We massage therapists pride ourselves on our abilities in touch – and that’s why I am so surprised when clients give me an earful about fingernails!
This is a touchy issue for massage therapists – we figure we’re doing things like avoiding perfumes and warming our oils so we can facilitate relaxation in our clients. And then they complain about fingernails?
Yup. 
Actual Client Complaint Case #1: This guy must have been doing construction on the side or something. His fingernails were cracked and broken and his hands were covered with calluses. It was like being sanded!
Case #2: My massage started with a scrape-y hangnail across my feet. For the next hour, every time the masseuse did a stroke, I was dreading a re-appearance of The Claw!
Case #3: I’m slipping under the sheets and I hear the therapist out in the hallway clipping her nails. She comes in and jams these sharp edges in every time she works a knot. I expected to see little red half-moons all over my skin!
Case #4: Is it possible to do a massage with acrylic nails? These things were long – and she was more concerned with breaking one than doing a good job. It was the lightest massage of my life. I can put oil on myself, thank you.
Well, I am sure it was not these folks intention to make their fingernails the central memory of their massages. Most massage therapists know to keep nails trimmed, clean and gently filed and beveled to a soft edge. It perhaps slipped their minds those days…
…So I am off to check my manicure!
| Leave a Comment |
It is unfortunate that this happened. I am personally shocked about the women with acrylic nails it’s not only running the risk of injuring the client, but it’s unsanitary. Bacteria and fungus gets caught under the nails and it can spread from one client to another and to the therapist. The callous situation can easily be taken care of with regular manicures and moisturizers. And for the woman clipping her nails outside the door, I have done that once of twice when it slipped my mind. We are human and we make mistakes too, I bet her intention was not to harm anyone.
If these situations really happened shame on the massage school for not thoroughly educating students on this basic fundamental, and not enforcing it enough that after a year of school there would be no problem here.