I won't refuse a male masseuse but I'm more comfortable with females.
I get weekly massages for my headaches/joint pain and have rotated through quite a few providers looking for a good fit. hands down, the deepest massages I've ever gotten have been w/ a woman.
No preference; I usually just go to whoever has an opening at whichever place I can get the best deal.
The absolute best massage I ever got was from a big bear of a man whose hands were so big it was like I was getting massaged by two people at once, and he had perfect pressure. I would have gone back to him if the spa wasn't so inconveniently located.
On the same side of that coin, the absolute worst massage I ever got was also by a man. I was already injured and just wanted something relaxing, it was a freebie thing at a company picnic, and he managed to jack up my uninjured shoulder and pinched a nerve in my arm.
I also once had this crazy petite woman (she was maybe 5 feet tall and not even 100lbs sopping wet) and she got so deep into my stiff shoulders that I thought her hands were going to pop out the other side.
I don't have a preference, although I've had far more male than female.
tacom - just an FYI, most massage therapists prefer the term massage therapists. Masseuse has a "happy ended" connotation these days, at least so said my (former) friend who is one. She was not happy when people called her a masseuse.
I really don't think gender or body size has anything to do with the massage (unless of course one gender makes you so uncomfortable that you can't relax and enjoy it). I would say that 3 of my favorite massage therapists were equals. One was a younger, average sized man. One was a 100 pound, petite woman who literally used the wall as leverage. One was a 40-50 year old woman who was at least 6 feet tall and looked like she could have been a body builder in her 20's. All 3 of them were amazing. I probably couldn't tell the difference between the 3 of them massaging me.
I will say that one of my worst massages came from a man. He had super hairy arms that he would rub on my back, used tons of oil (it was literally dripping down my sides), did that loud smoker mouth breathing, had a big belly that kept on smashing me, and hardly applied pressure even though I kept on requesting more pressure. Now I make sure that I see the massage therapist before I book with them--if they have super hairy arms, I won't use them.
I've never been offered a male masseuse. I just make appointments and i have always had a woman performing it. I think it would weird me out to have a man, but I guess I've never thought about it, so I'm not sure if it's an insurmountable feeling or not.
No preference, although I don't know that I've ever had a female.
To be honest, I kind of hate massages -- I don't get relaxed and feel like it is wasted time and money.
I do too lol. H has never had one so I am getting one to make him more comfortable. But I don't particularly enjoy them. I just keep thinking I SHOULD like them.
I don't have a preference, although I've had far more male than female.
tacom - just an FYI, most massage therapists prefer the term massage therapists. Masseuse has a "happy ended" connotation these days, at least so said my (former) friend who is one. She was not happy when people called her a masseuse.
this is embarrassing. thanks for the heads up. luckily I think I've only used the term on GBCN!
Post by alleinesein on Aug 29, 2015 19:41:33 GMT -5
Male. I've only had 1 female massage therapist that managed to get the knots out of my back. Aside from a few places in India I have been asked if I want a male or female massage therapist when I book a massage.
I don't understand not liking massages! I really don't care who is doing it so long as I'm getting a massage. Love them!
I am such a prude, I just don't really like people touching me or being naked. It is better for me when I ask them not to touch me between by knees and my butt and I leave my underwear on
I prefer male, but wouldn't turn down a female massage if that was the option that made the most sense financially. I've had massages by both genders and I think the ones I've had with females have been hit or miss - some were awesome, some were way too light on the pressure. I don't recall ever having that issue with a man, but I am certain I've also had some luck involved there.
The massage therapist that I see regularly is male, and he's awesome. He's one of the only ones I've been to that actually has completely been able to stop the pain I was experiencing. I've often felt "better" but not 100% after a massage and he really gets me to 100%. No idea if it has anything to do with the fact that he's a man, though.
Post by heliocentric on Aug 30, 2015 19:26:57 GMT -5
I always preferred females, but the first time I went to my current place they only had a male available. He is now my favorite. He's actually so much more careful to keep me covered and comfortable and isn't afraid to use a lot of pressure. I can't say I have a preference, but I was surprised that I could feel so comfortable around a male therapist.
I have a slight preference for massages by a female though that's also the only kind I've had. I don't really need much pressure and it's more of a casual, relaxing thing for me. I enjoy a massage occasionally but I don't really need it regularly. On a vacation, I had an aromatherapy bubble bath with wine and honey and that was really my idea of awesome.
Post by tacosforlife on Aug 31, 2015 8:46:29 GMT -5
No real preference.
My favorite therapist ever was a man. Well, I assume he still is a man, but I can't go to him anymore. I got 20- or 30-minute dry massages, fully clothed. Usually focusing on my neck and shoulders although I once had him work on my low back and wound up with bruised butt cheeks, LOL.
He's in the top 5 things I miss about DC, for sure.
I've never gotten a massage. I just ask MH to massage my calves when they're tense at night.
My work was offering 10-minute massages recently as part of the health and wellness program they run each year, but I felt weird about having it done in the office. I pictured it as those massages you get in a chair in the middle of a shopping mall, but a coworker who got one said it was in a separate room so now I sort of regret it.
I'd like to get a pro massage at some point. I've never thought about a man vs. a woman doing it.
I prefer female. For some reason, the two worst massages I received were from men. I don't know if they were afraid to hurt me or what, but I really didn't enjoy them. Now I will always request a female.