Written by: Lauren Warner, Staff Writer
Although massage therapy has been around for years, it’s essentially still a “new” industry to many people and one that seems to teeter between the medical industry and the beauty industry. As a licensed massage therapist, I’ve been asked a lot of questions – which I love! I’m here to share with you some of the etiquette of the massage therapy industry and what to expect if you’ve never had the wonderful experience of a massage.
Do you have to be naked during a massage? The level of dress is entirely up to the client. Some clients get completely undressed, but the average massage client will only wear their underwear. Although I’ve had a lot of clients that prefer to keep on other clothing – sometimes even all of their clothes. A client will never be exposed and is always covered up with a massage sheet by the massage therapist. You will never be seen undressed. A client only dresses and undresses while the massage therapist is out of the room.
Do I have to tip my massage therapist? Yes. Just like your hair stylist, nail technician or a server at a restaurant, tipping someone 20% is customary in the massage therapy industry. However, having worked in a chiropractic setting, I still received tips although I didn’t always expect them because it was a medical setting. Over time, I started receiving larger tips as clients saw me more often. Now that I work in a spa setting, tip expectation is much different. I would assume I did something wrong if I never received a tip while working at a spa. If you are paying a massage therapist that works out of their home, tip expectation changes again. This one is more up to you. I always tip my massage therapist on top of her hourly rate (even though I go to her private house) but if a client doesn’t tip me (when I do outcalls) it doesn’t bother me either. Again, the average individual almost always tips 20%.
How do I know if I have a good massage therapist or not? A professional and highly skilled massage therapist will help you feel at ease and relaxed during your massage. He or she should be concerned with your comfort and ask if you prefer light or heavy pressure. They shouldn’t be talking your ear off during your hour of relaxation. A good massage therapist will listen to your concerns and try to ease pain but never attempt to diagnose anything. A good massage therapist is willing listen if a client is wanting to talk but are not trained to counsel personal issues.
Do I have to be in pain to get a massage? It’s a common misconception that you need to be in physical pain in order to schedule a massage. Massage therapists will always ask you about any physical pain or injuries you may have had as a way to better assess the client’s body as a whole. However, one of the greatest benefits of massage therapy is the feeling of well-being and relaxation it promotes. Frequent massages greatly reduce chronic stress. So if you tell your massage therapist you just want to relax, that’s all they need to hear!
What if I fall asleep during the massage? I always tell clients that falling asleep is the one of the biggest compliments that you can give your massage therapist. It’s actually very common to have someone snoring loudly on the massage table. It’s a great indicator that a client is completely relaxed.
If you’ve never had a massage, I’d recommend scheduling yourself one or asking for one for your birthday to see what all the fuss is about. Massages can reduce stress, lowers blood pressure, improves blood circulation, and promote a feeling of peace and well-being.
Re: tipping, and this is coming from an esthetician so I am 100% on the side of the massage therapist, when the practitioner is receiving 100% of the money by working out of their house or doing house calls, they should *not* expect to be tipped. They should charge what they want to make, and not expect or encourage tips on top of it. I talk openly about tipping with massage therapists I see in their homes because I'm in the industry, and I'm really surprised how many expect tips when they are the sole proprietor. I don't think it's a character thing, but we're generally just not educated on how gratuity is supposed to work. Gratuity is meant to help compensate an individual who is providing a service, but not receiving the majority of the money from that service because they are paid a base wage, commission, or they pay rent. It's not a way to make 20% more than your quoted rate.
Lauren, loved this post by you. Really great to have a licensed massage therapist answering questions! Thank you. xo
Any one who can recommend a good masseuse for Post Natal at affordable price?
Extremely poor choice in the photo that is with this article.
Why do you say that Christine?
Great post! I really love massage and it makes my week complete having this session. I have my massage at Massage Ubud in Indonesia which really gives me a complete package wherein it really satisfy the needs of my body to be relax.
Veronica re: tipping. I think your (and yes, sorry it’s more than a year since you posted your comment) view on tipping sole proprietors is a little skewed. As a sole proprietor I am not receiving “100%” of the money, quite the contrary. More than 35% is going to the government, minus costs for running the business (materials, overhead, Continuing Ed., etc.). Out of that I am paid the wage I have set for myself, which is about as much as I would be paid if I actually worked for someone else. So yes, tipping for me, a Sole Proprietor, is FULLY expected and encouraged. Especially since I am not,”receiving the majority of the money from that service because they are paid a base wage, commission, or they pay rent.”-Skye.
Great article! But I agree. It does not portray a very professional image of us therapists. She is leaning on the client and apparently not really massaging, but just kind touching. I’d like to share this but I would like to see a better pic for it.
Wonderfull article. Covers the basics for people getting their first massage so that they know what to expect.
Thanks for the information about tipping massage therapists. I think they have just as much right to be tipped as a waitor at a restaurant. I feel like there are some massage therapists who just do what’s expected, while others go the extra mile to get rid of your aches and pains.
I like how you talk about the dress code for massages. It’s true that you don’t have to be naked! Most people are discouraged from getting massages because they don’t want to do that. However, you can really wear whatever you want. Thanks for the help!
I have never had a professional massage before, but I have always wanted to. The information about what to expect in this post was really helpful to me, and I appreciated the knowledge that you should tip your masseuse 20%. I don’t have a very high pain tolerance, so the assurance that you can ask for a relaxing, not painful, massage was very comforting.