In The News
Pumping Up Your Male
Clientele
By Cheryl Whitman
Unisex is not just for hair salons any more. Men have
long been interested in personal grooming-albeit
sometimes under the tutelage of their significant others
who shared the moisturizer. But males now make up one of
the fastest growing and economically tantalizing growth
segments for the medical spa industry.
They even have their own
nom de toilette, if you will-the "metrosexual." If you
aren't catering to this booming personal care
demographic, you are missing out on a golden
opportunity. Men, especially hard-working baby boomers
between the ages of 40 and 59, have seen the light and
bought into the wisdom of looking and feeling younger.
They have a heightened awareness of what's available
through daily exposure to television makeover shows,
24-hour news and fitness channels and men's magazines.
In some areas, they are
surpassing their distaff sides in seeking out medical
spas for an array of services, both surgical and
nonsurgical. Last year, according to a survey released
by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery, there was a 497% increase in
men's use of injectibles such as Botox or collagen.
Boyfriends and brothers
know Botox and dads know about destressing with facials,
sports massages and reflexology. They no longer borrow
the moisturizer from sis, mom or "hon".
"Ten to 15 years ago, I
would say out of 100 patients one would be male, but now
we have two or three out of every 10," says cosmetic
dermatologist Dr. Barry Lycka of Age Defying Dermatology
in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Industry analysts have
estimated that men spend $12 billion a year on their
appearance. That $12 billion includes liposuction,
facelifts, breast reduction surgery, body waxing (back,
chest, eyebrow) and laser hair removal, eye treatments,
microdermabrasion, and a host of anti-aging treatments
and products.
"I practice in a
conservative, middle-class town in Pennsylvania," says
dermatologist Dr. Ira Berman, "and I've noticed quite an
increase in men seeking services. In the last year or
so, it began to take off in that direction. The most
popular treatments are laser hair removal, Botox
injections and laser treatment for redness and rosacea."
Most men understand the
purely sensual benefits of many of the treatments, but
there's a practical reason for their newfound trek to
metrosexuality. While women get treatments primarily to
look younger or improve their appearance, men surveyed
say they need to not only ease workplace stress but also
to improve their appearance to compete against younger
executives in the corporate pressure cooker. They often
work longer hours in executive-thinned companies, and
understand the need for regular pampering and
maintenance to stay in the game. Lipo-ing those love
handles and sculpting those pecs and abs makes for a
better appearance, but also provides a lift to
self-esteem and confidence necessary to be that
corporate warrior.
Catering to men is a win-win
business decision. Men provide a loyal customer base.
They are not as influenced by "trend" practitioners, as
are women who like to experiment with a doctor or
aesthetician they've read about in the latest women's
magazine or been recommended to by a friend. Men prefer
a straightforward, no-nonsense approach and reward that
approach with regular business based on the personal
relationships they form.
"Men are very
straightforward in what they want," says Dr. Lycka.
"They will come in and have a specific line in their
forehead and say get rid of this, whereas women want a
general overall better look."
While women tend to demand a
lengthier relationship with the surgeon or doctor
providing the initial service, men are a little less
high-maintenance. They are willing to turn themselves
over to the care of nurses or aestheticians for pre-op
and post-op care. Many also now buy their own products,
which can account for 30 to 50% of your service revenue.
There is also a
burgeoning male youth market to target. Many men start
to have spa or medical spa services in their teens,
addressing skin-care problems such as acne with facials
and chemical peels. College students are hip to the
stress-release benefits of massage and other body
treatments.
"We have found that it goes
across the board when it comes to age-from the young to
senior citizens," notes Dr. Berman. A typical menu of
treatments for males should include: Surgical:
facelifts, rhinoplasty, eyelid lifts, liposuction,
injectibles Nonsurgical: manicures and pedicures, a
variety of massages, micro-dermabrasion, regular and
laser facials, eye treatments, body waxing, problem skin
treatment.
Retrofitting your
business to attract men and make them feel comfortable
is a relatively inexpensive venture. Here are a few
suggestions:
- Neutralize the
interiors of the facility with warm earth tones
rather than florals, a look pleasing to both
genders.
- Add some sultry jazz
to the music selection.
- Set aside a few
private areas strictly for consultation or
treatments of male clients.
- Make sure your staff
is highly credentialed and has a certain sensibility
about dealing with male clients. That doesn't mean
you'll have to make any staffing changes, as most
men are content to have female aestheticians.
- Your inventory of
injectibles may have to be plumped up, as men
require a larger dosage of Botox than women, due to
their thicker testosterone- enhanced muscles, which
sag into deeper folds than women's do.
- Invest in a line of
male skin-care products recommended by your doctors
or chief aesthetician.
Dr. Berman, like many of his
colleagues in the skin biz, is preparing to open a
cosmetic dermatological center. It won't be called a
spa, which, he says, "makes it more appealing to men."
Before you make the
decision to "go metro" you might want to start out by
marketing "men only nights" for seminars or lectures
geared specifically to both surgical and nonsurgical
treatments available to men. Invite your cosmetic
dermatologist to explain the "quick fix" benefits of
lunchtime lipo, injectibles or microdermabrasion. Ask
your plastic surgeon to provide a slide show of before
and after photos of some of today's most popular
procedures for men: rhinoplasty, liposuction, facelift,
Botox and collagen injections. Advertise these evenings
in local media, including gyms.
Or, have "couples' nights"
when your female clients can bring in their male spouses
or friends to learn about the latest in looking and
feeling good.
"I run seminars twice a
year?.," says Dr. Lycka. "When I started them there
would be one or two men out of 100. The last time we had
50 men out of 500 there."
Pumping up your male
clientele is a trend worth its weight in benefits to
your business.
To contact Cheryl
Whitman, Beautiful Forever Medical Spa & Practice
Consulting Firm
Phone: 201-750-8680
Fax: 201-750-8564
Web:
http://www.medicalspaconsultant.com
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