Advice from professionals please-dreading male massage

[CherryWerry]

Hi there

I'm 32 years old and have worked in nursing for the past 15 years however due to health reasons I've had to reevaluate my career options .
I always wished that I had trained as a beauty therapist but felt that I had gone too far with Healthcare to quit .
However I've decided to bite the bullet and go for it and this September I will be going to college to train as a beauty therapist .

Part of the course involves massage!
Now I probably wouldn't have even thought of this but I'm a regular at my local beauty salon ( I love my Lycon waxes , lashes , nails) and I was talking to the lady that always does my waxing and she said she loves waxing and massage - I said how do u feel about doing male massages ?
She said she doesnt mind but she would never put herself in a vulnerable position , she then proceeded to tell me about one of the other ladies in the salon that did a massage for a man a while back that actually 'c**e' during his massage!!!!

I can't stand the thought of having to have my hands all over a mans back / body that might be getting off on it and being creepy !

Have any of you encountered this ??
Is it unreasonable to not want to be used in that way?

How do you deal with the situation if a male ( or female ) massage clients behaviour becomes inappropriate mid- massage ??

Thanks x

 

[ArohaBeauty]

Hello!

Completely understand your concerns. Before I qualified in massage I heard horror stories from some therapists too. It's just such a shame some men have to ruin it for the majority sometimes but I myself have never come across a client I didn't feel completely comfortable with. The dodgy ones really are few and far between! Always good to be prepared though...

I have my own salon now and we operate on the basis that if an unknown male is booked in, there will always be another colleague there, around and about, so no one should stay late to squeeze them in etc. However, we're generally not so concerned if they are referred e.g., clients husband.

Previous incidents I have heard of have always been dealt with assertively and haven't ended badly.

Please don't worry too much about massaging men in general though. We are in a female dominated industry and a closed treatment room door has the potential to be an intimidating environment but we can't tar them all with the same brush. Most men just want a good deep massage and the results that go with it! All of our male massage clients are completely polite and lovely and love their regular massages, especially the ones that are into their sport!

Hope this helps! Xx

 

[Louise Richardson]

Not much more to add than above apart from to say don't worry about it. As a nurse I am sure you have do things way more intimate for patients. I am trained in sports massage which really does involve getting right in there sometimes! If you are cool and don't convey you are nervous as this will affect the client. Be friendly and professional, they are sometimes nervous and it is supposed to be relaxing. I think you have got this, you must have the skills from nursing. Think you are just over thinking it.

 

[CFBS]

I was a nurse prior to beauty so I don't mind massage on men.
All my male clients are partners of my regular clients. They all come for aromatherapy, usually with lava shells, for their bad backs. They are all polite and appreciative .
I work from home so I only book men in when my hubby is home. They can see him watching telly when walking to the treatment room.
You will find that they are more nervous than you!
I tell them to wear close fitting trunk style undies. Long boxer shorts get in the way.

I had one man try to book in but he wanted to be naked so That's a definite No No !!

 

[Nail model 1]

I have had numerous massages from female therapists I will only go to a female. I am always draped with a sheetand when I turn over they lift the sheet in the air it's still tucked in to the table and I flip over turning away from the therapist that way no awkwardness. You could also require them to wear running shorts that's what I always do with a new therapist until we are both comfortable.