To not want to be naked in sauna

[lollypoppy123]

I’m going to a fancy hotel in Germany with an amazing spa but I’ve just found out the spa is textile free which means no clothes whatsoever allowed. I’m really uncomfortable with this as I’ve had a mastectomy and my reconstruction is pretty ugly. Even without that, I’d feel weird being naked with strangers.

But I think she maybe meant "vulva" or "pubis"? You can't see a woman's vagina from the outside (generally).

Ok, so I’ve had a single mastectomy no reconstruction and had similar in Japan with the onsens. I was a bit nervous the first time, but honestly it was fine and you’ll find that people really
aren’t looking and you’ll feel so amazing afterwards.

As an aside, did you see the episode of 'Have I got news for you?' where they were discussing how a certain font was resulting in arms being translated as anus, and they gave silly examples of people 'throwing their anus around each other' and such like? Hilarious.

This is not how it works! German saunas are meticulous about cleanliness and hygiene. Nobody is touching the wood with their bare bottoms, fat or not, or any other parts of their body. Towels are compulsory to sit or lie down on.
The whole idea of a Sauna is that it’s a cleansing experience.
You have a shower (naked, of course!) and a good scrub before you go into the sauna.
Inside the sauna room you are naked so that clean sweat can come out of your pores, unimpeded by a synthetic clinging swimming costume. As mentioned above, you take great care that none of that sweat gets onto the wood. Germans will tell you off if they see that happen, it’s considered the height of rudeness.
Then after the sauna you have another shower, freezing cold, to wash off the sweat and feel invigorated.
Then wrap up in a clean towelling robe and relax on a lounge chair.

So you can/have to sit on a towel, fair enough. But you can’t have one on your lap? Well that’s clearly ridiculous. Either textiles are bad or they aren’t surely?

A spa is my ideal of hell, clothed or not so wouldn’t actually affect me but it seems a bit try hard.

Whatever she meant, she's exaggerating a tad imho.
I'm aware of the anatomically correct names too, but vagina can be broadly used to refer to 'woman's bits'.

Go only to places where people keep covered up. Simple.

Do you think you could email the hotel, explain about your surgery and ask if you would be supported in respecting their practices, but wearing something like this?

Nude Seamless Bandeau Bra - Matalan https://share.google/yt47tPUf7AcsxeroK

Generally, they give you a huge sheet like thing which you can use to wrap around yourself when walking between saunas. So the no textiles thing is just no swimsuits/clothes. You can absolutely use a towel if you want to. In fact, you should put one down to sit on when using the sauna unless they have disposable mats available.
My experience was that it doesn't feel so strange when everyone else is doing it. It's perfectly normal in Germany.
But nobody will shout at you if you use the sheet/towel they give you to cover up. If there are multiple saunas to walk around a lot of people will cover up in between. Also, in the relaxation areas. Some people do, some don't.

Then after the sauna you have another shower, freezing cold, to wash off the sweat and feel invigorated.
Then wrap up in a clean towelling robe and relax on a lounge chair.

I used to go regularly to a German sauna with my in-laws. We go Friday night for te evening, and there are all sorts of things: walking over rocks in cold water, swimming in a pool at blood temerature and a variety of sauna cabins at a variety of heats.

In between, you lie wrapped up in your robe on a sun lounger style chair and order drinks to your seat.

I was relaxed to the bones, every time. It's just marvellous. Best night's sleep afterwards.

I just couldn’t let my fil see me naked!

have only read OP.
It will be fine. They are shit hot at telling people to get out if they stare or make other people uncomfortable.
All spas have women only sessions.
A sauna feels so so so much better without any clothing.

Yanbu to feel uncomfortable about it but YABU to book into a spa with these rules and then complain about it.

No thanks. I dont want to see other peoples bits and I sure dont want them seeing mine 😆

they literally aren't stopping you from keeping your clothes on. But their spa, their rules, you go in and get naked. Nobody is forcing you to go in.

You should contact the hotel and ask. I don't know about Germany, but in Finland some people are entitled to a specific type of wristband that allows them to wear swimsuit in the sauna and shower. Breast cancer is one of the more common reasons to be given the wrist band. In saunas you see peole of all shape size type and they don't pay attention.

If it is more being uncomfortable being naked with strangers, then seems like the spa might not be for you. Different spas have different rules and do things differently, so worth finding out what it exactly means in this spa.

you must sit on a towel. Plonking your bare behind on seats or sauna benches is not allowed

Finnish saunas are naked, apart from a paper towel for hygiene. I have scars from breast cancer surgery and I don’t think anyone looked - Finns are silent in the sauna so no one comments.

I went to a spa in Austria, it was a nude zone. I was at the pool and DP went to use the sauna, he didn't realise and the staff informed him so he decided to go nude. When he told me I was gobsmacked, but sure enough the next day I went in too.

Without sounding like a nudist, it was a really good experience and I'm so glad I did it. Also, it made me feel less hung up about my body because I realised nobody was judging or batting an eyelid at what would normally be my most self conscious.

Would absolutely do it again. Also helps that I kept telling myself I will never see any of these people again.

Why would you, if you never used one or had anyone tell you?

I lived in Germany for a year /used normal swimming pool/ and never heard of them.

It's the very definition of prudery...

• It is characterized by a tendency to be easily shocked by things others may not find offensive.

I’m german. Nobody will look. And I mean nobody. Looking at people’s body in a sauna is an absolute no-go. Worse than obvious queue jumping in the uk ;)
You will be absolutely fine.
You will also only be naked IN the actual sauna (you sit in your towel). You out your towel around yourself if you walk between saunas.

Nobody will look. Nobody. Naked bodies are perfectly normal.
Anybody (usually foreigners) caught looking will be removed very quickly and in no uncertain terms.

I went to a ‘spa’ hotel in Norway at the beginning of the year! I had to go naked, into the steam and sauna rooms, after showering. They do allow towels in, definitely one to sit on (although some place have little mats, that you hire). However after the initial first encounter of being naked, it wasn’t too bad.
I think with it being strangers helped as I wouldn’t be seeing them again and everyone was in the same situation!
Just enjoy, it will be fine.

As @VividLemonLeader said.

I’ve got a scar and radiotherapy rash on my breast. It’s completely fine. I much prefer being naked in a spa.

The Friedrichsbad in Baden-Baden has a textile day. I avoided that day when I went.