Towel Coverage and Towel size

[Webby]

Is there a guideline therapists use when covering clients with a towel?and is there a guidline of what size towel should be used?I have had therapies where sizes have ranged from the size of a flannel to a medium sized duvet.

 

[Main Lining Meddy]

i use a beach towel to cover the body long ways, and when the client rolls over, i lay a standard hand towell(smaller than i bath towell) to cover their boobies, when you do the shoulders, and of course the tummies

 

[Pants On The Ground]

ITEC teach you to use two large bath towels. One laid width ways across the back and the other length ways from the waist down to the toes. When massaging the back you just pull the towel down and tuck into the client's underwear. Make sure that only the area being massaged is exposed. ITEC are very strict on their towel management - you lose marks in an exam if you don't stick to these guidelines.

Hope that helps.

 

[GoodASH]

I was taught the two-towel technique on my VTCT Swedish massage course, but on my ITEC aromatherapy course we have to useone large towel. But, of course, we still need a smaller one for the chest, as described above, which can lead to some rather daft sleight of hand when whipping it away afterwards!

 

[Semsyaqtoi]

When I did an ITEC course (several years ago), the tutor used the same ‘one-towel’ technique that ‘supersub’ describes. As we’ve discussed on other threads, there is a tendency for some contributors to this forum to state ‘ITEC state ...(etc) ‘ when it is not actually ITEC who ‘lay down the law’, but the individual tutor ! However, personally I prefer to use two towels, particularly for abdominal and gluteal massage.

On a ‘lomi lomi’ course which I did last year, the coverage was simply a loincloth (the size of a facecloth or flannel): see my comments on the earlier thread
[link=http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=108004]http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=108004[/link]

If you go to a hotel spa in Germany, the therapist may not bother with a towel at all : see the warnings on the website
[link=http://spas.about.com/od/spaetiquettebasics/a/spanudity.htm]http://spas.about.com/od/spaetiquettebasics/a/spanudity.htm[/link]

There was an earlier discussion on about draping on this forum:
[link=http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=110934]http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=110934[/link]

Alan

 

[laud]

Scorpio, when I started I used towels - then migrated to a sheet when working side-lying with pregnant clients. I now tend touse a sheet for all clients.

A single sheet, flanalette which is warm and cozy and doesn't slip and slide, is much bigger than a towel. I find it gives more draping and tucking options than towels, but does take some practice. I do use various sizes of towels for extra draping / warmth when required (and rolled as a neat support).Flexibility in attitude and method seems to be the key with clients in both draping and modesty.

Hope that helps

InTouch

P.S. I work in the UK -in the US they tend to use a sheet - but they elevate draping to an artform in itself!

 

[elsamuel7]

Hi In-touch
I think your last sentance 'hit the nail on the head'.In my experiences the therapists i know well cover alot less than those you visit for the first time.There are always exceptions i have had a therapist on the first visit ask me during the consultation ' Do you prefer being covered or uncovered'.I also feel if you go in with a good attitude you end up with a better massage.

 

[Amy Hill]

I have an issue with towels/sheets that I might as well bring up. An embarrassing situation happened to me the other day. I was getting a massage, so I took off my clothes...and for whatever reason, the table was really warm and felt good. Anyhow, maybe because of nervousness of being naked, or for reasons Idon't totally understand,I got aroused in a way you don't want to before a massage. It happens. What made it worse was, the therapist had THIN, white sheets that were tucked in. So when I laid down, a certain area of my body became quite obvious under the white sheets, which had to be close to transparent. I tried to kind of fluff up the sheets so they weren't as tight, but just then, the door knocked and the therapist came in. I'm guessing she saw something, cause she turned the lights off quicklyand immediately started asking me questions about my life, my wife, my family...etc...for about five minutes. The art of distraction? Anyhow, in five minutes everything was fine and there was no mention of it. Everything about the massage was professional. I just think the sheets have to be a least a little thicker than they were and not tucked in so tightly...maybe I'm making too big a deal about nothing. It just made for an uncomfortable situation.

 

[itzmizay21]

Hi Ace88,
I have had well over 500 massages and have never experienced your situation either covered or uncovered my mind is only focused on the therapy nothing else.The drawback of your situation is some therapists may tarnish allmales with the same brush thinking men are looking for more than just a massage.

 

[rjp3526]

Just because ace88's body reacted in this way, doesn't mean that he was expecting more from the massage. Sometimes it just happens from being relaxed.

Many therapists have had clients to whom this has happened. We can remain professional largely by ignoring the situation, in order that the client doesn't become embarrassed.

Lesley

 

[Veternarian_Student]

Thanks Lesley. I am an ethical client and this had nothing to do with me fantasizing or thinking sexual thoughts or anything like that. I certainly was just looking to relax, not for some other type of massage. The previous poster seemed to indicate that guys only get aroused by sexual thoughts, which medically is not the case and is not true. They can get aroused for no reason. Sometimes, supplements or medications could affect this. Temperature, time of day, and other factors could all play a role.

