In-person ASMR spas & services (updated Dec 27, 2025)

/ Dr. Richard

Do you know that some places in the world offer in-person ASMR services?

Perhaps you do, but I’m not sure most people are aware of this.

Yet, I’ve been seeing these services emerge in the USA, the UK, London, Singapore, and other countries since 2015.

They are often called “ASMR Spa” and “ASMR Services”, but they are also offered as “Touch Therapy”, “Soft Touch Services”, “Light Touch Treatments”, “Backscratching Services”, and other names.

Below is a list of examples, followed by data demonstrating the interest for in-person ASMR services among many people.

Examples of in-person ASMR services around the world (if a link is no longer working, the service may have ceased).

U.S.A.

Canada

Europe

Other

***

I’m such a strong believer in the benefits of in-person ASMR, that I wrote a book about it in 2018.

The book is almost a manual for anyone wanting to offer in-person ASMR services.  Chapters 5 & 6 focus on the techniques and types of light touch, and the appendices include forms to use with clients to find out their preferred triggers, to get consent for touch triggers, and to plan optimized sessions for each client visit.

You can learn more about my book about in-person ASMR sessions and services here: https://asmruniversity.com/brain-tingles-the-book/

Has my book been a bestseller?  No, not even close.

In-person ASMR services, unlike ASMR videos, have not taken over the world.  Yet.

Some obvious reasons are the costs and inconvenience of traveling to an in-person ASMR service compared to just watching an ASMR video.

Yet, many people who enjoy ASMR videos say they ARE interested in the real-world experience of in-person ASMR.

The data below supports the strong interest for in-person ASMR services.

Another key data point below is that hair touching and light touch are the most favorite triggers.  Touch is the main ASMR trigger type that you can get in-person, but not from an ASMR video.  Gentle touch may also be the top trigger for ASMR, according to the data below, from data my team has collected, and from data collected from other sources.

Here is a great quote about the mechanism of light touch from Tiffany Libby, MD, a double board-certified dermatologist and MOHS surgeon based in Providence, RI :

“…back-scratching (or any type of soft, stroking motion) activates the C-fibers in our central nervous systems which then “activates the part of the brain that is associated with comfort.””
– Aug 6, 2025; Allure magazine

You can learn more about the benefits of light touch (AKA affiliative touch) in this article: https://asmruniversity.com/origin-theory-of-asmr/

The survey data.

The following data from over 600 people were collected by Amanda Rose Doherty around 2016.  You can read more about her and her survey in this article.

Total responses to survey: 675

  • Yes, experience ASMR: 607 (90%)
  • No, don’t experience ASMR: 26 (4%)
  • Unsure if experience ASMR: 38 (6%)

Total participants in the following data: 607

The following data is specific to those who reported experiencing ASMR (n = 607).  This allows the data to be more finely tuned and accurate about ASMR.  The most popular response for each question is bolded.

Are you male or female? (no non-binary option given)

  • Female: 79%
  • Male: 21%

What is your age?

  • 18-24: 53%
  • 25-34: 30%
  • 35-44: 11%
  • 45 or older: 6%

Where do you live?

  • North America: 68%
  • Europe: 27%
  • Other: 5%

I watch ASMR videos

  • Yes: 99%
  • No: 1%

ASMR videos help me to: (multiple selection)

Results unclear bc participants could have chosen “all the above” and additional response(s).

  • Fall asleep: 62%
  • Feel less stressed: 61%
  • Feel comforted: 52%
  • Feel happier: 26%
  • All the above: 49%

I prefer to watch ASMR videos: (multiple selection)

  • In my home: 99%
  • At work: 13%
  • On public transport: 5%
  • In a public setting: 2%

Favourite types of stimuli? (multiple selection)

Data shown as: Total % (% of females/% of males)

  • Hair touching: 85% (90/67)
  • Light touch: 78% (80/69)
  • Whispering: 74% (74/72)
  • Soft speaking: 70% (69/73)
  • Massage: 67% (68/62)
  • Tapping: 61% (64/48)
  • Caring tone/voice: 57% (58/51)
  • Stroking: 50% (53/38)
  • Physical examination: 49% (48/50)
  • Slow hand movements: 49% (53/35)
  • Grooming: 44% (44/44)
  • Scratching: 44% (45/37)
  • Crinkling: 39% (42/23)
  • Mouth sounds: 31% (28/42)
  • Eye gazing: 12% (11/18)
  • Chewing: 6% (6/10)

Would you pay to see your favourite ASMRtist(s) in a live setting?

  • Yes: 85%
  • No: 15%

If a real-life ASMR spa were available today, how likely would you be to use it?

  • Extremely: 75%
  • Quite: 17%
  • Moderately: 5%
  • Slight: 2%
  • Not at all: 0%

I would use the following ASMR spa services: (multiple selection)

  • Get a massage from an ASMRtist: 90%
  • Get my hair brushed by an ASMRtist: 88%
  • Watch ASMRtists perform my favourite stimuli in real-time: 59%
  • Get my nails painted by an ASMRtist: 37%
  • Watch ASMR YouTube videos: 22%
  • Watch an ASMRtist in real-time performing my favourite stimuli on another person: 20%
  • Watch my laundry folded by an ASMRtist: 9%

I prefer/I would prefer:

  • To be directly involved/be the subject in a role play (e.g. getting hair brushed, being whispered to): 86%
  • To watch a role play with someone else as the subject: 4%
  • Both: 16%
  • Neither: 1%

Would you travel to experience the services of an ASMR spa?

  • Yes, only within my own country:  70%
  • Yes, internationally: 12%
  • No: 22%

My deep appreciation to Amanda Rose Doherty for collecting and sharing this helpful and interesting data about ASMR, ASMR experiencers, and ASMR spas.  Connect with Amanda: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dohertyamanda/

But wait, there’s more.

In 2025, the founder of Studio ASMR in Poland, shared insights and data about her in-person ASMR spa.  Similar to the data from Amanda Rose Doherty, the data collected from ASMR spa clients confirmed that most of them enjoy touch the most.

Summary: I think in-person ASMR services will become wildly popular someday.  It is just a matter of timing, marketing, and a big push from the right type of business people, spokespeople, and influencers.

More Helpful Information about ASMR Spas

Learn more about ASMR research and data:

Learn more about ASMR:

Enjoy ASMR podcasts for Sleep & Relaxation:

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This post brought to you by ASMR University.  A site with the mission of increasing the awareness, understanding, and research of the Art and Science of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.

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