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A spa for tickling? Why, the very idea is just laughable.
Hahaha -- ahhhh. Is the world ready for tickle therapy? That's the idea behind a new Spanish spa -- owner of which claims it's the world's first "tickle spa."
Here's how TIME's Lisa Abend describes the experience:
Much like at any other day spa, the treatment takes place in a darkened room, with soothing music playing and a hint of incense tingeing the air. The client disrobes, puts on a pair of crinkly paper panties and lies facedown on the table. And then the tickling — first with fingertips drawn along the body, then a feather — begins. A 30-minute session costs €25 ($35); for an hour, the price is €45 ($60).
Abend ended up enjoying the experience, even going so far as to call it relaxing. As tickle therapist Lourdes Nieto told the magazine, the experience is gentle enough for even the very ticklish among us. "We use a variety of strokes. If someone is super-ticklish, we'll press harder. The idea is to relax them, not stress them out."
This is an idea that flummoxes neuroscientist Robert R. Provine.
"Tickling someone is going to be arousing, not relaxing," says Provine, who works in the department of psychology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. As he points out, conventional massage therapists spend their training specifically learning how not to tickle their clients. "Usually, people seeking a massage are seeking relaxation. Tickle is getting your blood pressure and heart rate up."
Provine, author of the book "Laughter: An Investigation," which includes an entire chapter focusing on tickling, adds: "The odd thing about it is that you’re involving strangers in what’s really a social process. If you consider who you tickle, and who tickles you -- they’re all people you know, and so strangers are really not part of it."
Tickling is really all about communication. It's possible, of course, that that might be what draws clients to the Spanish tickle spa -- they might be seeking contact and communication with another person. For kids, tickling can be a way of initiating play. And, perhaps obviously, for adults, there's a strong link between tickling and sex. Handily, Provine once conducted a survey asking people why they tickled others -- most often, the reason was to show affection.
In fact, tickling one of our first methods of communication, between babies and mothers: "Mothers will touch and tickle the baby, and the baby will smile and laugh," Provine says, pointing out that this type of communication happens before a child even has language.
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According to Provine, that idea helps explain why tickling can be so unpleasant. It's fun when it's playful, or part of a give-and-take -- but when you're powerless to stop it, it stops being fun. (Think your jerk older brother pinning you down and tickling you until you can't breathe.)
But we couldn't let him off the phone without asking him one of the questions you've asked us on our Facebook page -- why can't you tickle yourself? Well, think about it: There’s a difference between reaching out and touching someone and someone reaching out and touching you. Your nervous system does you the great favor of canceling out what Provine calls "self-produced stimulation."
"If you didn’t do this, you’d constantly be startling yourself," he explains. As it turns out, "tickle is at the very root the computation of self and others -- what’s me and what’s not me."
Follow msnbc.com health writer Melissa Dahl on Twitter: @melissadahl.
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Leave a Comment:
I am very ticklish, which leads to a lot of laughter, which leads to hiccups, in my case. I don't think of hiccups as very relaxing so I guess this is not for me, but you know what they say: laughter is the best medicine....
When I was about 15 I went to a dance. Finally found a girl 16 who danced with me. As we danced i touched her in such a way that I thought I could pass it off as tickling her if she objected and became offended. She was offended and slapped the hell out of me. One of the teacher/ chaperones came over, and after hearing what happened made me leave the dance. Told me I was rude and couldn't keep my hands to myself. Even today I like it when my wife tickles me. Makes me horney. I learned not to be tickling others whom I really didn't know too. People can be offended over the most innocent things!
Lying down with only a pair a paper skivvies on and being tickled for 30 minutes... sounds like a service being offered by bordellos.
Hey all you entrepreneurs... go for it!
Tickling irritates the crap out of me. Anyone tickling me gets hit or kicked.
I loved having my back scratched, i.e. tickled, as a child and also as an adult. My wife wont do it cause I have oily skin and she doesn't have long nails. I could have my back, legs and especially my head (after I shave it) scrathed for hours. It is the most soothing thing in the world, it pretty much puts me to sleep. Now I have to say, certain areas are arousing but not all. I would definitely pay for tickle therapy. I have to beg for it at home, if I'm lucky I'll get a one minute back scratch. I hope this comes to America, I'd pay!
I'm with you. I hate to be tickled.
I'd go. :D Honestly, gentle tickling does relax me, but it has to be a particular kind of tickle. "And then the tickling — first with fingertips drawn along the body, then a feather — begins" sounds pretty good to me, actually.
I can easily beleive people would go to a tickle spa for relaxation. After 6 years of having to lightly tickle my nephews' back or arm in order for him to fall asleep at night, and 3 years of the same with a neice, I can attest to it's relaxation benefits.
