Washington state considers restricting full breast and chest ... - WFAA.com

[massage]

A massage practitioner performs a chest massage. (Credit: KING)

SEATTLE -- Washington state is considering banning full breast and chest massages to prevent unwanted touching. But a group of massage therapists says the regulations go too far restricting care from the people who need it.

"I received a lot of massage over the years, and the massages that include the full chest are the most powerful massages," said Barbara Helynn Heard.

Which is why when the Washington Department of Health's Board of Massage proposed regulations that could limit the practice she was concerned.

"To think that it would be become illegal to do that I was scared," said Heard.

According to a spokesperson for the Department of Health, the regulations are being proposed to protection massage clients from unwanted touching. The rules would allow partial breast massage but would ban full breast and chest massages unless it was prescribed by a doctor. This rule would not only apply to women, but it would also apply to men.

This is not only concerning to Barbara Heard but also to Aubrey Lesicki - a massage practitioner at Breast Remedies Seattle who specializes in chest and breast massage. She works with breastfeeding mothers, breast cancer patients but also everyday women.

"Part of the rib cage falls under the breast tissue for women, and a lot of women will have pain in their region," said Lesicki. "We're trying to promote that this is a normal part of the body there's no reason for it to be over-sexualized."

That's why Lesicki has proposed her own set of regulations. She agrees protections should be in place for clients but feels full chest and breast massage should be allowed without a prescription.

"I don't feel like that is what going to protect anyone. it's just going to reduce access to care," said Lesicki.

She proposes allowing full chest and breast massages but requiring massage practitioners to get written and verbal consent from their client. She also wants massage practitioners to be properly trained in breast and chest massage before they're allowed to offer the service.

"The proposal that we put forward allows the board of massage to regulate the therapist rather than the client," said Lesicki.

The Board of Massage is set to meet September 9, but it's unclear at this point when they will approve the final regulations.

If you have questions about breast and chest massage Heard and Lesicki encourage you to visit their websites.

Copyright 2016 KING

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