There are many people who don’t dare to go through the doors of massage parlors because it causes them anxiety and have a complex behavior to be face to face with a person to treat their body. This type of behavior is difficult to treat, however it does not have to happen since they are beauty centers where professionals take care of our well-being.
If massage is something unknown to you until now, it is possible that the idea of a stranger touching you while partially naked bothers you. Everyone has a different relationship with their body. Do you think you have too much belly after the holidays? Do you have a misplaced birthmark that makes you anxious? Let’s be clear, your practitioner is not going to worry about that, his or her main concern will be to make you enjoy your first massage, making it as relaxing and beneficial as possible for you.
So relax and follow these tips to make the most of this magical moment.
Before the Session
It is clear that there is no need to stress, as the experience is meant to relieve stress, not cause it. Drink plenty of water and make sure you don’t go in with a very full stomach, as a massage done upside down after eating can be particularly unpleasant, making an appointment in the afternoon is best, also, the lethargic effect in which it can leave us the massage goes well with the end of the day to be able to fully relax until bedtime.
Once in the Massage Center
Let it be known that you have arrived, waiting to enter the massage room, you can begin from that very moment to relax and prepare to receive the treatment.
When your therapist tells you that you can enter the massage area, he or she will leave you alone for a moment and show you where the changing rooms are located to give you the privacy you need to undress. In these changing rooms, there will usually be a towel and accessories, such as cotton panties, to cover the parts of the body that are not going to be massaged. Of course, you are free to remove any clothing you wish, which the masseurs understand, although it is more comfortable, for practical reasons, if both parts are uncovered.
Before the session, it is important to let the therapist who will be taking care of you know your experiences and expectations regarding massage. This way, the therapist can analyze your state of mind and adapt to it, as a good professional. Take advantage of this opportunity to indicate the areas of your body that are particularly painful that you wish to treat, or on the contrary, the areas to avoid. If you haven’t already asked, tell her what products you are allergic to, massage oils or other lotions, as they are often used depending on the type of massage, although many specialists opt for neutral massage oils and creams.
Do not hesitate to tell the person who is massaging you if you want the session to be silent or with music, not everyone prefers to spend the whole session talking.
However, it is important that there is communication throughout the massage, and to give honest feedback throughout so that it can be done to the best of your ability and avoid discomfort. You are free to choose what you like as well as the areas to be massaged, the pressure to be applied or the speed and amplitude of the movements on the body.
In any case, relax and breathe normally. Try to let yourself be carried by the support of the massage table until you no longer feel the weight of your own body, and enjoy the moment.
At the End of the Session
Take a few minutes to relax and reflect on the experience, there is no need to get up from the massage table very quickly as you may feel dizzy or lightheaded due to your body relaxing for a long period of time which you need to get back into gear. Give it the time it needs by getting up slowly to get dressed.
A massage session performed by a qualified person will bring you immediate positive effects; a feeling of well-being and relaxation, better blood and lymphatic circulation, a reduction of muscular pains, but also an undeniable decrease of anxiety due to the daily rhythm of life. Often, the most beneficial effects are seen after a long-term treatment, if the experience has lived up to expectations and you feel comfortable with the practice, then you can request another appointment that will only bring you more benefits.