with me. It's really easy to work around it or just unhook it and re-hook it when done.

A former coworker of mine said that when she got massaged in the Midwest, the therapist would move her underwear in order to work her gluts, but my opinion is that this is extremely unprofessional and unsanitary. Thai massage, chair massage and some reflexology massages allow the client to remain completely clothed if you don't feel comfortable enough to undress. Don't ever worry or be self conscious about your body while getting a massage. Your licensed and certified massage therapist has seen hundreds of different clients and body shapes/sizes. Professional draping will allow for an enjoyable, relaxing massage with your modesty in consideration and just communicate to your therapist the areas that you want to be worked on.