Do you cancel a massage if your back is zitty?

April 24, 2008 1:08 PM

Massages and pimples.

I have an appointment this weekend for a massage at a fancy spa (yay), but I have recently had a very very nasty break out on my back. And some of those pimples have been popped and are still sort of scabby. Should I cancel the appointment? Or has the masseur seen worse and I'm worrying for nothing? Help!

posted by anonymous to health & fitness (11 comments total)

The masseur has seen worse. Go to the massage.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 1:26 PM on April 24, 2008

The massage therapist has seen worse; call attention to it at the beginning of the massage and he or she will work around them as necessary.
posted by Zed_Lopez at 1:46 PM on April 24, 2008

I'm a massage therapist and I've definitely seen worse. Don't worry about it. Since you'll be at a fancy schmancy spa, you can probably also get wraps & skin treatments that will help slough off your scabby-flaky bits and soothe any tender spots, but only do that if you want the additional pampering. If they offer aromatherapy for your massage, you can ask for a tea tree / bergamot / eucalyptus blend --- that's great for acne (my son uses a spritz of it blended in witch hazel, it's great stuff). Enjoy your massage!
posted by headnsouth at 2:48 PM on April 24, 2008

Massage therapist has seen worse.

I helped my boyfriend clear up bacne via exfoliating with a wash cloth. Less scars, same smooth result.
posted by Phalene at 3:46 PM on April 24, 2008

I'm agreeing with everyone that the massage therapist has probably seen worse, but of you're really paranoid about it, you can loofah them with an astringent soap before you go, to dry them up a bit so they won't be as gross-looking.
posted by amyms at 3:51 PM on April 24, 2008

if, not of
posted by amyms at 3:52 PM on April 24, 2008

My wife is a massage therapist. Most people attracted to that profession tend to be much more natural minded and view these type of issues as a natural part of the body. I wouldn't worry about it but maybe do the loofah or whatever to scrub off any bloody scabiness first.
posted by Octoparrot at 5:14 PM on April 24, 2008

Former massage therapist here. Don't worry about it. Go enjoy your massage.
posted by tdismukes at 5:22 PM on April 24, 2008

I've always had moderately bad bacne, I don't suggest loofah or even a wash cloth. Being gentle with pimples is hugely important to their healing. A dermatologist will tell you the same thing, any abrasiveness will irritate the pimples and deepen the infection, thus lengthening their duration. Benzoyl Peroxide body wash is the way to go.
posted by huxley at 8:50 PM on April 24, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

I have to agree with huxley - don't do any exfoliation if it's likely you'll aggravate the condition and possibly even leave scarring.

Acne is a local contraindication for massage due to the possibility of cross-infection, but that is highly unlikely unless the place you're going to is totally flouting hygiene practices.

You'll have to fill out an intake form - mention your acne on the form in the appropriate area on the form - if the form doesn't specifically ask, please write it down somewhere anyway. Mention any concerns first, that will you give you and your therapist the chance to discuss it and make any modifications - does it hurt? are you aware of products that aggravate the condition? have you had massage before - if so how did the condition respond?

For people with backne, if I am forewarned, I will discuss oil selection - suggest using jojoba or a tea tree lotion instead of oil, and/or make up an acne blend with essential oils such the one headnsouth describes above.

This condition is more common than you'd imagine, and we see it regularly to varying degrees. I know of several spas that offer "facials" for the back - you know, the whole cleanse, refine, masque, tone, moisturise, hot towel compresses, blah blah blah ritual? They all use "clever" names for such treatments , none of which I can recall off the top of my head right now. Even if you DON'T have backne, that sounds like a superlative experience to me.............................................................oh where was I?

Yeah, above all, enjoy your massage, that's all your therapist wants.

Any therapist with much experience really has (almost*) seen it all. You know what exasperates me? AT LEAST once a week someone *apologises* to me about their body hair. Ya know, waxing is not a prerequisite, I don't care if you've not got a hair on your entire body or if you're hairier than a gorilla, it's irrelevant and I'm just pleased to be working with you. Unless you are Jeff Goldblum in The Fly, your leg hairs will not scratch my hands. It dismays me to think someone is lying on my table and their brain is telling them stuff like "you forgot to get your legs waxed!" or "you have a pimple on your bottom!" or "you have cellulite, fatty!" Your massage therapist is beyond what society/media/whatever thinks your body should be like - we work with REAL people with REAL bodies, and that's what makes *this* massage therapist thrive.

*no matter if you think you've already seen it all, sooner or later someone will come along and top everything that has come before.


I'm still in Kauai and utterly blissed out
posted by goshling at 1:09 AM on April 25, 2008 [3 favorites has favorites]

I'm sorry - with all due respect and no ill feeling to the OP, can I just clarify something? I don't want to derail, but while we are on the subject, I thought it'd be nice to define some terminology.

The OP mentions "masseur".

Masseur is man who massages, as masseuse is a female that massages. Both terms have unfortunately had some not so "therapeutic" connotions in the past, along with "massage parlour". Depending on where you are, most people who practice massage prefer to use other terms these days - that are considered to be more professional. Massage Therapist is the most widely used term, which in the US gets abbreviated to MT, LMT (licensed massage therapist), and other titles.

So, yeah, just thought I'd point that out just in case. Of course, is OP is having their appointment with someone that chooses to call himself a masseur, this comment is irrelevant and I apologise for being nitpicky
posted by goshling at 1:33 AM on April 25, 2008