They feel more like a reaction to the lack of contact rather than a contact in and of themselves. Like when you think there's one more step than there is in a flight of stairs, you almost could say you "feel" it just before you step past it.

The instinctual part of our brains take what it sees as real, despite our rational mind saying it's not. Constant exposure will weaken this sensation.

The sensations aren't so much a "touch" to me as they are a fuzzy feeling?

I can feel almost everything in vrchat.

the best mental state is being slightly tired, slightly disconnected, not really thinking much, which allows the reaction to occur.

I lost it years ago.

when i spawn a clone of myself and i walk up to it and hug my clone i can feel a strong feeling like a hug and warmth.

I have it strongest on my forearms and scalp

I can say it's very much a real thing. People may be lying about having it sure, but I've been playing VR for 5 and a half years, and never felt it, then put 89 hours in vrchat in 2 weeks and literally last night felt it for the first time now I have it all over my face and it's fucking weird

Its a super faint feeling. The more mirrors the better. U need to play in an avatar for a long time.

it seems to occur when the brain recognizes your body in VR as your real life body, and it mentally binds your avatar to your body

how it's felt varies (nudging, poking, stabbing, blunt force, etc) from person to person.

Didn't even realize I was feeling it until the person who was standing next to me walked away and I felt the absence of it.

the brain will recognize your body in VR as your real body, and take the perceived pain from that virtual body and transfer it to your real body

i only have phantom touch in my legs and feet. I'm pretty ticklish there on real life and i think this could be the reason for it, atleast in my case.