I agree that tickling can be relaxing. I am the resident tickle therapist in my home. It all started with my husband when we were dating. Then after we had kids, each of them has wanted me to tickle their backs and arms to get them to sleep as toddlers/pre-schoolers. And I remember my mom used to tickle my back and my sister's when we were really little. When done the right way it can be just as relaxing as a massage :) My husband and I joked for years that I should get paid for my back tickles and back scratches. Maybe I should open the next tickle spa in US :))
When your get tickled, especially soft tickles, the brain releases endorphins (brain morphine) that cause euphoria and pleasure. This is customed tailored to each client. It sounds good to me.
sounds like fun to me! I would love to pay a visit sometime soon!
If someone tickled me, I wouldn't even feel it. The calluses on my feet are like a quarter inch thick because of my steel-toe workboots.LOL
TMI
I think they have just scratched the surface on what benefits this therapy may hold.
this idea is a little weird: I dont want a stranger tickling me! I mean, I get tickled to be funny, and that makes my body work harder which stresses me out, not calms me down.
Plus, paper panties? Ehhh.........
Your name does not fit your cynical comment. Maybe you should get your funny bone checked out...;0)
Sounds hot! Does it cost extra for a happy ending? LOL
If someone can start a tickle spa, I'm gonna start my damn scratching spa!(light scratching, I'm not a masochist)lol. What do you think? From head to toe!
Oooh, are you going to use one of those backscratcher rakes? Sounds awesome. Do you need investors? LOL
Awe, see what Eric Massa did? gave someone a business idea! The spa seems to be charging a lot when Eric did this for FREE. lol.
Can you see what I see?
photobucket.com/ibeatyou?entry=1786009
I'm very ticklish and actually like being tickled so i'd go for sure !
I have always loved being tickled. All of my friends hate to have their feet touched, but if I had someone tickling (lightly running their fingers up and down and around) my feet, it was the most relaxing feeling for me. I'd love to go to a spa that does that!
I don't need or want the insense tho. I have asthma, but the whole experience would be a nice one for me. Too bad we don't have one here.
Even tho I'm ticklish all over, it's a great feeling when it's done gently and not as a torture method...aka: the full fledged goochy goochy goo thing....lol
rapists rejoice, touching random people for 30 mins to an hour when all they're wearing is some paper underwear just got legal.
As a licensed massage therapist - there already exists a technique called feather touch. Very lightly stroking the finger tips along the body randomly stroking lightly like a feather (you can also use a feather or feather duster). The continual touch stimulates the nerve endings; after continuing for about 10 - 20 minutes your brain begins to tune out or become dulled to the sensation, and then it becomes extremely calming and relaxing. This is not easy to do continually for more than a few minutes by a novice unless they have built up a stamina like a massage therapist would have. And the touch must be continued for at least 10 - 20 minutes before the brain starts to send you into that state of pure relaxation....sort of feels like being sedated - extremely relaxed.
As a side note, as therapists we were told tickling is a form of pain. Think about it. So we normally do not try to tickle clients, and increase pressure to stop the tickle sensation. But the feather touch is a very light form of tickle and a wonderul technique when needed - but is probably not for the extremely ticklish!
I like the dark room idea !!
Id like to tickle her tonsils
I've been a massage therapist for over 15 years, and I have to say this is a new one to me. While I was in massage school I was told that ticklishness is a form of pain. Your body's way of saying 'back off'. So, in essence, I'd view this as somewhat masochistic. Well, whatever floats your boat, but, no thanks for me!
I always thought being "ticklish" was actually an evolved mechanism meant to protect our "vulnerable bits" by teaching us discomfort without outright pain. People are generally ticklish in the abdomen, armpits, neck, and feet, which are vital areas for our functionality as humans. I think it is an evolved mechanism that teaches us as children to prevent contact to those areas, to keep us alive.
This would be the stupidest thing I ever heard of if it weren't for pet rocks. Heck, I'll tickle you for 30 bucks and you don't have to leave the US. No extra charge for the tonsils (ladies only).
Tickiling is ssssooooooooooooooooooooo relaxing. I enjoy most tickling around my genitals.
Well heck, I get this nonsense for free, as my darn wife always finds it hysterical to tickle me constantly, since I'm super ticklish. I hate it. No need to go to Spain, when I can be tortured in my own house.
I guess it's true, there's a sucker born every minute, that'll pay for pretty much anything. Like the "flavored oxygen bars" and bottled water.
Maybe I should open a spa where I cook, and let people smell the food I make, just not eat it, and charge $35 an hour.
People:
They're not tickling customers like you would to make someone laugh. The 'tickling' is like a very soft running of the fingernails up and down someone's skin, which is very relaxing. In fact that's the only way a friend of mine can fall asleep.