Breathing on the client's face

[RFG]

Greetings, massage practitioners, and fans of massage.

I am posting this in the hopes of bringing awareness to an action during massage that can be extremely disruptive for certain clients. That is, breathing on the client's face while they are in the supine position and the massage therapist is working above the head on the neck or shoulders, etc.

You must remember that while your client is on their back, they only have that little space above their face in which to breath. For many clients - myself included - it feels very agitating to have someone's breath invading that space and flowing across their faces, making difficult to breath fresh air. This is true regardless of whether the massage therapist is breathing through their mouth or nose.

The issue is not as bad when the massage therapist does not have any discernible breath odour, but when someone happens to have bad breath, for whatever reason, it can become almost nauseating. The pleasure of the preceding massage can be totally lost.

An example from my personal experience was a few years ago. I went to an upscale spa. The massage was fantastic. As I was in the supine position, the massage therapist started working on my neck and head. Her breath smelled of pepperoni or similar. It was gross.
Why didn't I tell her, you may ask? For obvious reasons! How embarrassing is it for the client to have to muster the courage to broach the subject with their massage therapist. How potentially embarrassing and insulting for the massage therapist to receive such a comment.

I would like to suggest that massage therapists pay attention to where their breath is flowing as they are working on their client. Perhaps breathe down toward the floor as a way of preserving the client's breathing space while they are in the supine position?

Am I alone in this regard, or are there others that agree with me?

Thank you!

-Ray.

 

[Ypal25]

No RFG you are not alone in this respect. I too find it very offensive and a turn off. Especially in this country where most massage places offer sex too and specifically asian women whose breath smells very pungent. Something like onions or ginger or garlic. I am not generalizing but most of the asians I have been to have this kind of odour which is a major turnoff.

 

[royaljohn]

Thanks RFG for posting this thread. Breathing on the client's face is really awkward and it can be a total turnoff. I think massage therapist should use some clinical mask before performing massage in this particular position, but at the same time mask would seem uncomfortable for both. Second thing is client should communicate to therapist about it when he feels like this. But again its hard to tell about mouth odor on the face.

 

[Gattsuga]

I agree. I had a therapist give me a neck massage and she was breathing right on my face. Although it didn't smell that bad, it was really annoying and I kept holding my breath everytime I expected her to breath. Needless to say, I am not returning to that establishment.

 

[pcnudie]

try giving the masseuse a peck on the lips whenever she gets to close.

 

[DaBomb]

Should be a standard practice for MPA to rinse with mouth wash or chew fresh gum before seeing any client, bad breath is a real turn off, especially breathing into your face.