Our source explains that just because a massage therapist is licensed, doesn't mean you'll be getting a fantastic massage.
"Licensing is based more on theory than on hands on [practice]. Just because a massage therapist is licensed doesn't mean that he or she will give a good massage."
So if you are looking for the best of the best, ask friends for referrals or check out sites like CitySearch and Yelp where people can review spas and therapists.
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We make fun of you after you leave
It may sound mean, but some massages turn into incidents too funny not to share, say the therapists we spoke to. So they go ahead and dish (minus names). Our source shares one such story:
"A couple came in to enjoy side by side massages. The gentleman stated that he wanted to focus on his neck and back. He never said to avoid any area. When the massage began he jumped into a sitting position. The technician asked if everything was OK. He said yes. As she got to his scalp, it sounded as if Velcro or something noisy was in his hair. He finally told the technician to focus on his legs. Turns out, he was with a new girlfriend, and he had a toupee."
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When we're stressed out and need a break, we book a massage. Great idea, right? That is until we're lying topless on a table, in a room alone with a complete stranger, and that complete stranger is seeing and touching us. Naked. Naturally, we start to wonder what this person is thinking and fill in the blanks on our own:
"Geez, someone needs to lay off the cheesecake...um, have you ever heard of waxing?...wow, looks like we've found the record-holder for cellulite!"
And now, what was intended to be a relaxing hour of reprieve has us more stressed out than we were to begin with. To keep ourselves from going crazy, we had to find out: Is this what massage therapists are really thinking?
Uh, yeah — kind of. We got several masseuses to reveal what's really going through their heads when they're rubbing their clients down — and as you'll see, it's not always so pretty.
But before you swear off the spa forever, know that it's not all bad. In fact, these massage therapists also clued us in to a few tips that'll have you more relaxed on the table — and even for days after your massage. Read on to see what they have to say.
