A full body massage covers the back, shoulders, neck, arms, legs and usually the feet, with the scalp, face, hands, abdomen and glutes included by some therapists and not others. Sixty minutes covers the essentials briskly; 90 minutes allows genuinely thorough coverage. It usually means a Swedish massage, and costs £45 to £65 for an hour in the UK. Always ask what is included, since the term is not standardised.
Key takeaways
- The term is not standardised
- Always ask which areas are covered. Scalp, face, abdomen, hands and glutes are the ones most often omitted.
- Sixty minutes is brisk, 90 is thorough
- In an hour a therapist has roughly ten minutes per major region, which is enough but not generous.
- It usually means Swedish massage
- Full body describes the coverage; Swedish describes the technique, and the two overlap almost entirely.
- You undress to your comfort level
- Usually to underwear, under a towel, with only the area being worked uncovered at any time.
- Glutes are legitimate and normal to include
- They are worked through the towel or with careful tucking, and are important for lower back and hip tension.
- Targeted is better for a specific problem
- If your issue is one tight shoulder, an hour spread across your whole body is a poor use of the time.
- Intimate areas are never included
- Any suggestion otherwise means leaving immediately and reporting it.
What is included
There is no industry definition of a full body massage, which is why two treatments with the same name and price can differ noticeably. In practice, coverage falls into three tiers.
| Area | Almost always included | Sometimes included |
|---|---|---|
| Back and shoulders | Yes, usually the largest share of time | |
| Neck | Yes | |
| Legs, back and front | Yes | |
| Arms | Yes | |
| Feet | Usually | |
| Scalp | Often, especially in 90 minute sessions | |
| Face | Sometimes | |
| Hands | Sometimes | |
| Glutes | Often, draped, and worth having | |
| Abdomen | Less commonly, and always with consent | |
| Chest and intimate areas | Never | Never |
Ask when booking. A therapist who includes scalp and hands in a 90 minute session is offering meaningfully more than one who does not.
How long you need
Do the arithmetic. A 60 minute booking usually includes five to ten minutes of consultation and dressing, leaving roughly 50 minutes of hands-on time across six or seven regions. That is about eight minutes each, which is enough to be effective but not generous.
Ninety minutes changes the experience considerably. There is time for the back to get 20 minutes rather than 12, for the scalp and hands to be included, and for the pace to be slower.
Thirty and 45 minute treatments are not full body massages in any meaningful sense, whatever they are called. They are targeted treatments, usually back, neck and shoulders.
What happens in a session
- Consultation. Health history, medication, injuries, pregnancy, pressure preference and any areas to avoid.
- Undressing in private. The therapist leaves the room.
- Face down first. Usually back and shoulders, then the backs of the legs, then glutes if included.
- Turn over. The therapist holds the towel up as a screen.
- Face up. Front of the legs, arms, hands, then neck and shoulders, often finishing with scalp and face.
- Finish. A few minutes to come round, then the therapist leaves so you can dress.
The technique is almost always Swedish, described in full in what is a Swedish massage.
What you wear
Undress to your comfort level, which for most people in the UK means keeping underwear on. You are covered by a towel or sheet throughout, and only the area being worked on is uncovered at any moment, then re-covered before the therapist moves on. This is called draping and it is a professional requirement rather than a courtesy.
Remove jewellery beforehand and wear loose clothing to leave in, since there will be oil residue on your skin. Full practical detail is in what to wear to a massage.
Full body or targeted?
| If your goal is | Book |
|---|---|
| General stress and wellbeing | Full body, 60 or 90 minutes |
| One tight shoulder | 30 minutes targeted, or deep tissue |
| Desk-related neck and back tension | 45 minutes back, neck and shoulders |
| Training recovery | Sports massage on the relevant areas |
| Swelling or puffiness | Lymphatic drainage |
| A treat or gift | Full body 90 minutes, or hot stone |
| Tension headaches | Indian head massage |
The most common mistake is booking a 60 minute full body massage to fix a specific painful area. Spreading an hour across the whole body means your problem gets eight minutes. Say what you want when booking and a good therapist will weight the session accordingly.
What it costs
In the UK, £45 to £65 for 60 minutes with an independent therapist and £70 to £95 for 90 minutes. Day spas charge £80 to £120 for an hour, and central London considerably more. Bristol sits close to the national average.
Full pricing across every treatment is in how much a massage costs in the UK, and frequency guidance in how often should you get a massage.
Boundaries and professional standards
Worth stating plainly, because the phrase full body is sometimes misused in advertising. A legitimate full body massage never includes breasts, genitals or any intimate area. You are draped throughout. The therapist knocks before re-entering the room. Consent is checked before working on sensitive areas such as the abdomen or glutes, and you can decline anything at any point without explanation.
Any premises or advertisement suggesting otherwise is not offering massage therapy, and should be avoided and reported. Legitimate therapists hold at least ITEC or VTCT Level 3, carry public liability insurance, and typically appear on an accredited register[2].
Every therapist listed on Massages Bristol is checked for qualifications and insurance before publication, and you book direct with no commission. Browse the full directory or your area, including Clifton, Bishopston and Southville.
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Find a TherapistFrequently asked questions
This article is researched by the Massages Bristol editorial team using NHS guidance, professional body standards and published research, and is checked against the practice of the qualified therapists listed in our Bristol directory. It is reviewed and updated when guidance or standard practice changes. It is general information, not medical advice: speak to your GP if you have a health condition that may affect treatment.