The rules that genuinely matter are: arrive ten minutes early, be honest on the health form, say what pressure you want, leave your phone outside the room, and give at least 24 hours notice if you need to cancel. Almost everything else people worry about, including falling asleep, body hair, a rumbling stomach and unshaved legs, is completely unremarkable to a therapist.

Key takeaways

Arrive ten minutes early
The health form takes time, and arriving on the hour means it comes out of your treatment.
Be honest on the health form
It determines what the therapist can safely do. Omitting medication or a recent injury is the one thing that genuinely causes problems.
Say what pressure you want
During the session, not afterwards in a review. Therapists cannot feel what you feel.
Phones stay outside the room
Not on silent. Outside.
Give 24 hours notice to cancel
Independent therapists cannot fill a same-day gap, and a missed appointment is lost income.
Tipping is not expected in the UK
A review or a recommendation is worth considerably more to a self-employed therapist.
Most of what you are worried about is unremarkable
Falling asleep, snoring, body hair, unshaved legs and a rumbling stomach are all completely normal.

Before the appointment

1. Book the right treatment. Say what you want when booking rather than on the day, particularly if you have a specific problem area, are pregnant, or want firm pressure. It lets the therapist allocate time appropriately. If you are unsure, 18 types of massage explained covers the options.

2. Shower, but skip the lotion. Showering is appreciated rather than required. What genuinely helps is not applying body lotion, oil or fake tan beforehand, since all three interfere with the massage medium and transfer onto towels.

3. Eat lightly and skip the alcohol. A large meal immediately beforehand is uncomfortable face down. Alcohol before a massage is a genuine problem: it increases sensitivity, worsens post-massage light-headedness, and most therapists will decline to treat someone who has been drinking.

4. Cancel properly if you need to. At least 24 hours where possible. Independent therapists cannot fill a same-day gap, and a no-show is simply lost income. If you are unwell, do cancel; attending with an infection is worse than a late cancellation.

On arrival

5. Arrive ten minutes early. There is a health questionnaire to complete. Arriving exactly on time means it comes out of your table time, because therapists work to a fixed schedule.

6. Be honest on the form. This is the one that genuinely matters. Medication, recent surgery, injuries, pregnancy, skin conditions, blood pressure and blood thinners all change what a therapist can safely do. Omitting something is the most common cause of an avoidable problem, and nothing on that form will surprise them.

7. Leave your phone outside the room. Not on silent, not face down on the side. Outside. A buzzing phone ruins the session for you and makes the therapist's job harder.

During the treatment

8. Undress to your comfort level. Usually to underwear, in private, under a towel. Keeping underwear on is completely standard in the UK and no qualified therapist will ask you to remove it. Full detail is in what to wear to a massage.

9. Say what pressure you want. During the session, not afterwards. Therapists cannot feel what you feel and rely entirely on your feedback. Adjusting pressure is routine, not awkward, and enduring a session you are not enjoying benefits nobody.

10. Talk or do not. Entirely your choice. Most people talk briefly and then go quiet. If you would rather not talk at all, say so at the start; therapists appreciate knowing rather than guessing.

Afterwards

11. Get up slowly and take a moment. Standing quickly after an hour lying warm and relaxed is a reliable way to feel light-headed. Most therapists offer water and a few minutes to come round.

12. Do not feel obliged to tip. Tipping is not expected in the UK. Independent therapists set their own rates and are not relying on gratuities. A review or a recommendation is worth far more to a self-employed therapist than a few pounds, as covered in should you tip a massage therapist in the UK.

Rebooking there and then, if you enjoyed it, is genuinely helpful to a therapist and usually gets you a better slot.

Things you can stop worrying about

Therapists see hundreds of bodies a year. Every one of the following is completely unremarkable:

  • Falling asleep or snoring. Very common, and generally taken as a compliment.
  • Your stomach rumbling. A sign the treatment is stimulating your digestion.
  • Unshaved legs. Nobody notices, and nobody cares.
  • Body hair anywhere. Same.
  • Your weight or body shape. Therapists treat all bodies and think nothing of it.
  • Ticklishness. Say so and they will use firmer pressure, which solves it.
  • Needing the loo. Just ask.
  • Crying. Emotional release is common and therapists are used to it.
  • Not knowing what to do with your face in the head cradle. Nothing. Let it rest.
  • Feet. Genuinely, nobody minds.

If it is your first massage, saying so changes how the therapist runs the session. See what to expect at your first massage.

What you should expect from them

Etiquette runs both ways. A professional therapist should:

  • Take a health history before treating you
  • Leave the room while you undress and knock before returning
  • Keep you draped throughout, uncovering only the area being worked
  • Never expose the chest, buttocks or any intimate area
  • Ask before working on sensitive areas such as the abdomen or glutes
  • Check pressure and respond immediately when you ask for a change
  • Hold current public liability insurance and appropriate qualifications[1]
  • Refer you on if your problem is outside their scope

If any of that is missing, particularly around draping, you are entitled to end the session. You do not need to explain yourself, and you should not feel awkward about it.

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Frequently asked questions

The ones that matter are: arrive about ten minutes early for the consultation form, be honest about your health and medication, tell the therapist what pressure you want during the session, keep your phone out of the room, and give at least 24 hours notice if you need to cancel.
It is appreciated but not essential. Arriving straight from the gym without showering is worth avoiding as a courtesy. Do not apply heavy body lotion, oil or fake tan beforehand, as they interfere with the massage medium and transfer onto towels.
Not at all. It is extremely common and most therapists take it as a compliment. Snoring is equally unremarkable. The same applies to a rumbling stomach, which is a sign the treatment is stimulating your digestive system.
Tipping is not expected in the UK, unlike in the United States. Independent therapists set their own prices and do not rely on gratuities. If you want to show appreciation, a review or a personal recommendation is worth considerably more to a self-employed therapist.
Give as much notice as you can, and at least 24 hours where possible. Most independent therapists have a 24 or 48 hour cancellation policy and may charge for a late cancellation or no-show, because they cannot fill the slot at short notice. Illness is a legitimate reason to cancel and you should not attend if you are unwell.
Entirely your choice. Some people chat, most go quiet after a few minutes, and therapists take their cue from you. If you would prefer not to talk at all, saying so at the start is completely normal and most therapists will be glad to know.

Further reading

References

  1. Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council. CNHC accredited register. https://www.cnhc.org.uk/ (accessed 30 August 2026).
  2. Federation of Holistic Therapists. Professional standards and therapist register. https://www.fht.org.uk/ (accessed 30 August 2026).

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.