First-time clients often feel anxious about the etiquette of undressing for a professional massage, especially concerning whether to keep underwear on. Understanding professional standards and client agency is an important first step. Clarifying these practices helps ease apprehension, ensuring a comfortable and beneficial experience.
Standard Practice and Professional Draping
For the most common forms of therapeutic bodywork, such as Swedish or deep tissue massage, clients are generally asked to undress to their comfort level. This means the client has the option to remove all clothing or to keep their underwear on. Professional standards often recommend keeping underwear on for comfort and hygiene, but the choice is entirely personal.
The professional process relies on a technique called draping, which uses large sheets or blankets to cover the body securely throughout the session. Draping serves to protect the client’s modesty, maintain appropriate physical boundaries, and provide warmth. Only the specific body area being actively worked on is briefly uncovered.
The therapist is trained to manipulate the drape skillfully to access muscles without exposing sensitive areas. Genital areas, the gluteal cleft, and the breasts for female clients are always required to remain covered and should never be exposed during a standard session. The therapist never reaches under the sheets to work on these sensitive areas.
Effective draping establishes a secure visual and physical boundary, ensuring that the client feels safe and respected. If a client chooses to keep their underwear on, the therapist will work around it, tucking the sheet securely to prevent oil or lotion from soiling the fabric. The focus of the session is strictly on the therapeutic manipulation of soft tissue.
Client Control and Boundary Setting
The client’s comfort and consent are paramount throughout the massage experience. A professional therapist operates under the principle of client autonomy. The client has the right to make decisions about their body and the treatment at all times, including requesting modifications to the draping or the pressure.
Before the session, the therapist should discuss the treatment plan and the draping process, ensuring the client understands what to expect. If a client feels uncomfortable with undressing, they should communicate this. The therapist will adjust the preparation, as ethical guidelines require respecting any boundary set by the client.
The client retains the right to stop the session immediately if they become uncomfortable for any reason. Communication is an active partnership; clients should feel empowered to speak up about their temperature, music volume, or the pressure being applied. This open dialogue ensures the therapeutic environment remains safe, respectful, and focused on the client’s well-being.
When Clothing Stays On: Specific Massage Types
While most table massages involve undressing and draping, several common modalities are performed with the client fully clothed. These types of bodywork do not require direct skin contact or the use of oils and lotions. Keeping clothing on is dictated by the nature of the techniques used.
For example, Thai massage and Shiatsu are typically performed on a mat on the floor, with clients wearing loose, comfortable clothing. These techniques rely on rhythmic compressions, assisted stretching, and acupressure, which are effectively applied through fabric. The clothing allows for the greater range of movement necessary for the stretches involved.
Other treatments, such as Reflexology (focusing pressure on the feet and hands) and chair massages (often performed in public or corporate settings), also allow the client to remain fully dressed. Some forms of sports massage or myofascial release can also be adapted to be performed over thin, flexible clothing.