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I had a massage with Chuck at Paris men spa last Tuesday. He definitely knows how to massage and when you ask him he'll throw in a lot of stretching from Thai yoga massage. His pressure is great, the flow is there and he knows what he is doing.

All in all he is a sweet guy, very accomplished and accomdsating and he speaks English. 

This is an interesting topic and one I have thought about a lot. As we all know, everything in life involves risk. Yes, you may suffer great tragedy if you dare to leave the confines of your quarantined home and come into contact with other humans. The only foolproof way of not catching anything is to avoid as much contact with the outside world as possible. Some of us have to work outside the home and are forced to be unsafe in the world, keeping our fingers crossed at all times.

 

With that said... it may still be safer to visit a masseur than to visit Wal-Mart or pump for gas. At least you only need to worry about one person and, possibly, those he has been in contact with; that is, if he is sloppy in the way he cleans up after the previous client. It is unlikely he is swamped with them during this pandemic and many masseurs, I am guessing, are very selective and screen those they get. If he is serious about his occupation, he is more worried about catching something than you are. His very livelihood depends on him being in perfect health. I am sure he checks his temperature and keeps track of any possible symptoms regardless of whether or not he was able to recently get an official virus test. Remember too that both of you should be thoroughly showered with plenty of soap before and after, washing hands and face a lot. It might be fun if you also showered together and made sure all sensitive parts are mutually taken care of. Wearing masks certainly would help. Think of them like condoms as extra insurance, but... the two of you are consenting adults operating behind closed doors who must decide for yourselves if the situation is safe with or without them.

 

I would just text the masseur ahead of time and discuss all of your concerns with him. No, it will not be the safest experience, but my guess is that he will try to make it as safe as he can, under the circumstances.

 

Going to a store, I always feel like I am literally being "in contact" with millions of humans and all of their "residue", many of whom I find far less attractive than a masseur. No, you are not literally touching other people but you are touching a lot of things they are touching and breathing the same air indoors. Nobody stays six feet away from you regardless of signs posted, even though one in four will at least try. Most will wear masks like you, but children will be taking theirs off to talk and cough since they are children. Then you have those angry "Karens" who feel masks are a violation to their civil rights and will take them off when store personnel are not looking, although I have personally seen far more mask-less men than women in public. (YouTube videos of ladies in rage are far more popular online than those of men in rage.) I also seriously doubt that many of your fellow shoppers cleaned themselves thoroughly and checked their temperatures before invading your six foot domain like the masseur.

 

Don't get me started about gas pumps. Yes, everybody is maintaining a lot of distance from each other and most gas stations are in the great outdoors. However, have you ever questioned how many hands have fondled that handle?

 

Obviously I am not downgrading the situation and saying a massage is totally 100% safe. Just putting things into perspective.

I am a licensed massage therapist and am trying to find my way back into my massage practice. This is a very good post and that is exactly the way I am thinking.

Right now I am getting tested every week and don't see more than three clients a week. I am very selective with whom I work. They are retired, don't have to expose to others more than necessary.

That's an idea but my guy told me that so far he is OK and weathering the dry spell. He is a legit private masseur and told me that he was able to obtain what the government has offered to keep him afloat. As for cleanliness, he is one of the rare masseurs who uses zip off covers for the headrest on the massage table. His apartment is squeaky clean and I am particular so I don't give the good housekeeping seal of approval that easily.

He used zip off covers even before the pandemic?

MartyB - I think it's a good idea to keep in touch with your regulars. I've reached out to a couple of mine to see how they are doing and they seem to appreciate it. They are not seeing any clients and know my situation and during the last conversation one said that he would be comfortable performing a message on me. You develop a mutual trust and if we have each been celibate, what are the chances that we are going to infect each other? I'd like to be the first on the table while totally uncontaminated.

MartyB - I think it's a good idea to keep in touch with your regulars. I've reached out to a couple of mine to see how they are doing and they seem to appreciate it. They are not seeing any clients and know my situation and during the last conversation one said that he would be comfortable performing a message on me. You develop a mutual trust and if we have each been celibate, what are the chances that we are going to infect each other? I'd like to be the first on the table while totally uncontaminated.

How will you know you are the first uncontaminated on his table and not the tenth?

If he doesn't get unemployment insurance, the money usually comes from his clients.

How about offering him a pre-paid massage which you will redeem when the numbers are way more down?

For guys who do the escorting part time to their studies while in school and do not report it as income, are they still eligible for this economic stimulus? I wish it were, so I could recommend it to one of my regulars.

Keep dreaming.

For guys who do the escorting part time to their studies while in school and do not report it as income, are they still eligible for this economic stimulus? I wish it were, so I could recommend it to one of my regulars.

Keep dreaming.

Maybe they shouldn’t be seeing clients?

I meant in general.

No one sees clients currently, if they did that would be so irresponsible.

Maybe they shouldn’t be seeing clients?

I meant in general.

No one sees clients currently, if they did that would be so irresponsible.

Would they honor that 'advance' 18 months from now?

They wouldn't be professional if they didn't.

Would they honor that 'advance' 18 months from now?

They wouldn't be professional if they didn't.

How you will identify who sees a lot of clients or who not?

Clients or masseurs are in the same risk. However, masseurs will survive they are young.

Many of them are in their 50s and 60s and still very busy seeing their regular clients?

How you will identify who sees a lot of clients or who not?

Clients or masseurs are in the same risk. However, masseurs will survive they are young.

Many of them are in their 50s and 60s and are still very busy. What about them?

These are the times where it is a great opportunity to tell our masseurs about the unemployment they can collect in the stimulus package that was passed by the House today, and will be signed into law either today or tomorrow. One of my regulars reached out to me last night to book a session, and when I told him he can collect unemployment since self-employed are included in the new stimulus package, he pulled his ad offline and thanked me, since he had been unaware of this. So we need to let these guys know about this when they contact us for business. (They will get $2,400/month PLUS their regular unemployment benefits for 4 months in the new law....spread the word to them)

What makes you think they will get that much money? The pandemic unemployment assistance will be based on last year's net income. This is income minus expenses and minus health insurance But the expenses for the massage therapist as the expenses for any other self-employed person continue.