While working at an upscale day spa in San Francisco, frequented mainly by the snobbish and fur coated, I had a rather forthcoming request by a perspective client on the phone. He wanted a massage and then asked, to my horror, that the therapist be a blond woman and that she be naked. “We’re uh…not that kind of spa,” I managed to stammer out. His response was that of surprise, “Oh, I thought all spas offered that.”

To be fair to this man’s ignorance, along the slummy streets of downtown San Francisco I saw many signs advertising “sensual massages from sexy girls.” But the term “spa” these days has come to mean a place geared towards the interests of women. Facials, exfoliations, lavender scrubs, manicures and pedicures are just some of the treatments offered at spa locations throughout the world. Of course there are many businesses that still offer the types of massages that do more than relieve an aching back, some just go a bit too far. Just last week several employees at a spa in Macomb County, Michigan were busted for performing acts of prostitution at their company.

Suspicions arose when it was discovered that most of Washington Spa’s clients were all men and they all were being escorted through the back door. This was probably the biggest clue, as men usually try to avoid the expense of a pedicure or the pricetag of an extravagant facial, for fear of seeming too feminine.  Interestingly the matter of  participating in girlie spa activities was more of a threat to men than being thrown in the slammer for soliciting prostitution.

Washington Township Supervisor Gary Kirsh was quoted in the local newspaper, The Romeo Observer as saying, “It was the operators’ decision to go from a legit to an illegal business. It’s operators like this that make massage businesses look bad.” Not only that, it certainly confuses many a men who call looking for something more intimate rather than therapeutic. On that note, before assuming that a flirtatious Swedish model would be your best option for knocking all the kinks out of your back, think again. The biggest, meanest looking male therapist is often your best bet for clearing up any unnecessary pains and it’ll save you from having to front the money for a return visit.  Just don’t request him to be naked.