They are there in most of our daily lives but we don’t talk about them very often.  Enough is enough. When it comes to massage, it’s time to mention your unmentionables.  So, what underwear should you wear to your massage appointment?

Underwear, undies, reg grundies, jocks, knickers, pants, briefs, panties (sorry!), or underdacks. There are many names we use to describe our undergarments and they come in so many shapes and designs. Classic briefs, bikini brief, boxers, French, g-string, boy leg, granny, shapewear, hipster, and many more types. They show us off or suck us in and can be super comfy or leave you feeling hyper aware of them. But the question many of my client’s want to know (but feel initially coy about asking) is “which underwear is best for massage?”

First and foremost, it is most important that you wear some sort of underwear to your massage appointment.

My codes of conduct prevent me from treating you if you aren’t wearing some sort of underwear. For hygiene and professional reasons, no underwear = no treatment. Full stop.

The next thing to be aware of is that I don’t really see them.  I am blissfully unaware of your cool colours or funky patterns. My process for draping (aka tucking in your covering towel) is discrete and means I don’t catch a glimpse.

Are some undies more appropriate than others?

Yes. Teeny tiny little g strings for example can be a bit tricky to tuck your covering towel into. Shape-wear that sucks in your lumps and bumps can also be on the challenging side and also will make it difficult for you to breathe and move freely and/or truly relax on the massage table. So, I would recommend you trade both of these in favour for more traditionally comfortable attire.

Boxers vs briefs?

Or even boxer briefs? If we are treating your legs, my preference would be that you wore briefs or boxer briefs rather than traditional loose boxer shorts as they are more difficult to work with when it comes to draping. I am capable of working around traditional boxer shorts (it’s just a little trickier) so, if you have forgotten when you got dressed that morning, it is not worth stressing about.

What about bras?

If you are comfortable to remove your bra as you are getting onto the treatment table, great. If you are not so comfortable, that’s cool too. I will either work around it or unclasp temporarily if I need access to where the straps lay. For complicated clasps and all over sports bras it will usually be best for you to remove or leave them at home if we are treating your back.

Most importantly it is crucial that you are comfortable in the treatment room.

If you can’t breathe or move freely, your massage will not deliver its full benefits. Similarly, if you are spending your energy agonising over your undergarments you are not being in the moment to appreciate your massage.

Please DO wear some underwear. Please DON’T stress about it. And I’ll discretely work out any of the other details.