What's the difference between a Massage Therapist and a Masseuse?

I often hear the words masseuse and massage therapist used interchangeably, however, they are not the same. The words masseuse/masseur are French words that gained popularity in the 1800s to refer to a person who performs massage. Over time this term became associated with unsavory practices that detracted from the reputation and legitimacy of the massage profession. Nowadays massage therapist is the preferred terminology to refer to someone who is a massage professional. In most states in the USA, in Canada, and other places in the world massage therapists are required to attend an approved school program and take a licensure exam to obtain their credentials as a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT). For example, the program I attended was a 650-hr program, and then I studied and sat for a state-regulated licensure exam, similar to when I took my NCLEX exam to become a Registered Nurse.

It is reasonable to refer to a licensed massage professional as “massage therapist” and to use the term “masseuse” when referring to an unlicensed person who performs massage, as this would not be regulated or held to the same professional standards.

I can speak only for myself, but I appreciate being called a massage therapist and I cringe a bit when people call me a masseuse as I worked hard to earn my license, I pay fees to maintain my license, I complete the necessary continuing education to fulfill my licensure requirements, and I adhere to strict professional standards of conduct and ethics.

If you’re curious about whether or not your massage professional is licensed there are a few ways to find out:

1) if they own their own practice and your state requires licensure to perform massage, their license should be displayed in their location of business, or if they work for a spa or massage chain, management should have their license on file.

2) if you know their first and last name you can look them up on your state’s license site (in Illinois this is the IDFPR), be aware if your massage therapist uses a nickname such as Dave for David, Peggy for Margaret, Drew for Andrew, or in my case, Wren for Karen, it will be their legal name that is on the license.

3) just ask! Any massage therapist worth their salt will gladly share with you how hard they worked to earn the credentials to do the work they love.

Being aware of these differences help to protect the integrity of the massage profession, and those of us who worked hard to earn our credentials appreciate it!