The therapist by switching off the light really quick and asking me a bunch of rapid firefamily questions, was probably trying to get me to relax. Maybe she was nervous herself even though she had no reason to be. She hadn't asked me questions before in previous massages, so it seemed a little odd, and maybe left me feeling even more embarrassed if this caused her to do that. But overall she handled it well, even though I remain a little embarrassed. Had the sheets been a little thicker and not virtually see-throughthis wouldn't have been as issue, I guess was my point.

 

[Justin Walker]

Interesting debate about arousal inmale clients - it (as they say) comes up once in a while

In the interests of fairnesswhat about female clients - is it that they never get aroused, or that its just not obvious?

Anyone any comments?

InTouch

 

[yrpzprxx]

Hi In-touch,
Some probably do,and yes is probably not as obvious as male arousal.Have youyourself experienced this?

 

[Aeholodeus]

Personally I think it is unfortunate that this thread has temporarily been halted by an attempt to discuss female arousal! I think that the point which ‘ace88’ made about transparent draping is an important one, which applies to female breasts as well as to genitals (of both sexes) and is a reason why I think that it is better to use towels rather than sheets for draping. When I am massaging a supine female client, I always place a dark towel over her breasts. I suspect that some female clients would be uncomfortable if a male therapist used a semi-transparent white sheet for draping.

Incidentally, in reply to Scorpio’s earlier comment about duvet-size towels, these are very useful in a classroom situation when there will be several undressed students receiving massage at the same time. Having a very large towel means that the student can turn over underneath the towel without being exposed to other students. It is arguable that such large towels aren’t necessary in a clinic, where the therapist can simply hold the towel up to block his or her view as the client turns over.

Alan

 

[a Dreamer]

As a follow-up to my earlier comment about towels not being used by therapists in Germany, I was interested to read the comment by Fadette (on the mobile massage thread) that


As I mentioned on one of the earlier ‘lomi lomi’ threads, I attended a lomi lomi course last year when the very experienced female tutor wanted the female students to expose their breasts for the massage. None of the four male students appeared to have any problems with this, but to the tutor’s surprise, the female students did. I think that the majority of female clients would prefer to keep their breasts draped when being treated by a male therapist, but I would have thought that most male therapists would not have a problem with afemale clientwho prefers a more flowing massage which involves working around the breasts. My impression from hotel spas in Germany is that it is common for therapists working there to expose the breasts of female clients, and I have heard completely contrasting views from two female clients: one commented that she much preferred the more flowing massage which was possible with her breasts uncovered, while the other commented that she didn’t like a male therapist seeing her breasts.

Alan

 

[yadi yadi yadi]

Greetings from across the pond.

I was trained to use sheets. I use a standard twin sheets made of t-shirt material. They are very soft and release the massage oil. As far as draping womens chest while they are prone I use a king sized pillowcase to place over the female clients chest so I don't expose them. Here is an example : [link=http://www.lakeconroemassage.com/draping.html]http://www.lakeconroemassage.com/draping.html[/link]

When I work on a female client I go to the clavical with out written permission. When they sign the concent form giving me permission to massage the pect, I will stop where the breast tissue starts. This is a comfort factor thing for the client and myself. If one of you are not comfortable in the situation of massaging an area then it shouldn't be touched.

Just my 2cents or 2 pence.....

 

[Heidi D]

i don't need to worry about coverage rules since i get my massages at home, we have a private massuese staffed on full-time. my towel is pretty skimpy, only really covers my butt, and is monogrammed with my initials. though sometimes i have my massages nude since it doesnt really bother me, even though my massuese is male and i'm female.

 

[fdegiuziiaxinjegn]

Hi,

I'm doing the ITEC course as well and need to buy some towels. The largest I can find is 1.5m X 1m, is that correct or will I need bigger towels? Also, I have to have white for the ITEC exams, but I'm considering buying navy for the course, as they won't show oil spillages, etc. as much.

What did everyone else do?

((E))

 

[SIR CUSTAC CANT]

When I was on an ITEC course, the tutor told us to buy towels made by Christys, which are 5 foot 9 long and 3 foot 3 wide. They were excellent for classroom use, but nowadays I rarely use them (only for full body massages on very tall clients). I bought mine from Allders in Croydon: I’m not sure how widely available they are.

I agree that navy is a sensible colour for clinic use.

Regards

Alan

 

[roorwashmeals]

Hi Ace88,

I only found this thread because I'm just realising you are the HP member (sorry for pun! ) who was here before as Mcnmnnn something. I just replied to you about Enoch in the Christianity forum.

So I recall you are a Born Again or Evengelistic (whatever you'd call it best) Christian. We all react differently. Do you see? So you write, "Anyhow, maybe because of nervousness of being naked..." and then your problem was embarrassment. I would just have made a joke of it, and not been embarrassed (or nervous in the first place). (I often visit friends in Denmark where there are beaches everywhere and half the people don't bother putting anything on. Nothing sexual about it at all, just practical and the culture.)

So I guess my point is that there are a hundred ways of dealing with that and I wouldn't see it as a problem in the first place. No need.

Venetian