Do You Keep Your Clothes On During a Massage?

This is probably the question I get asked most often before a first booking. People don't always ask it directly, but it comes up in different ways: what should I wear, what do I need to do, what happens when I arrive.

The short answer is that for most of the treatments I offer, you'll undress to your underwear and lie under a sheet or towel. But let me be a bit more specific about how it works.

How draping works

I use draping throughout every session. That means only the area being worked on is uncovered at any one time. Everything else stays covered by a sheet or towel.

In practice: if I'm working on your back, the sheet covers your legs. When I move to your legs, the back is re-covered. You're never fully uncovered during the session.

A lot of clients feel much more relaxed once they've seen how it works in practice. It's straightforward, and it's designed entirely around keeping you comfortable.

What to wear underneath

For deep tissue massage, sports massage, relaxing massage, and Harmonoflow, most people wear underwear beneath the sheet. That's all you need. Some clients prefer to keep a bra on during back work, which is fine. I'll just work around it.

If you're more comfortable keeping more clothing on, that's also fine, though it does limit what I can do with some techniques, particularly anything involving oil or detailed muscle work.

Your comfort matters more than anything else. There's no pressure either way.

What to wear when you arrive

Loose, comfortable clothing that's easy to remove and put back on is all you need. There's no need to dress up or prepare in any particular way.

A note on professionalism

All my sessions are strictly professional and therapeutic. Draping is maintained throughout. If at any point you feel uncomfortable, you can say so and I'll adjust or stop.

I mention this not as a disclaimer, but because I know it's something people think about before a first appointment, and having a clear picture of what to expect tends to make the session itself much more relaxed.

Before we start

If you're not sure what to do when you arrive, just ask. I'll talk you through everything before the session begins. Most people feel settled within the first few minutes once we're underway.

The aim is for you to feel comfortable, both physically and in terms of knowing what's happening. Everything else follows from that.