Don't worry, you're not gross!

Getting a massage is vulnerable. We get it - a stranger is touching you and working muscles that might even be painful. Perhaps you’ve worried your therapist is judging or otherwise uncomfortable with your body. If this isn’t you - stop reading; you’re doing great. The last thing we want to do is introduce any unnecessary insecurity or anxiety to your next massage! But if you do identify with anything we’ve said so far, let us clarify things about your massage from your therapist’s perspective.

We’re here to help you feel better in your body, not to enforce beauty standards and cause you anxiety about your appearance. Some client’s concerns are more common than others so we’ll address those more specifically.

1. We’re not bothered by acne. Be it on the face, back, or anywhere else - skin has pimples. It’s not a big deal. Clients are usually most concerned about acne on their backs, “bacne” if you’re a fan of portmanteau. Yes, we can massage your back even if there’s acne. We’re not going to pop any pimples working on you but if your skin is sensitive from a breakout, just let your therapist know and we can massage your back over the sheet. It’s not an iron clad rule that massage has to include skin-to-skin contact. 

2. We’re not bothered by body hair. As mammals we literally have hair all over our bodies. Some of that body hair is so fine it’s not even visible, and sometimes it’s denser, darker, and coarser. We’re not going to let body hair get in the way of a good massage, and you shouldn’t either. If you’re worried we’re offended by your hairy legs/back/arms/toes/whatever - we’re not! Please don’t apologize for being human.

3. We’re not bothered by body fat. Bodies come in all shapes and sizes, and bodies of all shapes and sizes deserve massage - full stop. Our hydraulic massage tables are rated up to 600 lbs. We got you, we promise.

Here’s a little context about our work as massage therapists. We’re blessed with a busy practice at Mantis. Our therapists will provide anywhere from 500-1,000 massages in a year. Sure, some of those sessions are for repeat clients, but clearly we touch a lot of bodies! Our attention is on your tension patterns, not your grooming habits!

Here’s what we do ask of our clients. 1. We ask that you come generally clean to your massage. No need to do extra deep cleaning right before your session, but we’d love it if you didn’t, for example, skip showering for a week and then run to your appointment in the summer heat. A little sweat is inevitable in the summer– we do live in Austin, after all–but we have wet wipes if you need a quick refresh before you get on the massage table. 2. We ask that you let us know about any communicable skin condition, e.g. athlete’s foot, poison ivy, etc. and keep the affected body part(s) covered. That’s pretty much it. Above all else, we just want you to have a great massage. You deserve it!